In this inspiring webinar “Cognitive Neuroscience Foundation of Early Multilingual Learning”, we were fortunate to have Dr. Song share his deep insights into early childhood multilingual learning. Dr. Song holds a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Minnesota, with academic expertise spanning cognitive science, linguistics, neuroscience, and psychology. Currently, he serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland Global Campus and a senior professor at Grand Canyon University. He also founded the YUAN3 CHIH4 EDUCATION INC. non-profit organization in Boston, dedicated to promoting innovative education. ((🎬 Watch the webinar video)
Breaking Down Myths About Multilingual Learning
At the beginning of the lecture, Dr. Song posed three thought-provoking core questions:
- Will learning Chinese and German simultaneously affect each other in young children?
- Should we encourage children to learn multiple languages? What are the underlying reasons?
- Are the cognitive processes of language learning the same for young children and adults?
These questions sparked lively discussion among the audience, with parents expressing varied responses, reflecting common concerns and doubts about multilingual education. Some believed there would be mutual interference, others disagreed, and some were uncertain. Dr. Song pointed out that through the lens of cognitive neuropsychology, we can better understand the answers to these questions.
From Disadvantage to Advantage: A Journey of Transformation
Sharing his personal experience, Dr. Song recalled his study journey in the United States. Initially, limited English proficiency posed challenges to his academic research. However, he cleverly transformed this apparent disadvantage into a research advantage, particularly in comparative studies between different language systems like Chinese and English. He emphasized, “Chinese is a language system vastly different from Latin-based languages, and this difference became my unique advantage when conducting language research in the United States.”
Infants’ Natural Language Gift
In the core portion of the lecture, Dr. Song elaborated on infants’ remarkable language learning abilities. Research shows that 6-8 month-old infants can distinguish phonemes from all languages worldwide. This finding challenges traditional beliefs about language learning.
However, this innate gift changes with age. By 10-12 months, without exposure to specific language environments, infants gradually lose their ability to distinguish non-native phonemes. Dr. Song explained, “This isn’t a loss of ability, but rather the brain’s resource optimization process for environmental adaptation. Infants’ brains conduct phonetic statistics, analyzing heard languages to build phonetic models of their mother tongue.”
He used Japanese infants as an example to illustrate this phenomenon: 6-8 month-old Japanese infants can clearly distinguish between English “R” and “L” sounds, but by 10 months, this ability significantly diminishes. This occurs because Japanese doesn’t distinguish between these phonemes, and the brain naturally adjusts its attention allocation.
Scientific Benefits of Multilingual Environment
Dr. Song cited an important study demonstrating the remarkable effects of early multilingual exposure. The experiment involved 8-month-old American infants receiving 12 Chinese language interactions weekly, each lasting about 25 minutes. Results showed these infants achieved Mandarin phoneme recognition abilities comparable to Taiwanese infants.
Notably, this effect was only achievable through human interaction. Mere exposure through recordings or videos showed insignificant results. Dr. Song emphasized, “Only through genuine social interaction can we effectively stimulate children’s brain development. This interaction not only promotes language learning but also strengthens higher cognitive abilities including problem-solving, decision-making, and critical thinking.”
Brain science research further reveals that bilinguals show higher activation in the prefrontal cortex region when using language, indicating the profound impact of multilingual learning on brain development.
Addressing Language Delay Concerns
Many parents worry that multilingual learning might cause language development delays. Dr. Song provided reassuring scientific evidence. Research shows that while multilingual children might need a longer adaptation period, this not only doesn’t hinder language development in the long run but can bring greater cognitive advantages.
He said, “We should focus on the benefits of multilingual learning rather than short-term adaptation challenges. Children’s brains have amazing plasticity, and with consistent appropriate language exposure, they will not only catch up with peers but might surpass monolingual speakers in certain cognitive abilities.”
Creating an Effective Family Language Environment
To help parents create ideal multilingual learning environments, Dr. Song provided these specific suggestions:
- Start Early: Earlier exposure to multilingual environments yields better results. He emphasized, “The younger the child, the stronger their ability to acquire multiple languages.”
- Maintain Consistent Exposure: Create opportunities for language use in daily life, naturally integrating language learning into living. He suggested, “Establish family language usage rules, such as using specific languages during certain periods, helping children develop language switching abilities.”
- Emphasize Interaction: Stress the importance of human interaction, avoiding over-reliance on media materials. He noted, “Real interpersonal interaction is key to language learning.”
- Provide Encouragement: Respect children’s learning pace and create a relaxed, enjoyable learning atmosphere. He said, “Make language learning an enjoyable experience rather than a source of pressure.”
- Utilize Resources: Make full use of family members’ language strengths to create natural multilingual environments.
- Enrich Activities: Increase language learning engagement through storytelling, singing, games, and other diverse activities.
Brain Development and Multilingual Advantages
Dr. Song particularly emphasized the positive impact of multilingual learning on brain development. Brain scan studies show bilinguals exhibit stronger activation in areas like the prefrontal cortex during language processing. This phenomenon is closely related to enhanced executive function and higher cognitive abilities.
He explained, “When bilinguals switch between languages, they need to mobilize more brain resources, effectively strengthening the brain’s executive functions. Long-term, these children often demonstrate superior performance in attention control, task switching, and problem-solving compared to their peers.”
A Precious Language Gift
Concluding the lecture, Dr. Song earnestly urged parents to seize their children’s golden period of language development. He said, “Preserving and developing children’s innate language gifts is the most precious gift we can give to the next generation. Though they might not fully appreciate this gift’s value now, it will profoundly impact their future.”
He especially emphasized not to fixate on short-term language development speed but to view children’s language learning journey with a longer perspective. “Language learning is a long journey that may experience seemingly slow phases, but with persistence, you’ll ultimately see delightful results.”
This excellent lecture not only provided parents with solid scientific evidence but also guided their multilingual education practice. Through cognitive neuropsychology’s perspective, we better understand the importance of early multilingual learning and how to effectively support children’s language development. These valuable insights undoubtedly open broader horizons for the next generation’s language education.
If you’re interested in the lecture topic or Dr. Song’s research, here are additional resources:
🎧 Listen to more professional sharing: “Psychology with Dr. Song” bilingual Podcast Selected lecture topics: 12-minute highlight version Available on major podcast platforms
📚 YUAN3 CHIH4 EDUCATION INC. Professional Services A non-profit educational organization founded by Dr. Song with over 25 years of professional experience, offering:
Personal Services: U.S. Job Search Guidance (Resume, Interviews, Negotiations), Research Consultation and Thesis Publication Guidance, U.S. University Admission Application Strategy
Institutional Services: Educational Institution Strategic Planning, Corporate Data Analysis, Professional Speaking and Training
