"Are Bilinguals Really Smarter?" and "Why Bilinguals are Smarter."
I can see how knowing two languages can help your brain acquire more functions. When I came to the U.S. and was trying learning English, I had to first think of the word or sentence in Korean I and then translate it into English, which I can see how it would work your brain more. In addition to learning another language, I think bilinguals can gain exposure to different cultures and customs as well.
However, I don't think one is "smarter" just because he or she is bilangual, for where it will significantly benefit you in society for it is very subjective. Maybe you'd be able to solve puzzles faster, but I haven't been able to see how it really benefits in society for it depends on each individual's goal or career. However, I definitely realize that being bilingual can help you in society because it is a skill you can bring into the workforce. When I interned at a health clinic, I met a Japanese therapist who spoke Japanese, English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French fluently. She had a very diverse group of clients and was paid more for every additional language she spoke with English.
I personally thought it was interesting that one of the articles mentioned how people used to believe that teaching a child a new language can delay their development because it can confuse them. I never thought it that way, but it's interesting to see how people's opinions on being bilingual have changed over the years.
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