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Metalinguistic ability could also be exercised by being bilingual, given that a bilingual individual has to suppress their knowledge of another language system when operating in one of their languages. [54] Improved theory of mind, which is the ability to understand someone else's thinking, has also been implicated in bilingualism. A meta ...
The following is a non-exhaustive list of standardized tests that assess a person's language proficiency of a foreign/secondary language. Various types of such exams exist per many languages—some are organized at an international level even through national authoritative organizations, while others simply for specific limited business or study orientation.
Basic interpersonal communicative skills (BICS) are language skills needed to interact in social situations, for example, when chatting to a friend. BICS refers primarily to context-bound, face-to-face communication, like the language first learned by toddlers and preschoolers, which is used in everyday social interaction.
In addition to the Seal of Biliteracy that marks attainment of high level mastery of two or more languages, schools and districts are also instituting Bilingual Pathway Awards, recognizing significant steps towards developing biliteracy along a student's trajectory from preschool into high school.
Developing proficiency in any language begins with word learning. By the time they are 12 months old, children learn their first words and by the time they are 36 months old, they may know well over 900 words with their utterances intelligible to the people who interact with them the most.
The EF English Proficiency Index (EF EPI) attempts to rank countries by the equity of English language skills amongst those adults who took the EF test. [2] It is the product of EF Education First, an international education company, and draws its conclusions from data collected via English tests available for free over the internet.
Bilingual education can also support minority language speakers by communicating the value of their home or heritage language, resulting in increased self-esteem. [22] [23] Additionally, bilingual education models have been shown to improve student engagement and attendance as parent involvement in school activities. [24] [25]
There are challenges to developing high proficiency in two languages or balance in bilingual skills, especially for early immersion students. Children complete the development of their first language by the age 7, and L1 and L2 affect each other during language development. [29] High levels of bilingual proficiency are hard to achieve.