0:00:00 > 0:00:00- 888
0:00:00 > 0:00:01- 888- - 888
0:00:02 > 0:00:03- Wrong!
0:00:05 > 0:00:10- Bilingual people should be able to - perform this sort of game faster...
0:00:10 > 0:00:14- ..or with fewer errors - than monolingual people.
0:00:15 > 0:00:19- This is because of the experience - a bilingual brain has...
0:00:19 > 0:00:23- ..of ignoring one thing - while concentrating on another.
0:00:24 > 0:00:25- Yes!
0:00:26 > 0:00:31- I, Enlli Thomas, am part of a team - carrying out pioneering research...
0:00:31 > 0:00:34- ..into the impact of bilingualism - on the brain.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38- How does the brain - deal with two languages?
0:00:39 > 0:00:42- Is it an advantage - or a disadvantage?
0:00:44 > 0:00:47- What are the implications - for Welsh children?
0:00:52 > 0:00:54- 888
0:00:56 > 0:00:58- 888
0:01:04 > 0:01:06- 888
0:01:14 > 0:01:18- I was raised here, - near the Menai Straits...
0:01:18 > 0:01:21- ..between Anglesey - and the rest of Gwynedd.
0:01:21 > 0:01:26- In a community such as this one - where two languages are spoken...
0:01:26 > 0:01:31- ..you're naturally - drawn towards bilingualism.
0:01:31 > 0:01:36- What does that mean - in a wider context?
0:01:38 > 0:01:42- I'm looking at bilingualism - in a scientific context.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48- I recently left - the Psychology department...
0:01:48 > 0:01:51- ..to become a lecturer - in Education.
0:01:51 > 0:01:56- I'm part of a research team - specializing in bilingualism.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59- We're hosting - an international conference...
0:02:00 > 0:02:01- ..at Prichard Jones Hall.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07- As a lecturer in Education...
0:02:07 > 0:02:11- ..I'm happy to meet so many of - my colleagues from around the world.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16- Seeing so many bilingual people - under one roof...
0:02:17 > 0:02:22- ..reminds me that most of the world, - like Wales, is bilingual.
0:02:22 > 0:02:24- These people value - their bilingualism.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28- It's very important - to speak two languages.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31- I urge you - to study a second language.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34- Several studies show that...
0:02:35 > 0:02:39- ..knowing two languages - increases fluency, vocabulary...
0:02:39 > 0:02:41- ..and cognitive advantages as well.
0:02:41 > 0:02:46- This points towards a brain network - which controls concentration.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49- The more we look, - the more we find evidence...
0:02:49 > 0:02:52- ..that it changes the brain - radically.
0:02:56 > 0:03:01- Many things about the brain are a - mystery but we can see other things.
0:03:10 > 0:03:15- The fMRI scan shows in which part - of the brain language is produced.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19- I must think in Welsh, - then in English...
0:03:20 > 0:03:26- ..while the machine shows - cross-sections of my brain...
0:03:26 > 0:03:29- ..from the top to the bottom.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31- Nine, ten, eleven, twelve...
0:03:31 > 0:03:34- ..thirteen, fourteen, - fifteen, sixteen...
0:03:34 > 0:03:39- Areas of the brain in orange - and yellow are involved in the task.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42- The brighter the spot, - like this big yellow spot...
0:03:42 > 0:03:45- ..the more active it is and - the more it's involved in the task.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49- Predominantly, we're seeing areas - in the front of the brain...
0:03:50 > 0:03:53- ..the higher functioning areas - of the prefrontal cortex.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55- SHE LISTS - THE DAYS OF THE WEEK IN WELSH
0:03:55 > 0:03:58- Whether - I'm speaking Welsh or English...
0:03:58 > 0:04:01- ..the same areas of my brain - light up.
0:04:01 > 0:04:06- What's different about the brain - of a bilingual person?
0:04:07 > 0:04:12- What exactly is responsible - for the additional aptitude...
0:04:12 > 0:04:14- ..of the bilingual brain?
0:04:19 > 0:04:22- In Bangor, we're carrying - out experiments...
0:04:22 > 0:04:24- ..which start to answer - this question.
0:04:25 > 0:04:26- How does that feel?
0:04:26 > 0:04:27- How does that feel?- - That's OK.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34- They're preparing Catherine - for a study...
0:04:34 > 0:04:37- ..looking at her reaction - to visual stimuli.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41- It's all about - the movement of the scalp.
