LANGUAGE AND COGNITIVE EFFECTS OF BILINGUALISM: THE GOOD, THE BAD OR THE UGLY

Within the field of psycholinguistics, bilingualism has been one of the most intriguing and fascinating areas of research in the past few decades. This wide interest has produced a body of evidence from diverse bilingual/multilingual communities around the world, some aspects of which still remain controversial. In this course, students learn about various bilingual contexts and how those contexts shape our mind and cognition. In what way do bilinguals' languages develop? Do bilinguals have better cognitive functions than monolinguals? Is there any harm in speaking two languages? What is the effect of bilingualism on language and cognitive development in clinical populations (autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, specific language impairment)? Can bilingualism delay the onset of dementia? These are just some of the questions addressed in this course. In addition, students learn about methodological approaches used to investigate bilingualism, and consequently design a research study. During the lectures, students are given the background to various topics which are later discussed in a series of seminars.