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Towards a bioecological model of bilingual development

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 March 2016

ADRIANA WEISLEDER
ADRIANA WEISLEDER*
Affiliation:
New York University School of Medicine
*
Address for correspondence: Adriana Weisleder, Ph.D., New York University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, 550 First Avenue, OBV A529, New York, NY 10016, U.S.A.[email protected]
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Extract

At its best, the field of bilingualism is a dynamic discipline informed by diverse perspectives. Carroll's critical review – situated within a linguistics framework – contends that current research on bilingual exposure and language development suffers from a lack of theoretical clarity, and makes little contribution to our understanding of bilingual acquisition. Carroll's push (Carroll) towards greater precision in our thinking about the relation between input and outcomes is an important and welcome challenge. However, it is also critical to keep in mind the social context that motivates much of the current research on bilingual development, and to leave room for studies whose main goal is to provide answers to societally important questions about bilingual children's health and development.

Keywords

childhood bilingualismlanguage exposureinput
Type
Peer Commentaries
Information
Bilingualism: Language and Cognition , Volume 20 , Issue 1 , January 2017 , pp. 35 - 36
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Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2016 

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