0:04:43 > 0:04:48- This equipment - monitors the activity of the scalp.
0:04:48 > 0:04:52- This is linked to brain activity.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56- It's a very complicated process...
0:04:57 > 0:05:01- ..but one which allows us - to see the brain at work.
0:05:07 > 0:05:12- This experiment aims to find out how - the brain deals with bilingualism.
0:05:13 > 0:05:17- A string of Welsh words - and English words is displayed.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21- We ask them - to focus on the English words.
0:05:21 > 0:05:25- They must press a button - when they see an English word...
0:05:25 > 0:05:28- ..which contains - five letters or less.
0:05:32 > 0:05:36- Does the Welsh shut down - while the English works...
0:05:37 > 0:05:42- ..or can the bilingual brain - deal with two languages at once?
0:05:45 > 0:05:49- Here you can see - the activity of the brain unfolding.
0:05:49 > 0:05:54- The ERP equipment tells us whether - or not the Welsh is active...
0:05:54 > 0:05:57- ..by monitoring - the participant's response...
0:05:58 > 0:06:01- ..to connections - included in the stream of words.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09- If they respond - to those connections...
0:06:09 > 0:06:13- ..they must be registering - the meaning of the Welsh words.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17- That is exactly - what they've discovered.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25- They ignore the Welsh words...
0:06:25 > 0:06:30- ..but the brain still processes - the meaning of the words.
0:06:30 > 0:06:36- This pioneering research shows that - both languages are switched on...
0:06:36 > 0:06:39- ..even when the bilingual person...
0:06:39 > 0:06:44- ..isn't trying to deal with - two languages at once.
0:06:52 > 0:06:57- The mental agility gained - by keeping two languages at work...
0:06:57 > 0:07:01- ..is something a bilingual person - does instinctively.
0:07:04 > 0:07:08- How does having two languages - permanently switched on...
0:07:09 > 0:07:11- ..affect the memory beyond language?
0:07:13 > 0:07:16- We must discover - which practical skills it promotes.
0:07:24 > 0:07:28- The name of a colour - will appear on the screen...
0:07:29 > 0:07:33- ..in a colour which is different - from the meaning of the word.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37- I want you - to focus on the colour of the word.
0:07:37 > 0:07:42- You may see the word GWYRDD (green) - in a blue colour.
0:07:43 > 0:07:47- Click on the colour corresponding - to the ink of the word you see.
0:07:49 > 0:07:50- See how you get on.
0:08:11 > 0:08:15- The brain tends to - decipher words automatically.
0:08:17 > 0:08:21- It's difficult to ignore the meaning - of a word when we see it.
0:08:22 > 0:08:26- When asked to ignore the meaning - and focus on ink colour...
0:08:26 > 0:08:31- ..bilingual people usually perform - faster and more accurately...
0:08:32 > 0:08:34- ..than monolingual people.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39- How does this - impact on everyday life?
0:08:39 > 0:08:41- When I reach a crossroads...
0:08:42 > 0:08:46- ..I see several road signs - which my brain must process.
0:08:52 > 0:08:57- The trick is to choose the relevant - sign whilst ignoring the others.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02- It's been shown - that the bilingual brain...
0:09:02 > 0:09:08- ..finds it easier to perform such - a task than the monolingual brain.
0:09:08 > 0:09:10- This interesting conclusion...
0:09:11 > 0:09:14- ..had a huge impact - on a field close to my heart.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18- The advantages of bilingualism - in children.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22- It's an important and - sometimes controversial subject.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28- In a recent court case, - an expert said...
0:09:29 > 0:09:34- .."Welsh medium education causes - retardation in some children."
0:09:35 > 0:09:40- I disagree with this but I can see - how people can draw that conclusion.
0:09:41 > 0:09:45- The problem with carrying out - language research...
0:09:45 > 0:09:47- ..is that people - tend to compare...
0:09:47 > 0:09:51- ..the development of monolingual - and bilingual children.
0:09:51 > 0:09:55- The whole process is different - if you're bilingual.
0:09:56 > 0:09:57- Pig.
0:09:58 > 0:09:59- Oink, oink.
0:10:00 > 0:10:01- Sheep.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06- When a child is bilingual...
0:10:07 > 0:10:10- ..they tend to start to produce - language, sounds and words...
0:10:11 > 0:10:12- ..at the same age.
0:10:13 > 0:10:18- Their vocabulary development may be - slightly slower in one language...
