Myths and Facts about Multilinguism

• Myth: The brain is incapable of retaining two language systems, as one would inevitably push out the other.

Fact: The brain manages languages equally and even becomes stronger and more efficient as we learn and use multiple languages on a daily basis throughout our lives.

• Myth: Speaking multiple languages may have a negative impact on the child’s academic skills.

Fact: Speaking multiple languages may have academic benefits, including enhanced cognitive skills (e.g., executive functioning and working memory) and social benefits, including enhanced relationships and participation in community activities.

• Myth: Bilinguals have equal knowledge in all their languages

Fact: It’s not unusual to hear someone being described as ‘perfectly bilingual’. But it’s an impossible standard for a bilingual person to meet, as it implies that someone sounds like two or more ‘perfect’ monolinguals in one person.

• Myth: Multilingualism causes language delay

Fact: Decades of research into bi- and multilingualism has shown that there is no causal relationship between bilingualism and language delay. Language delay has other causes, which are not linked to the fact that a child speaks more than one language. 

• Myth: Bilingualism affects the speed of language development in early childhood. 

Fact: Studies have shown that bilingual children reach the same language milestones at the same time as monolingual children.

• Myth: Bilingualism increases the risk of developing specific learning disabilities (known as Dyslexia). 

Fact: Bilingual children with language-related problems, such as dyslexia, are not proportionally more numerous than monolingual children with the same challenges.