Most children have the capacity and facility to learn two or more languages. Research suggests there are advantages to being bilingual, such as, linguistic and metalinguistic abilities and cognitive flexibility, such as, concept formation, divergent thinking and general reasoning and verbal abilities.

According to the 2002 U.S. Census, more than 7.5 million children between the ages of 5 and 17 (about 14 %) speak a language other than English at home and the number of bilingual speakers is expected to increase in the coming years.

If a child has a speech or language problem, it will show up in both languages. However, these problems are not caused by learning two languages. Children who are learning to speak two languages exhibit typical characteristics. They are:

• A child's first language can influence how they learn and use a second language,
• Learning a second language can be easier when vocabulary, words, and sounds of both languages are similar,
• If languages do not share similarities in pronunciation, the majority of discrepancies in learning and using the languages can be worked out over time.

If you know a child who is learning a second language and you have concerns about speech and language development, ASHA recommends contacting a bilingual speech-language pathologist who has comprehensive knowledge of the rules and structure of both languages. For more information or for a referral to a bilingual speech-language pathologist, consumers may call 800-638-TALK (8255) (Spanish-speaking operators available)

New Brochure on Bilingualism Now Available

A new brochure, "Learning Two Languages," is available to consumers free of charge from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) . Nearly 32 million people in the United States speak a language other than English in their home and many are likely to maintain and share their primary language with their children. The brochure, also available in Spanish ("El niño y el bilingüismo"), answers questions about raising a bilingual child and provides tips and resources for parents on teaching a child a second language. For a free brochure, consumers may call 800-638-8255 (Spanish-speaking operators available).

Looking for a Rewarding Career?

Communication is our most human characteristic. What would you do if you no longer had a way to communicate with your family and friends? Millions of Americans, of all ages, rely on audiologists and speech-language pathologists to help them improve their quality of life through improving their ability to communicate with others.

Audiologists are specialists involved in the study of normal and impaired hearing, prevention of hearing loss, identification and assessment of hearing problems, and the rehabilitation of persons with hearing impairment.

Speech-language pathologists evaluate and treat speech and language disorders. They diagnose and evaluate speech disorders, voice disorders, and language disorders.

Audiologist and speech-language pathologists work with individuals of all ages, from infants to the elderly. According to the 2002 Census, Latinos represent the largest minority in the U.S., and the numbers are expected to grow. There is a desperate need for more audiologists and speech-language pathologists who are bilingual.

If you would like to learn more about the rewards of a career in audiology or speech-language pathology, call ASHA at 800-638-8255 and ask for career information or log on to http://www.asha.org/

Discover the difference you can make in a person's life.

Media Inquiries, contact:

Members of the media may contact ASHA's media relations office for more information or help with stories.

Consumers may call ASHA's Action Center at 800-638-8255 or go to http://www.asha.org/

Facts:

Communication disorders affect more than 42 million Americans. Of these, 28 million have a hearing loss and 14 million have a speech or language disorder.

ASHA is the national, professional, scientific, and credentialing association for more than 127,000 audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and speech, language, and hearing scientists.