Bilingualism

Name – Shital D Italiya

Roll no – 29

SEM – 3

STD – M.A

Paper – 12(English language teaching)

Topic – Bilingualism

Submitted to – S.B.Gardi Department of English

                          M.K.Bhavnagar University

                                  Bhavnagar

Bilingualism

Introduction

       To study bilingualism is to study the interaction between linguistics, psycholinguistics, sociolinguistic, pedagogy and the real world of language politics and policy. To be able to appreciate such interaction in changing times and adjust classroom practice in the light of changes is the hallmark of a profession language teacher.We defines bilingualism as having some ability to use two or more languages.

Across the globe, the majority of the population is either bilingual or multilingual. In Australia, over 200 different languages are spoken, with roughly 19% of the population speaking a language other than English.There are varying degrees of bilingualism, and you don't have to speak both languages with equal fluency to be considered bilingual. In fact, native-like proficiency in both languages is rare. Most people will have a 'dominant' language.

This doesn't stop children from reaching a level of bilingualism that suits their lifestyle and needs. A child may be a passive bilingual - he or she has the ability to understand a second language but is unable to reply in that language.

v  What is bilingualism?

“Bilingualism refers to the phenomenon of competence and communication in two languages”.

       A bilingualism individual is someone who has the ability to communicate in two languages alternately. Such an ability or psychological state in the individual has been referred to as bilinguality. A bilingual society is one which two languages are used for communication. In a bilingual society it is possible to have a large number of monolingual (those who speak only one of the two languages used in that society.) There is therefore a distinction between individual bilingualism and social bilingualism.

Bilingualism

1.    Monolingual or communicative

2.    Relative competence in two languages.

3.    Domains

4.    Components

         A part from bilingual abilities involving two languages, individual may also have bidialectual or biscriptual abilities within one language. Bidialectualism refers to the phenomenon where by someone can communicate in more than two dialect of the same language.

Example- Cantonese and Putonghua for Chines speaker.Biscriptual ability to read more than one script of the same language.

The Chinese speaker can be written both in the new simplified script and the traditional complex script.

v  Background

ü  Monolingual speaker hearer competence

ü  Greater vigour

ü  Contact linguistics

ü  The ultimate locus of contact

ü  Psycholinguistic study of bilingualism.

v  Two types of Bilingualism.

v  Bilingual Education.

              Bilingual education using the media of instruction and having bilingualism as a goal of education. Educators are concerned about the types of teaching programme and classroom technique that can facilitate the development of bilingual abilities. A whole range of bilingual model is now available. It became bilingual help for the learner to develop positive attitude to their native language and themselves, this phenomenon is called additive bilingualism. If they develop negative attitude towards their own languages in the process of becoming bilingual, then it is called subtractive bilingualism. Some researchers have related this positive and negative attitude to cognitive advantages and disadvantages.

v  Research

           Although the acquisition of two languages is not a twentieth century phenomenon, the study of bilingualism, as outlined above, is a relatively modern discipline. In fact, until the middle of the twentieth century most scholarly efforts were not spent on understanding bilingualism as a phenomenon.

         Most linguists in the 1970 were still working within Chomsky’s (1965) approach to linguistics which was not design to handle mixed language output. Most of the early impetus for research into bilingualism came instead from studies in bilingual education. This in turn was the result of a mixture of interacting effect from post war population movements.

       In America the bilingual act was passed in 1968, while in Canada the official languages act was adopted in 1969. Likewise in multilingual India the three language formula was first devised in 1956 and modified in 1961. Similar event took place in other countries well into the 1970s.

       As a part of many pilot programmes in bilingual education model for facilitating bilingual development in school have been developed. A review of all the models shows that they hinge on two main issues.

1.    Whether the non-dominant language is used as a medium of instruction.

2.    Whether the non-dominant language is valued as a cultural asset worth acquiring for itself.

v  Bilingual education model.

1) The submersion model of bilingual education is the non-dominant language is neither valued nor used as a medium of instruction.

2) Transitional Bilingualism is that non dominant language used as medium of instruction for a period but is not eventually valued as a target language.

3) Heritage language programme; the non-dominant language is not used as a medium of instruction but is valued as a target language to be learned.

4) The language is valued as a target language and also use as a medium of instruction for same subject.

  A part from general discussion of bilingualism and bilingual education, usually in primary or secondary school settings. There is also a body of research for sub areas, such as bilingualism and language contact; cognitive processing in bilingual and even what parents can do at home to help children became bilingual.

v  Bilingual in social context.

       When two languages are used in the same community there might be the adoption of vocabulary items or phrases from one language while a person is communicating largely in the other. Lexical borrowing may be quite superficial in that the linguistic system is fairly unaffected. The bilingual person’s output is still largely recognisable in that the linguistic system is fairly unaffected.

v  Bilingual memory system.

1) Coexistent bilingualism represent two languages are kept separate.

2) Merged bilingualism is the representations of the two languages are integrated into one system.

3) Subordinate bilingualism is L2 and it is based on the representation of L1.

Ervin and Osgood refer to the first type as co-ordinate bilingualism and the second as compound bilingualism. They consider the third type as a form of the second type since the mental representations of L2 are based on L1 and are therefore not separately stored.

v  Bilingualism in practice.

The recognition of bilingualism as social, individual and linguistic phenomenon has several implication for educational practice. To begin with, teachers have to appreciate the sociolinguistics circumstances surrounding the development of bilingual competence in their student. If they are in position of power and influence, they could try to propose to their government or institutions education model appropriate for their circumstances.

v  Advantages of bilingualism.

