Ellen Bialystok

How Bilingualism Changes Minds

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York University, Toronto

All our experiences contribute to the way our minds and brains develop, but intense experiences have a special role in shaping our cognitive systems. No experience is more intense than our use of language, so a lifetime of learning and using two languages has the potential to leave a profound mark on human cognition. This talk will review evidence from across the lifespan showing how bilingualism leads to modifications in brain structure and cognitive processes. The talk will focus on how to explain these effects by examining competing interpretation.