Faces of Bilingualism

Picture a bilingual child. What languages does this child speak? What kind of neighborhood does she live in? What are the educational arrangements that either support or demand bilingualism? Are any of the child's languages spoken in the community outside the home? What were the circumstances that led to her bilingualism? How long has the child been living in the present country? By changing even a single answer to this small sample of questions, the child being described is importantly different from one who would have elicited a different answer. Is there a common experience that unites this diversity of children? Is this common experience reflected in some deeply rooted element of their intellectual development? Does bilingualism in early childhood influence the nature of children's cognitive development?