Common Misconceptions

While we know bilingualism is a wonderful ability that comes with a number of benefits, there are also many misconceptions. Several of the most common are listed below.

 

Column 1 lists different bilingualism misconceptions. Column 2 features a corresponding graphic.
Allowing my child to be bilingual will interfere with their acquisition of English.
  • Children who continue to learn their first language in addition to English acquire English better than children who completely replace their first language with English. In fact, some studies show that children who do not reach a first threshold in their first language may experience cognitive difficulties in their second language.
Chalk writing on a black board with the text: English language; hello! hi! how are you? goodbye!
Vulnerable populations should not be exposed to multiple languages because it might disrupt their linguistic development.
  • Bilingualism can be beneficial for these populations at the cognitive, linguistic, and socio-cultural level. With the appropriate linguistic exposure, individuals with developmental disorders can become successful bilingual speakers.
A woman sits at a laptop in front of a chalkboard that has "hello" writing in several languages
Bilingualism is detrimental to verbal intelligence and leads to confusion.
  • Misinformation and poorly controlled studies created these negative attitudes toward bilingualism among both educators and the general public. Instead we find that the grammars of bilingual children are highly complex and systematic.
An illustration of a brain with rainbow rays shooting out from around it

 

 

Related articles

Collier, V. “Acquiring a Second Language for School,” Directions in Language and Education (1995) 1(4).

Maria Vender, Mirta Vernice, & Antonella Sorace. (2021). Supporting Bilingualism in Vulnerable Populations. Sustainability, 13(13830), 13830.

Nickels, L., Hameau, S., Nair, V. K. K., Barr, P., & Biedermann, B. (2019). Ageing with bilingualism: benefits and challenges. Speech, Language and Hearing, 22(1), 32–50.

Wilkinson, E., & Morford, J. P. (2020). How bilingualism contributes to healthy development in deaf children: A public health perspective. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 24(11), 1330-1338.

de Valenzuela, J., Kay-Raining Bird, E., Parkington, K., Mirenda, P., Cain, K., MacLeod, A. A., Segers, E. (2016).  Access to Opportunities for Bilingualism for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities: Key Informant Interviews.Journal of Communication Disorders, 63, 32 - 46