The disadvantageous effects on the cognitive development of a Monolingual non-native

speaker

A Term Paper
Presented to
Prof. Lynnie Ann Deocampo
Department of English
CASS, MSU-IIT

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

For English 2 (writing in the Discipline)
Second Semester, SY 2011-2012

By

Juvirlie G. Sabungan
B1-1
March 2012

INTRODUCTION
Communication is a way of life. It is one of the reasons humans developed and
was able to sustain civilization. Without it, civilizations would cease to exist. One of the
mediums in the process of communication is language. Language is a unifying symbol
as it provides a sense of belonging to many. It is also a defining characteristic of ones
culture that brings about a cultures identity and establishment of existence. However,
as is the human nature, people began to make comparisons between cultures. Such
practice constituted to some cultures being drawn as superior to the other culture,
rendering the former as a model for the later in almost every way, lifestyle, fashion and
most prominently, language. This kind of relationship is clearly illustrated between the
US and the Philippines, with Filipinos patronizing western culture to the point of
shunning the Filipino language on the belief of the superiority of the USs national
language, English.
This mentality is manifested in a situation wherein there is a growing number of
parents deliberately speaking to their children solely in the English language. Children
raised in this manner would consequently range from absolute monolingualism to
passive bilingualism. Thus, this study aims to investigate whether there is a significant
difference, favoring to the bilinguals, between children raised to speak in English and
those children who are given the freedom to fully develop the mastery of all the
language he/she may need.

BODY
Filipinos have a colonial mentality which is made up of two dimensions: the first
is a lack of patriotism or an active awareness, appreciation, and love of the Philippines;
the second is an actual preference for things foreign. The Filipino colonial mentality is
manifested in the alienation of the elite from their roots and from the masses, as well as
in the basic feeling of national inferiority that makes it difficult for Filipinos to relate as
equals to Westerners.
The introduction of English as the medium of education de-Filipinized the youth
and taught them to regard American culture as superior. The use of English contributes
also to a lack of self-confidence on the part of the Filipino. The result is a cultural
vagueness or weakness that makes Filipinos extraordinarily susceptible to the
wholesome acceptance of modern mass culture which is often Western. Thinking in our
native language, but expressing ourselves in English, results not only in a lack of
confidence, but also in a lack in our power of expression, imprecision, and a stunted
development of one's intellectual powers.
Even so, many people, notably parents, would still prefer English as the only
medium of communicative language their child would grow up in. Following these, many
children would eventually develop a monolingual to passive bilingual approach to
language. Research has shown that bilingualism greatly contributes in maximizing the
childs cognitive development. Cognitive development is all about focusing on a child's
development in terms of information processing, conceptual resources, perceptual skill,
language learning, and other aspects of brain development. This study will focus on the

cognitive development concerning language learning and language proficiency. In

language education, analysis on the vocabulary possessed by children revealed that
monolinguals with a lower level of language proficiency have a wider vocabulary than
their counterpart in the bilingual group. Therefore, levels of second language mastery
and the vocabulary possessed are interdependent. This analysis goes the same with
the range of information. Therefore, levels of bilingualism and the range of information
are interdependent. Meanwhile, a low level of second language proficiency has a
retarding effect on verbal intelligence of bilingual children. The increased levels of
second language proficiency influences verbal intelligence of bilingual children in
comparison to the monolinguals with similar level of language proficiency, also, bilingual
children with a lower level of second language, has less ability in semantics than their
counterpart in the monolingual group. The trend is reversed for bilingual children with
average and above average proficiency in second language. They are able to perceive
and synthesize the abstract design which is influenced by flexible approach.
Among the analysis given, one feature is observably common. This feature is
relative to the state of being bilingually passive; being bilingually passive refers to one
who is raised to speak in a monolingual manner yet has enough exposure to a language
in childhood to have a native-like comprehension of it, but has little or no active
command of it. The results imply that when one is such, there is even a greater risk of a
stunted cognitive growth. At this point, one would see the futility of forcing English as the
only line of language communication. Such assessment may attribute collective
preference for bilingualism, which can be enhanced for an optimum level of cognitive
development. To support this, two types of childhood bilingualism have been defined.