0:10:18 > 0:10:23- ..compared to a monolingual child - who only speaks one language.
0:10:25 > 0:10:29- As a child gets older, - they build a similar vocabulary...
0:10:29 > 0:10:33- ..to that - which a monolingual child has.
0:10:34 > 0:10:34- Sock.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36- Sock.- - Siec.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38- Chicken.
0:10:38 > 0:10:39- Chicken.- - Jicyn.
0:10:39 > 0:10:44- Their development will differ - from that of a monolingual child...
0:10:44 > 0:10:47- ..but those effects - don't last for ever.
0:10:48 > 0:10:49- Doll.
0:10:50 > 0:10:51- Dogw.
0:10:52 > 0:10:57- It's one thing to show bilingualism - isn't damaging to children.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00- It's quite another - to show it's beneficial.
0:11:01 > 0:11:05- I've worked with Ginny Gathercole - for some years...
0:11:05 > 0:11:07- ..on a schools research project.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10- Our hope is to answer this question.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12- What's that?
0:11:12 > 0:11:14- What's that?- - A circle.
0:11:14 > 0:11:15- A square.
0:11:15 > 0:11:16- A circle.
0:11:16 > 0:11:17- A square.
0:11:18 > 0:11:23- In this test, a child sees either a - big square made of small circles...
0:11:23 > 0:11:26- ..or a big circle - made of small squares.
0:11:26 > 0:11:28- In one part of the test...
0:11:28 > 0:11:32- ..we ask the child to tell us if the - big shape is a square or a circle.
0:11:34 > 0:11:35- Square.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37- Circles.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40- In the second part, - we change the rule.
0:11:40 > 0:11:44- We ask the child to tell us - of what the shape is made.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48- I want you to tell me - what these little shapes are.
0:11:48 > 0:11:49- What are these shapes?
0:11:50 > 0:11:51- Stars.
0:11:51 > 0:11:52- Well done.
0:11:53 > 0:11:54- What are these?
0:11:55 > 0:11:56- Circles.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58- Circles.- - Well done.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01- The child must move - from one rule to another.
0:12:02 > 0:12:07- With this test, when you come to - the switch after the first test...
0:12:07 > 0:12:12- ..that's where we see a different - between monolingual and bilingual.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16- Bilingual children - cope better with rule changing...
0:12:17 > 0:12:21- ..and shifting their focus from - the big shape to the little shapes.
0:12:23 > 0:12:24- What shape is this?
0:12:25 > 0:12:27- A circle.
0:12:27 > 0:12:31- The results so far are encouraging - but we must be cautious.
0:12:33 > 0:12:37- Is there a higher price to pay - for bilingual children...
0:12:37 > 0:12:39- ..than a restricted vocabulary?
0:12:40 > 0:12:42- My research is an ongoing process.
0:12:42 > 0:12:47- Let's go to a country where - they've tested children for years.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49- Canada.
0:12:56 > 0:13:00- As I travel through - this amazing cosmopolitan city...
0:13:00 > 0:13:05- ..it reminds me of the fact that most - people in the world are bilingual.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09- Most people - speak more than one language.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14- People need to - communicate with each other.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18- Many people - with different first languages...
0:13:18 > 0:13:22- ..learn another language - in order to communicate.
0:13:30 > 0:13:30- .
0:13:33 > 0:13:33- 888
0:13:33 > 0:13:35- 888- - 888
0:13:37 > 0:13:39- York University, Toronto.
0:13:40 > 0:13:45- The Psychology department - is famous throughout the world...
0:13:45 > 0:13:48- ..for its research - into bilingualism and children.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52- I hope to answer - some of our questions here.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03- Postgraduate students and - Psychology department researchers...
0:14:03 > 0:14:08- ..present their research - into bilingualism and children.
0:14:10 > 0:14:15- The seminar is led by respected - expert, Professor Ellen Bialystok.
0:14:18 > 0:14:22- Her work has been - and continues to be very pioneering.
0:14:22 > 0:14:26- It's a real thrill for me to be - here today, even though it's cold!
0:14:27 > 0:14:30- It's an honour for me - to meet her and her team.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35- Look at this. - What do you think this is?
0:14:35 > 0:14:36- It looks like...
0:14:36 > 0:14:38- It looks like...- - ..a farm.
0:14:38 > 0:14:42- In our research, the bilingual - children typically speak...
0:14:42 > 0:14:45- ..one of 15 or 20 - non-English languages.
