Below are a list of some resources that discuss bilingual education and its benefits.

  • http://educationnorthwest.org/northwest-matters/treating-language-strength-benefits-bilingualism
    Discusses the benefits of bilingual education - cognitive benefits (children have greater cognitive flexibility, metalinguistic awareness (the understanding of how language works), and better social interaction skills), cultural benefits (connecting with individuals from other countries), economic benefits (greater employment opportunities) - article fun fact: Washington State now recognizes bilingual proficiency of their graduating high school students (start in Cville, move to WA!)

  • http://www.theedadvocate.org/5-reasons-early-bilingual-education-is-important/
    Native-like proficiency in a second language more attainable if learned as a child (during the critical period); bilingual children have greater cognitive flexibility and attention control; child gains a broader world-view being able to conntect to other culturals that also speak his/her second language; opens doors for greater collaborative learning in the child's future

  • http://carla.umn.edu/immersion/acie/vol10/may2007_parentsten.html
    Offers brief questions and answers regarding immersion education for children, including how "bilingual" the child will become, learning core subjects (math and science) in the second language, and the lasting cognitive benefits of language immersion

  • http://carla.umn.edu/immersion/documents/ImmersionResearch_TaraFortune.html
    Discusses the benefits of language immersion in various areas including academic/educational, language and literacy, cognitive skill development, and economic/sociocultural. Also discusses the challenges faced by immersion education.  Highlight of the benefits: Immersion students perform at the same level, if not better, than their monolingual non-immersion peers. By using the second langauge as the language of core instruction (as opposed to teaching the language separately), the children were able to reach higher levels of proficiency in the second language than those taught the second language in an isolated manner. Bilingual children walk away with metalinguistic awareness (the ability to understand how language works).   Children can transfer literacy and other academic skills from their first language to the second language. Fully proficient bilinguals outperform monolinguals in the areas of divergent thinking, pattern recognition, and problem solving. Bilingual children walk away with greater problem solving abilities at an earlier age than monolingual children

  • https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/life-bilingual/201401/cognitive-advantages-second-language-immersion-education
    Article discusses a study that examined the cognitive advantages of second language immersion, as opposed to children that may be early bilinguals at home.  Children in immersion programs show greater metalinguistic awareness (understanding of how language works) and executive control functioning (the attention and focus required for problem solving) than their monolingual peers. The length of time spent in an immersion program determines the extent to which the child's executive control is affected

  • http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/global_learning/2016/03/is_language_immersion_right_for_my_child.html
    Article discusses common parental questions for immersion programs, such as the effect of langauge immersion on the brain, the myth behind language confusion, the difference between learning a second language at an early age vs. as an adolescent, as well as the academic effects (aka, advantages!)

  • http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/31/science/31conversation.html?_r=1&emc=eta1
    Article reflects an interview with a cognitive neuroscientist that discusses the cognitive benefits of language immersion on the brain, such as improved long term cognitive function and executive control abilities, even as adults.

  • http://www.cal.org/
    Website for the Center for Applied Linguistics, a private, nonprofit organization promoting access,
    equity and mutual understanding for linguistically and culturally diverse people around the world.  They conduct research and from evidence, spread information related to language and culture.

  • http://carla.umn.edu/immersion/index.html
    Center for Advanced Research on Langauge Acquistiion through the University of Minnesota - conduct and release research information pertaining to language acquisition, including studies conducted on immersion education, including other research resources and immersion language institutes