Introduction: Hello and welcome to Fluent Worlds!
Hi I’m Emily Ramos and I’m in my second year here at Adelphi. I’m a Spanish Major and also in the STEP program in the TESOL path. I’m Mexican American. I speak both English and Spanish.

Hi! My name is Valentina Genovese and I am also in my second year at Adelphi University! I am an elementary education major in the STEP program focusing on primarily English. I am Argentinian and Italian and I speak Spanish, Italian, and English.

Hi my name is Meghan Mincher and im a second year student at Adelphi as well! I am an elementary education major in the STEP program studying English. I am Irish, German, and English!

Meghan: Today, we will be exploring assumptions about bilingualism and the English language.

Emily: Many people assume that knowing two languages can negatively impact a child’s education and learning abilities. Like the child mixing their languages up, making it hard to express themselves, struggling in reading, writing, and may have limited resources to help them (like textbooks, trained staff, other educational resources that can’t be found in another language). However, being bilingual can be beneficial to the child. In school settings, a child who’s bilingual can make their executive functioning skills stronger. Meaning, problem solving and multitasking skills will grow stronger since they’ll be switching between languages to manage the different tasks and processes simultaneously. With problem solving, this will help them enhance their creative thinking since they’ll develop the ability to approach the problems they face from multiple perspectives. Bilingual students will be able to connect with more people, both in and out of school, and get a greater sense of belonging and social inclusion. Their cultural awareness will increase, they’ll be open to different cultures and engage with multiple cultural systems. Another thing is the student will have an increased self-esteem and gain more confidence. Welcoming multiple languages in school settings can help lots of students gain confidence and express themselves without having to feel policed and unwelcomed by others, which decreases their self-esteem. And many of these kids have experienced something like this, having to only stick to the English language, not being allowed to talk in their second language. It can really feel unwelcoming. The sense of pride in their bilingual identity will positively impact their mental well being and gain lots of motivation.

Valentina: In the world today, there are many individuals who grow up and have the ability to speak multiple languages. However, there still stands to be many assumptions and beliefs about this idea that those who are bilingual are unable to keep the two languages separate from one another and are believed to be confused when differentiating languages. However, it is quite the opposite. Those who are bilingual begin to develop cognitive strategies for being able to uphold and manage their knowledge of the two languages they know. It certainly is quite amazing how individuals' flexibility and unique advantages allow them to reach back into their knowledge of one language and help them further communicate when using the other language. Another assumption that many individuals have and still do till this day about bilinguals is how bilinguals must know how to be equally fluent in both languages. However, many bilinguals today persist in having varying levels of proficiency in each separate language and it mainly depends on the environment they surround themselves in, the different time of usage per the two languages, etc. For instance, an individual might be excellent at speaking one language, but their literacy knowledge in the other language is more highly visible. Yet, again there is another common assumption about bilingual individuals and that is that they must have one dominant language. As a bilingual person myself, this assumption truly opens my eyes to see how our perspectives need to change. Amongst many individuals, we are allowed the complexity and flexibility of being a part of multiple languages, backgrounds, and ethnicities, simply because there is nothing wrong with that. In fact, it makes you as an individual highly unique and incredibly intelligent to be able to know more than one language. Pertaining to one language over the other ignores this dynamic nature of bilingualism and the freedom to code-switch from one language to another. There is simply no need to be dominant of one language over the other because as we know, dominance can shift and alter over time due to changes in our life. For example, moving to a new country! Dominance here is shifted, so why do some believe it is not appropriate to be allowed the freedom to roam both languages and only stick to one? Indicating this, we must foster a nuanced understanding about the beauty of bilingualism which appreciates flexibility, complexity, and this incredible talent that many have in the world.

Meghan: In many classrooms most schools and teachers assume that English is the common language between all students. It has become the standardized language within the classroom. But this is not true at all. Many students come from many different cultures and backgrounds. Within the classroom teachers should express all cultures and languages. This way when students walk into a classroom and they see their culture being expressed it makes them feel comfortable within the classroom. When students are comfortable in the classroom it makes such a big difference. When students are comfortable in the classroom it makes them want to come to school and it will allow them to feel comfortable opening up and engaging in classroom activities and conversations. When students participate in the classroom it creates a much better learning environment. It allows them to actively try new things and take in new knowledge while having fun in the classroom. It also allows them to socialize with their peers, getting to express themselves and know more about each other. When teachers express different cultures in the classroom it allows students to express themselves more and learn more about their culture! It also supports children in maintaining strong connections with their family culture and community. There are so many benefits of being bilingual in the classroom. It opens up new cultural and social experiences and can even help prepare them for greater career opportunities in their future. Studies have also shown that being bilingual has improved memory and has given students the ability to multitask. Knowing multiple languages can foster better communication and collaboration with diverse classmates, creating a more inclusive learning environment. This skill also supports cultural awareness and empathy, helping students navigate different perspectives both academically and socially. Overall, bilingualism enriches students' educational experiences and prepares them for global opportunities.

Conclusion:
Being bilingual is nothing but empowerful! It offers a wealth of social, emotional, and cognitive benefits that many people may not appreciate and be aware of still today. Bilinguals often excel and strive at multitasking and problem-solving as their brains are constantly code-switching between languages. This flexibility not only helps in language-related tasks but also enhances overall brain function, and could possibly benefit them in real-life opportunities such as job findings and communication ability in a different foreign country! Socially, being bilingual opens doors to diverse communities and cultures as we’ve mentioned as well as fostering deeper connections and interpersonal experiences. It allows individuals to engage with people from different backgrounds in a meaningful way and cross-cultural understanding. Bilinguals often experience a sense of connection to their heritage, as speaking multiple languages can be a powerful expression of identity. To conclude, bilingualism enriches life in many ways that go far beyond the ability to speak two languages.

Final conclusion: Thank you so much for taking time out of your day for joining in and we hope that our message to you further engages you in crucial conversations having to do with language conversing and what it truly means to be bilingual!