Cognitive Benefits of Bilingual Education

Although there are many known practical and social benefits of receiving a bilingual education, the cognitive benefits are lesser known by the general public.

In the past couple of years, researchers have found a direct correlation between bilingualism and Alzheimer's Disease. A study led by Tamar Gollan, a neuropsychologist from University of California San Diego, found that people with a higher degree of bilingualism were more resistant to the onset of the dementia and other symptoms of Alzheimers. This means that the more bilingual a person becomes, the onset age for Alzheimers decreases. In fact, research also found that bilinguals were diagnosed with Alzheimers 4.3 years after monolinguals were diagnosed, which goes to prove that bilingualism does decrease the onset age of dementia.

Apart from delaying dementia and Alzheimers, receiving a bilingual education also has other cognitive benefits. Researchers from Washington State University found that bilingualism is associated with increased control of attention, improved working memory, greater awareness of form and structure of language, and better abstract and symbolic representation skills. Additionally, in recent years preliminary evidence has been found that shows that being bilingual may physically remodel parts of the brain. These findings imply that while receiving a bilingual education benefits people socially and practically, being bilingual also benefits them cognitively.

To learn more about the relationship between bilingualism and the onset of alzheimer's, click here.

For more information on how bilingualism specifically affects different parts of your brain, click here.