           First of all, bilingualism promotes overall cognitive development because a bilingual individual encounters the world from two different language perspectives, which prevents them from having a limited experience. Plus, this extended way of thinking facilitates the approach to cognitive problems and higher levels of abstract thinking.

§  It gives you access to two cultures and makes you more tolerant and open to others. By being able to communicate in two languages, you are free to learn about diverse cultures, traditions and social behaviours as well as be a part of them. People who speak two languages have two windows open to the world to enrich their life.

§  Being bilingual makes it is easier to travel, find a job and belong to this new global world inside and outside of the U.S.

§  Studies have shown that bilingual people have better task switching capacities because of their acquired ability to inhibit one language while using another. In other words, speaking two languages forces your brain to recognize two different languages systems. So, basically, you become smarter. Did you know that people who speak more than one language tend to make fewer errors in their driving? A side benefit, but a benefit nonetheless!

§  According to Livingbilingual.com, being bilingual “promotes mental agility and helps delay neurological disorders like dementia and Alzheimer Disease.” According to some studies, monolingual adults tend to show the first signs of dementia at the average age of 71. This is in contrast to bilingual individuals who show their first symptoms around 76 years old.

• Bilingual adults and children seem to have social and emotional benefits like being able to internalize negative states like anxiety, aggression, anger, loneliness or low self-esteem less frequently. They have greater tolerance and less racism. It seems likely that bilinguals would be more tolerant of differences and more open to diversity.
• Globalization makes bilingual individuals more valuable in their future search for work. Bilinguals may also be bridge-builders between different language communities, so they are essential for personal and professional networking.  Studies show that bilinguals earn more money on average in the United States. As companies become more international, there is a greater need for employees who are fluent in more than one language.
• You will find it much easier to learn a third language when you are bilingual. Plus, your English will be enhanced as you are more aware of language structures, grammar, and literacy and language skill
• According to a study, bilinguals tend to make better rational and financial decisions.
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v  How do children become Bilingual?

ü  There are several ways to bring up your child with more than one language.

        1)    The One Person-One Language pattern is a common way of doing it. This pattern is primarily used by families in which parents speak different native languages. For example, the family might live in Australia and the mother may speak English (the majority language) to the children, but the father might be from Switzerland and choose to speak his native languages, Swiss-German (the minority language), the children.

This pattern has a lot of advantages, as parents are able to connect with their child in their own languages and the child is able to speak both languages, but it does require some planning and persistence.

            Parents who want their children to do really well in the minority language should aim to offer a higher level of exposure to that language. Be consistent with your language choice, and support each other when using it in and outside the home.

         2)    Another common way to bring up your child bilingually is when parents speak the same minority languages. This is sometimes called the Minority language pattern. For example, two parents might have migrated from Peru to Australia, and speak Spanish to their children, while their children go to an English speaking school.

This method has the advantage that children receive larger exposure to the minority language through both parents. However, as parents, you may often feel pressure from others in the community to stop speaking your home language to your children. You need to remember the advantage of bilingualism and commit yourself to promoting and maintaining it.

v  Myth and misconception about bilingualism in child learning.

                          While there are many advantages to be had through bilingualism, there are several myths and misconceptions which worry parents and carers. Some of these myths may be familiar.

ü  Myth 1: "Children will be confused"

               Children are very capable of learning two or more languages simultaneously. They can also demonstrate they can distinguish between two languages at a very young age. Your children will learn quite early on that they need to speak German to Grandma, but English to the teacher.

ü  Myth 2: "The child's English will suffer"

                          It has been shown that knowledge of a home language can actually help with the acquisition of the language of the community, for example English in Australia. Children with a solid foundation in their home language go on to learn the majority language more proficiently and achieve higher academic success than those whose home language is not well supported.

ü  Myth 3: "Children will have problems reading and writing"

            Studies have shown that bilingual children who are exposed to two writing systems go on to achieve high levels of reading and writing, and may even have a better understanding of the relationship between linguistic forums and meaning than their monolingual peers.

ü  Myth 4: "Bilingualism delays language acquisition"

              There is little evidence to support this statement. Research shows that bilingual children acquire language at the same rate as monolingual children. Some bilingual children may start speaking a bit later than their peers, but then so do some monolingual children! 

                                A child may have basic bilingualism - when they can speak with family members and other adults but are behind monolingual children of the same age. Or they may have native-like ability - where their level of spoken language is hard to tell apart from their monolingual peers.

                            Whatever degree of proficiency you achieve, bilingualism or multilingualism can be a positive and enriching part of life. Especially for children and families who speak two or more languages either in the home or in the community.

v  Current and future trends and directions.

                    In the study of bilingualism was initially motivated by an educational needs, and so had a strong pedagogical orientalism in the early work, research in the last decades has brought together the theoretical approaches from several disciplines. This multidisciplinary approach to bilingualism has proved healthy and is likely to continue to be adopted.

                    While bilingual education might have been the goal in the 1970, at the start of the twenty first century there is the call for multilingualism and multilingual education, to be a new target. In multilingual education the implication for the language in the teacher, as well as administrative arrangements for classes streamed according to learners’ L1s are even more creative solution.

v Conclusion

                        The multifaceted nature of the phenomenon of bilingualism needs to be fully appropriate for any pedagogical programme designed to foster bilingual development to succeed. To study bilingualism is to study the interaction between linguistics, psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics, pedagogy and the real world of language politics and policy. To be able to appropriate such interactions in changing times and adjust classroom practice in the light of changes is the hallmark of a professional language teacher.