The Tyler Morning Telegraph – Larissa Smith
“A bilingual brain is smarter and healthier than a monolingual brain across the life span. Studies show that the “exercise” required to differentiate between two languages benefits the brain significantly. For example, infants who hear both English and Spanish show quicker learned responses to changes in their environment. Students who learn in two languages grasp new concepts more quickly; plus, once reading is mastered in one language, adding a second is easy. Elderly individuals who speak two languages show resistance to mental decline, such that even when Alzheimer’s is visibly affecting their brain matter, they remain functional at a higher level than the deterioration would indicate.”(more)