The first is simultaneous learning of two languages. This happens when the language
used at home is different from language used in the community or school. The parents
might speak a different language from those of the community making the child adapt
by learning each language. The second type of childhood bilingualism is called
sequential or successive bilingualism. This happens when a child has mastereda before
learning a second language, whether in preschool or later. Some children learn a
second language by school or language classes. This way, one would be assured of a
high language proficiency in both languages.
Another way of ensuring the optimum benefit of bilingualism is by promoting
ones mother tongue, thereby asking learners to integrate the mother tongue as they go
along the way of learning a second language.
Researchers found that children whose low status native language was valued
and fully used in the household performed better in school than children whose low
status native language was neglected and substituted with a second language at home.
Moreover, they also found that school performance and linguistic proficiency in
both languages increased when children's mother tongue was valued and used in the
classroom. Therefore, in examining how bilingualism might affect cognitive development
one must consider whether communities, be they schools, families, or society in
general, view bilingualism as a desirable and valuable condition, or rather as
unnecessary and of little value and importance.

Researchers argue that this leads to feelings of embarrassment and shame of

one's own culture and language, which in turn can lead to use of the second language,
abandonment of the native language, and ensuing academic difficulties.
Those bilingual students who get the chance to continue to develop their mother
tongue are more successful in learning a second language, than those who do not get
the same opportunity. Pupils who get to maintain and get support in their mother tongue
are more successful in school in comparison to those who do not.
Learners of English as a second language (ESL) in international schools learn
English more quickly and effectively if they maintain and develop their proficiency in the
mother tongue. Many skills acquired in the first language can be transferred to the
second language. So if your child has developed good reading skills in Filipino, she is
likely to be able to apply these skills when reading English. Firstly, many children in
international schools plan to return to their home country at some point to continue their
education there. This is a strong reason to make sure they do not have gaps in mother
tongue language or cognitive development. And secondly, ESL students who turn
against or otherwise neglect their mother tongue can often suffer from problems of
identity loss or alienation from their parents, and from their grandparents or other family
members in their home country.
In the school setting, student test scores indicate greater gains when the mother
tongue is used as medium of instruction for teaching content and for teaching the two
national languages. Numerous studies around the world indicate that when students
learn to read and write in their mother tongue before learning to read and write in a

second or third language, they progress more quickly both in literacy skills and in
second language acquisition.
Furthermore, researchers argue that the development of the mother tongue is
important for cognitive development and as a basis for learning the second language.
They also stated that, in the Philippines the most effective form of bilingual education is
development of literacy and numeracy (as well as scientific discourse) in the mother
tongue as much as possible, followed by transfer to the second language of instruction.
By using the students mother tongue in teaching and conceptualizing the literacy skills
as well as subject content, the students cognitive skills would be developed. Separating
the levels of learning such as content learning, language learning, and acquisition of
literacy skills would enable the students to focus on one discipline at a time. Basic
literacy skills and content mastered through the mother tongue would enhance the
capacity of a child to learn another language thus, ensuring a positive cognitive growth.

CONCLUSION
This study showed the many disparities between monolingual and bilingual
children. Those monolingual children showed a significantly lower result in the
assessment of their language learning and the language proficiency. However, children
with an underdeveloped second language fared worse because compared to
monolinguals, the latter have a higher result in their language learning and language
proficiency assessment.
Therefore, we should not restrict children to speak only one language for this
upbringing produces children with speaking skills ranging from that of a monolingual to
a passive bilingual type. We should give effort in helping the children all the languages

they may need to learn. Doing so not only enhances their social development but also
maximizes their capacity to fully develop their cognitive senses.
Also, we should cultivate ones mother tongue because research shows that
integrating mother tongue in the development of our communicative skill helps us learn
another language faster and easier.

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