The Effects of Proficiency on Cognition among Bilingual Children

This current study explores the role of proficiency on cognition among bilingual children attending international schools in Korea. The problem of inadequate assignation of proficiency was fixed by grouping students based on the Threshold Hypothesis. The problem of unequal Socio-Economic Status as a compounding variable was neutralized by selecting bilingual children with similar economic status. The results indicated that the attainment of cognition was associated with language proficiency. The findings of this study cautioned to reconsider prevailing assumptions about bilingual development. Although the bilingual children in this sample lived in a society where their first language (Korean) is highly valued, children who were instructed in their less proficient language (English) failed to gain cognitive ability in both languages. However, the data does not provide the information regarding the best timing for exposing children to the target language or what causes the failure of cognitive attainment. This study may serve as a spring board to consider how to implement Teaching English policy or immersion education to match the Korean setting.