Bilingual Development in Children

The course is intended for students who are interested in the

phenomenon of (mostly child) bilingualism. The topics cover different

aspects of bilingual development in children and are grounded in research

on developmental psycholinguistics in monolingual context. The classes

will be divided into four blocks, covering: the definition and types of

bilingual speakers (1 class), the role of language exposure in bilingual

language use (3 classes), linguistic development (vocabulary and

grammar) in bilinguals (3 classes), bilingualism and non-verbal cognitive

development (3 classes), bilingualism and Theory of Mind (2 classes). One

class will be devoted to a topic of students own choosing (see details in

the full course description).

The course is intended for students who are interested in the

phenomenon of (mostly child) bilingualism. The topics cover different

aspects of bilingual development in children and are grounded in research

on developmental psycholinguistics in the monolingual context. The

classes will be divided into four blocks, covering: the definition and types

of bilingual speakers (1 class), the role of language exposure in bilingual

language use (3 classes), linguistic development (vocabulary and

grammar) in bilinguals (3 classes), bilingualism and non-verbal cognitive

development (3 classes), bilingualism and Theory of Mind (2 classes). One

class will be devoted to a topic of students’ choice from the following:

how to test/diagnose language development in bilinguals; Specific

Language Impairment and bilingualism; identity, expressing emotions in

the languages of the bilingual (topics linking bilingualism and students

own interests are also welcome). The remaining two classes will be

devoted to a class summary (final-term), and the final test.

There will be an obligatory reading (chapter from a handbook, blog post

by an expert in the field, etc.) for almost every class which will serve as a

starting-point and basis for the topic discussed in class. Additionally,

students will be strongly advised to read one of the research papers

assigned to every class. Each class, the research paper(s) will be presented

by one of the students as research reports (15-20 mins + discussion) (see

the list of topics and readings below). Each student will prepare one

research report during the semester. The presenters will be also

responsible for preparing a few questions/issues for in-class discussion

(rooted in the knowledge gained in class, their experience or thoughts).

The students will be requested to send in their presentations a few days

before the class so that the presentations can be checked by the lecturer.

If any improvements are suggested, they should be applied before

presenting the report in class.

ECTS = 100 hours of workload

 Class attendance – 30 hours

 Reading weekly literature and preparing for discussion – 30 hours

 Preparing research reports – 10 hours

 Preparing for final test – 30 hours

1. Bilingualism and bilingual speaker – definition, types.

 Obligatory reading: Grosjean, F. (2008) Studying bilinguals. Oxford

University Press. Chapter 2 (p. 9-13)

2. Is hearing a language in infancy enough to become a bilingual?

 Obligatory reading: De Houwer, A. (2009). Language learning in

the first year at the intersection of interaction, socialization and

maturation. In De Houwer, A. (Ed.) Bilingual First Language

Acquisition, Multilingual Matters. pp. 26-29.

 Research paper 1: Bosch, L., & Sebastian-Galles, N. (2003).

Simultaneous Bilingualism and the Perception of a LanguageSpecific

Vowel Contrast in the First Year of Life. Language and

Speech, 46(2-3), 217–243. doi:10.1177/00238309030460020801

 Research paper 2: Kuhl, P. K., Tsao, F.-M., & Liu, H.-M. (2003).

Foreign- language experience in infancy: Effects of short-term

exposure and social interaction on phonetic learning. Proceedings

of the National Academy of Sciences, 100(15), 9096–9101.

3. The role of parental language input in bilingual language use.

 Obligatory reading: De Houwer, A. (2009). Language learning in

the first year at the intersection of interaction, socialization and

maturation. In De Houwer, A. (Ed.) Bilingual First Language

Acquisition, Multilingual Matters. pp. 20-25

 Research paper 1: De Houwer, A. (2007). Parental language input

patterns and children's bilingual use. Applied Psycholinguistics,

28, 411- 424. doi:10.1017/S0142716407070221

4. Early word learning. The importance of variety of exposure contexts

 Obligatory reading: Paradis, J. (2011). Individual differences in

child English second language acquisition: comparing childinternal

and external factors (pp.213-218)

 Research paper 1: Gollan, T. H., Starr, J., & Ferreira, V. S. (2015).

More than use it or lose it: The number-of-speakers effect on

heritage language proficiency. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review,

22(1), 147-155.

5. Bilingual and monolingual language development: same milestones,

different timing?

 Obligatory reading: Bialystok, E., Craik, F. I. M., Green, D. W., &

Gollan, T. H. (2009). Bilingual Minds. Psychological Science in the

Public Interest, 10(3), 89–129.

http://doi.org/10.1177/1529100610387084. SECTION 1

 Research paper 1: Hoff, E., Core, C., Place, S., Rumiche, R., Señor,

M., & Parra, M. (2012). Dual language exposure and early

bilingual development. Journal of Child Language, 39(01), 1–27.

http://doi.org/10.1017/S0305000910000759

6. Developmental changes in lexical abilities of bilingual children

 (no obligatory reading)

 Research paper 1: Uccelli, P., & Páez, M. M. (2007). Narrative and

Vocabulary Development of Bilingual Children From Kindergarten

to First Grade: Developmental Changes and Associations Among

English and Spanish Skills. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services

in Schools, 38(3), 225–236. http://doi.org/10.1044/0161-

1461(2007/024);

 Research paper 2: Umbel, V. M., & Ki Oller, D. (1994).

