Bilingual language experience and children's social-emotional and behavioral skills: a cross-sectional study of Singapore preschoolers
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He Sun [1] ; Nurul Taqiah Binte Yussof [1] ; Malikka Begum Binte Habib Mohamed [1] ; Anisa Binte Rahim [1] ; Rebecca Bull [3] ; Mike W. L. Cheung [2] ; Siew Ann Cheong [1]
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[1] Nanyang Technological University
Nanyang Technological University
Singapur
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[2] National University of Singapore
National University of Singapore
Singapur
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[3] National Institute of Education, Singapore
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- Localización: International journal of bilingual education and bilingualism, ISSN 1367-0050, Vol. 24, Nº. 3, 2021, págs. 324-339
- Idioma: inglés
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Resumen
The current study examines the relationship between bilingual children's dual language experience (i.e. language input, language output and vocabulary proficiency), and their social-emotional and behavioral skills. Data were analysed from 805 Singaporean bilingual preschoolers (ages 4; 1–5; 8 years), who are learning English and either Mandarin (n = 551), Malay (n = 105), or Tamil, (n = 149). A parent questionnaire and standardized vocabulary tests were used to assess children's bilingual language environment and vocabulary knowledge. Children's social-emotional and behavioral skills were evaluated by teachers using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. A series of variables which might influence social-emotional and behavioral skills (e.g. gender, non-verbal IQ, SES, and emotion recognition) were controlled and mixed-effects models were used to conduct data analysis. Results demonstrated that children who had larger bilingual receptive vocabulary and had frequently spoken both languages for a longer time had better social-emotional and behavioral skills. Gender and emotion recognition ability were also found to be significantly related to children's social-emotional and behavioral skills. Such findings held true for children across different Mother Tongue language backgrounds. This suggests that a good language environment for bilingual children should be promoted not only for the sake of their early language development, but also because of the potential benefits to their social-emotional and behavioral skills.
