Respond to the readings.
I may be biased towards the second article since I am not a true bilingual, but I think that the first article Why Bilinguals Are Smarter depends too heavily on the assumption that the strength of the brain’s executive function determines the degree of a person’s intelligence. This measure of intelligence seems much too narrow and skews the label of ‘superior intelligence’ naturally towards bilinguals. Both articles acknowledge the history of bilingual discouragement, and I think that this article’s clear intent to place bilinguals into the higher echelons of intelligence is a reactionary repudiation of the prior disapproval of bilingualism. Although I understand the sentiment, I think the article’s sole dependence on executive function as a measure of intelligence creates a weak foundation for such an extreme claim.
On the other hand, Are bilinguals really smarter acknowledges similar claims made in the first article, but refine the definition of the executive function and specifically cite its importance in decision making. This framing of the executive function gives a nod towards bilinguals’ heightened decision-making abilities, something which is certainly advantageous for things like multitasking, but does not undercut the intelligence of monolinguals at the same time. Additionally, the second piece ends on a more positive, less exclusionary note by noting that the benefits of bilingualism isn’t restricted to people who grew up speaking several languages, but can be gained by monolinguals as they study a foreign language and train their brains.
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