Bilingualism can come in handy for travel, work, and personal conversations. But did you know bilingual brains function better and longer?  

Bilingual people: 

  • Have stronger focus, memory, and multitasking abilities 
  • Begin cognitive decline later 
  • Pick up new languages more easily 
  • Are first-rate creative thinkers 

Impressed yet?  

Let’s explore the cognitive advantages of a bilingual brain. 

How Does Being Bilingual Benefit Your Brain? 

Delayed Cognitive Decline 

People can stay sharp as they age by reading, playing word games, and learning new skills. But bilinguals have an added advantage. Studies show that knowing a second language keeps the brain performing at its best longer. Bilingualism may delay cognitive decline and related diseases like Alzheimer’s. 

Stronger Memory, Predictive, and Focus Abilities 

Bilinguals are more likely to remember what you said—and know what you’re going to say. Scary, isn’t it? The brain’s ability to store other languages seems to align with an ability to store and recall more information overall. Bilinguals may also find it easier to tune out distractions, thanks to their heightened ability to manage competing information. 

Improved Executive Function  

Executive function, or executive control, is a fancy name for the brain’s higher-level skills, including: 

  • Working memory 
  • Planning 
  • Decision-making 
  • Behavior, emotion, and impulse control 
  • Problem-solving 
  • Flexibility (adaptation to change) 
  • Goal-setting 

The brain’s prefrontal cortex (PFC)—just behind the forehead—is its headquarters for executive function. Bilinguals use more of their brain, including the PFC, for language processing.  

Bilingual children have higher executive function than their monolingual peers. Switching between two languages keeps the bilingual brain agile! 

Better Creativity and Creative Thinking Skills 

Bilingual children have been shown to have stronger creativity and creative thinking skills. Divergent thinking (considering different options) and cognitive flexibility (switching mental gears or juggling a few thoughts at once) are bilingualism fringe benefits.  

Superior Multitasking  

You could argue bilingualism is a form of multitasking. Well, it turns out that bilinguals are better multitaskers in general. This may be because of those enhanced focus skills of theirs.  

Easier Time Picking Up More Languages 

If knowing two languages isn’t enough, bilinguals are in luck. A bilingual mind is already a multilingual mind and eager to take on more languages, says one study. Bilinguals may learn a new language faster than people who only speak one.  

When someone learns a second language, their brain literally makes more room for it. Studies show bilingualism produces extra gray matter in parts of the brain that learn and process language.  

What does all this tell us? Bilinguals are some pretty sharp people! Learning a second language has advantages far beyond navigating social, work, and travel conversations. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Here’s what we’ve learned about bilingualism and its cognitive benefits. 

  • What kind of cognitive benefits do bilingual people enjoy? 
    Their memory, focus, and ability to anticipate what others are going to say are stronger overall. They’re also excellent multitaskers.  

    When bilingual people want to learn more languages, they have an easier time than people who only know one. And they often maintain their mental sharpness longer—even into their advanced years. 
  • Are there other cognitive benefits? 
    There are! People who know more than one language have better executive function. That’s a wide range of essential skills, including:  
    • Decision-making 
    • Problem-solving 
    • Self-control 
    • Planning 
    • Adaptation  

Earn Your Bilingual/ESL Master’s Degree Online 

Give students a gift that will last a lifetime: a second language. The University of Texas Permian Basin’s online Master of Arts in Bilingual/ESL Education makes it possible.  

Program benefits: 

  • Choose from two concentrations. 
  • Graduate in as little as one year. 
  • Prepare for bilingual or ESL certification in Texas. 

Ready to get started? Apply today! 

Sources: 
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-30326-3
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9582359
https://www.cambridge.org/elt/blog/2022/04/29/learning-language-changes-your-brain
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/human-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2021.645209/full
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/executive-function

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