Multilingualism and Metalinguistic Awareness

Bibliographic Data

ID23701159
AuthorsCristina Sanz (0000-0001-9153-7038, corresponding author)
Year2019
Pages1-10
Publication date2019-06-21
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeCHAPTER
VenueEncyclopedia of Applied Linguistics (SOURCE_BOOK)
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/9781405198431.wbeal0802.pub2
OpenAlexW1563488870
ISBN9781405198431
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited68

Metalinguistic awareness is an aspect of metacognition that results from looking at language as a system beyond its meanings. Different types of metalinguistic awareness have been documented, from phonological to pragmatic. Findings suggest that speakers of multiple languages have greater metalinguistic awareness and develop this awareness at an earlier age than those who speak only one language. Metalinguistic awareness is posited as a key factor in explaining the bilingual edge; that is, multilinguals' enhanced capacity to learn further languages and to acquire literacy earlier than monolingual children. The results for positive effects of multilingualism on the development of metalinguistic awareness are quite robust, even though variables, including age, level of proficiency, biliteracy, language typologies of the bilingual, and the nature of the task used to measure the effects, play a role as well. Research on multilingualism and metalinguistic awareness includes case studies as well as comparisons of monolinguals, bilinguals, and multilinguals in laboratory settings or classroom/school settings. Procedures implemented in this research vary from participant observations to language proficiency tests. Researchers also use language tasks that elicit superordinate, communicatively adequate definitions, rich/poor object descriptions, word/object associations, grammaticality and semantic congruence judgments, error correction, sound substitution, and word length judgments.

Cognitive psychology · Grammar · Grammaticality · Linguistics · Mathematics education · Metalanguage · Metalinguistic awareness · Metalinguistics · Multilingualism · Neuroscience of multilingualism · Pedagogy · Teaching method · Vocabulary development · Neurobiology of Language and Bilingualism · Psychology · Reading and Literacy Development · Second Language Acquisition and Learning

Tools

Open DOISci-HubLibgen