The Advantages of Being Bilingual
On this page:
- Benefits of Speaking More Than One Language
- Children With Speech and Language Problems
- For More Information
- Learn More
Benefits of Speaking More Than One Language
Most children can learn more than one language. The number of people in the United States who are bilingual keeps growing. Being bilingual has advantages, including being better at:
- Learning new words
- Learning reading skills
- Being able to use information in new ways
- Putting words into categories, like "food" or "toys"
- Coming up with solutions to problems
- Listening to others
- Connecting with others
Children With Speech and Language Problems
Some children have speech or language problems. If a bilingual child does, the problems will show up in both languages. However, learning another language does not cause speech or language problems or make them worse. Talk with a speech-language pathologist, or SLP, if you worry about your child's language skills. Working with an SLP who speaks the same languages as your child is best. An SLP who is not bilingual can use an interpreter to help test your child.
To find a speech-language pathologist near you, visit ProFind.
For More Information
The ASHA brochure Becoming Bilingual/El Niño Bilingüe talks about how bilingual children learn languages. It includes both English and Spanish. Call ASHA Product Sales at 888-498-6699 to get your copy.
