The Neurological Benefits of Being Multilingual

The Neurological Benefits of Being Multilingual

by Diega MacDougall -
Number of replies: 11

How important is language and language accessibility in places like schools and workplace environments? Can language learning apps help bridge this gap of communication?

- Diega MacDougall, Lana Higgins, and Walter Coker

In reply to Diega MacDougall

Re: The Neurological Benefits of Being Multilingual

by Chloe Hendrick -
I think it's really interesting that multilingualism can help people with Alzheimers. I've heard that activities that stimulate the brain like crosswords or word searches can help people with Alzheimers, but I never thought about how learning different languages could help. I found that interesting to know.
In reply to Diega MacDougall

Re: The Neurological Benefits of Being Multilingual

by Autumn Smith -
I found it very interesting that multilingualism can impact the physical nature of one's brain and create higher levels of activity in various parts of the brain. I knew being multilingual had many benefits, but I was not aware it directly impacted the was a person's brain functions.
In reply to Diega MacDougall

Re: The Neurological Benefits of Being Multilingual

by Reagan Green -
I am a Spanish major, so I spend a lot of my time speaking a different language. I’ve never considered the fact that we can get different language can alter the physical make up of someone’s brain. I know it has a lot of impacts on intelligence, especially when talk to children at a young age, but with these physical impacts change depending on how old the person was when they start learning a language?
I also read braille, which is not technically considered a language, but a code, but it’s still extremely complicated. It is typically much more difficult for adults to learn braille that it is for children. I wonder if we use the same brain functions that we do for language to learn braille.
In reply to Diega MacDougall

Re: The Neurological Benefits of Being Multilingual

by Francisco Velez -
I think language learning apps can help shorten the bridge of communication gaps between people as people can try and learn a new language or strengthen their own.
In reply to Diega MacDougall

Re: The Neurological Benefits of Being Multilingual

by Alexis Rennhack -
I did not know that being multilingual has so many benefits. It was very interesting to me that being multilingual can impact structures in the brain and the brains of those who are multilingual are affected by age at a slower rate
In reply to Diega MacDougall

Re: The Neurological Benefits of Being Multilingual

by Emily Lo Re -
This is really interesting. I have never thought about the benefits of being multilingual being more than just being able to communicate to more people. I never thought that it could help our brains age at a slower rate, and delay Alzheimers. I definitely would dig more into this topic after listening to this presentation!
In reply to Diega MacDougall

Re: The Neurological Benefits of Being Multilingual

by Ashlyn Belcher -
It's spectacular how simply being fluent in multiple languages physically changes your brain. I did not know that multilingualism impacted individuals in such a powerful way. I never thought there was anything more to it than just knowing multiple languages.
In reply to Diega MacDougall

Re: The Neurological Benefits of Being Multilingual

by Julia Taft -
I think native-English speakers should also be multilingual. So many people are forced to learn English to get jobs and go to school, but hardly any native-English speakers learn another language. I used Duolingo for a while and I think I learned more from that app than I did in high school. Language learning apps definitely helped me.
In reply to Diega MacDougall

Re: The Neurological Benefits of Being Multilingual

by Lauren Barnett -
I didn’t realize that being multilingual physically changed your brain—very interesting presentation! I think that learning another language and making language accessible across a diverse set of spaces is pertinent. I also think that language apps and other technological resources offer encouraging alternatives for language-learning in the future. It’s awesome to consider both the biological and social impacts that learning a new language can offer.
In reply to Diega MacDougall

Re: The Neurological Benefits of Being Multilingual

by Madison Plunkett -
I found it so interesting about the benefits of being Multilingual. It is also interesting how being multilingual can help in so many different environments and different individuals! I would have never known that being Multilingual could help individuals with Alzheimers until now! I loved y'all's explanation and attention to detail! Thank y'all for sharing!
In reply to Diega MacDougall

Re: The Neurological Benefits of Being Multilingual

by Justin Slaughter -
I always found it amazing, the benefits that a person can gain from being multilingual. It’s a great way to develop strength in the brain, and it’s just useful in everyday life! I just love how informative this was!