Developmental Changes in Receptive Vocabulary in Hispanic

Bilingual School Children. Language Learning, 44(2), 221–242.

http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467- 1770.1994.tb01101.x

7. Interaction of vocabulary and grammar in bilinguals

 Obligatory reading: Clark E.V. (1995/2007), Language Acquisition:

The Lexicon and Syntax. In J.L. Miller, P.D. Eimas (Eds.). Speech,

Language and Communication, pp. 303–337.

 Research paper 1 (for TWO PEOPLE): Conboy, B. T., & Thal, D. J.

(2006). Ties Between the Lexicon and Grammar: Cross-Sectional

and Longitudinal Studies of Bilingual Toddlers. Child

Development, 77(3), 712–735. http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-

8624.2006.00899.x

8. Bilingual "cognitive advantage" in preschool children

 Obligatory reading: Bialystok, E., Craik, F. I. M., Green, D. W., &

Gollan, T. H. (2009). Bilingual Minds. Psychological Science in the

Public Interest, 10(3), 89–129.

http://doi.org/10.1177/1529100610387084. SECTION 2

 Research paper 1: Carlson, S. M., & Meltzoff, A. N. (2008).

Bilingual experience and executive functioning in young children.

Developmental Science, 11(2), 282–298.

http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467- 7687.2008.00675.x

 Research paper 2: Esposito, A. G., Baker-Ward, L., & Mueller, S.

(2013). Interference Suppression vs. Response Inhibition: An

Explanation for the Absence of a Bilingual Advantage in

Preschoolers’ Stroop Task Performance. Cognitive Development,

28(4), 354–363. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogdev.2013.09.002

9. Bilingual "cognitive advantage" at pre-verbal stage

 Research paper 1: Kovács, Á. M., & Mehler, J. (2009). Cognitive

gains in 7- month-old bilingual infants. Proceedings of the

National Academy of Sciences, 106(16), 6556–6560.

http://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0811323106

 Research paper 2: Sebastián-Gallés, N., Albareda-Castellot, B.,

Weikum, W. M., & Werker, J. F. (2012). A Bilingual Advantage in

Visual Language Discrimination in Infancy. Psychological Science,

23(9), 994–999. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797612436817

10. Criticism of bilingual “cognitive advantage”

 Obligatory reading: The Bilingual Advantage: Where Do We Go

From Here? (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/lifebilingual/201601/the-bilingual-advantage-where-do-we-go-here

 Research paper 1 (for TWO PEOPLE): Valian, V. (2015).

Bilingualism and cognition. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition,

18(1), 3–24. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1366728914000522

11. Bilingualism and Theory of Mind (as measured by false-belief tasks)

 Obligatory reading: Social cognition | The Development of Theory

of Mind in Early Childhood. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.child- encyclopedia.com/social-cognition/accordingexperts/development-

theory-mind-early-childhood

 Research paper 1: Kovács, Á. M. (2009). Early bilingualism

enhances mechanisms of false-belief reasoning. Developmental

Science, 12(1), 48– 54. http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-

7687.2008.00742.x

 Research paper 2: Goetz, P. J. (2003). The effects of bilingualism

on theory of mind development. Bilingualism: Language and

Cognition, 6(1), 1–15.

http://doi.org/10.1017/S1366728903001007

12. Impact of access to language on cognitive development

 Obligatory reading: Slaughter, V., Peterson, C. C. (2011). How

conversational input shapes theory of mind development in

infancy and early childhood. In Siegal, M., Surian, L. (Ed.), Access

to language and cognitive development. NY United States: Oxford

University Press.

 Research paper 1: Siegal, M., Iozzi, L., & Surian, L. (2009).

Bilingualism and conversational understanding in young children.

Cognition, 110(1), 115– 122.

http://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2008.11.002

 Research paper 2: Meristo, M., Falkman, K. W., Hjelmquist, E.,

Tedoldi, M., Surian, L., & Siegal, M. (2007). Language access and

theory of mind reasoning: Evidence from deaf children in bilingual

and oralist environments. Developmental Psychology, 43(5),

1156–1169. https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.43.5.1156

Upon finishing the course, the participants will:

A. Knowledge

 be able to define a bilingual speaker (by their experience and

their linguistic behavior), distinguish between most

common/basic types of bilingual speakers;

 be acquainted with the current theoretical “state of the art” of

research on cognitive and linguistic aspects of bilingualism

presented during the course;

B. Skills

 be able to review major empirical findings and theoretical issues

in the area of bilingualism;

 have practiced oral scientific communication;

 have practiced critical thinking.

Attendance is a necessary condition to pass the class. Please note that

while two unexcused absences are allowed, only sick leave will be

handled as a valid excuse. Altogether, no more than four absences for the

semester are acceptable.

The final grade will depend on:

 student presentation of research report (30%)

 in-class discussion points (10%) (questions to be prepared before class

on the basisof the readings and students’ own experience)

 the final-test results (60%). The test will include both open-ended and

closed questions (closed questions may include True/False

statements and multiple choice questions). It will be based on

readings and class discussions