0:14:45 > 0:14:50- In the majority of our research, - our testing is only in English.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54- There's a farm with animals. - You already know the names.
0:14:54 > 0:14:55- That's a pig and that's a cow.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59- You're going to tell me the names - of all the animals in order.
0:15:00 > 0:15:01- You think you can do it?
0:15:01 > 0:15:02- You think you can do it?- - Yeah.
0:15:04 > 0:15:09- They must follow the path and name - the animals as fast as possible.
0:15:10 > 0:15:14- Pig, cow, cow, pig, pig, pig, cow.
0:15:15 > 0:15:16- Good job! Very good.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19- Do you know what happens now - on the farm?
0:15:19 > 0:15:21- There's a big, big, big wind coming!
0:15:24 > 0:15:25- Look what happens!
0:15:26 > 0:15:28- It turned the barn upside down.
0:15:28 > 0:15:30- The task is reversed.
0:15:30 > 0:15:34- This time, the child must - give the wrong label to the animal.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36- This is not a cow any more.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38- This is not a cow any more.- - It's a pig.
0:15:38 > 0:15:39- It's a pig! And this?
0:15:39 > 0:15:40- It's a pig! And this?- - It's a cow.
0:15:40 > 0:15:40- It's a pig! And this?
0:15:41 > 0:15:44- Children generally find this - a silly thing to do.
0:15:44 > 0:15:49- What we're asking them to do is - override the usual naming patterns.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53- We're basically asking them - to use a different language.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56- To use a different symbolic code.
0:15:57 > 0:16:01- Typically, it's something bilingual - children find easier to do.
0:16:02 > 0:16:03- Pig, pig, pig, cow.
0:16:03 > 0:16:05- Cow, pig, pig.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09- Pig, pig, pig, cow, cow, pig, pig.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13- It wouldn't be - terribly surprising...
0:16:13 > 0:16:17- ..if bilingual children solved - language problems differently.
0:16:17 > 0:16:19- That's the nature - of their experience.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22- It would tell us a lot more - about the human mind...
0:16:23 > 0:16:25- ..if that language experience...
0:16:25 > 0:16:29- ..also influenced the way - they solve other kinds of problems.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32- We're going to play the arrow game.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38- In this test, - the child presses a button...
0:16:38 > 0:16:42- ..to indicate in which direction - the red arrow points.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47- It's a great way to test - the child's mental adaptability.
0:16:48 > 0:16:52- The child must ignore what - he or she sees around the arrow...
0:16:52 > 0:16:55- ..and focus on the coloured arrow.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06- Bilingual children - usually do better in this test.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10- They're used to - focusing on one language...
0:17:10 > 0:17:13- ..and ignoring the other language.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15- This is a wok. - Now, there's another one.
0:17:16 > 0:17:17- There are two of them.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19- There are two...
0:17:19 > 0:17:20- There are two...- - ..woks.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22- That's it!
0:17:22 > 0:17:26- The next task shows bilingualism - isn't always good.
0:17:28 > 0:17:29- This is a gotch.
0:17:29 > 0:17:31- Now there is another one.
0:17:31 > 0:17:32- There are two...
0:17:32 > 0:17:33- There are two...- - Gotches.
0:17:35 > 0:17:40- That's a great way to test a child's - intellectual grasp of a language...
0:17:40 > 0:17:43- ..especially the morphology - of the language.
0:17:44 > 0:17:48- Canadian research shows bilingual - children may make more mistakes...
0:17:48 > 0:17:50- ..on this type of test.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53- This is a man who knows how to mot. - He is motting.
0:17:54 > 0:17:56- He did the same thing yesterday.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58- What did he do yesterday?
0:17:58 > 0:17:59- Yesterday, he...
0:17:59 > 0:18:00- Yesterday, he...- - ..mot.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03- Is grammatical weakness a problem?
0:18:04 > 0:18:06- I want you - to be a little scientist for me.
0:18:06 > 0:18:10- Could you take your magnet - and touch each of these things?
0:18:10 > 0:18:14- As soon as you touch one, - tell me what happens.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18- In this test, we look at - the way children use language...
0:18:18 > 0:18:21- ..to form arguments - and explain concepts.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24- It's a magnet and now it's stuck.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26- It's stuck? Why is it stuck, then?
0:18:26 > 0:18:30- Because they're both magnets - and they're magnetic.
0:18:30 > 0:18:34- The bilingual child - has a more limited vocabulary...
0:18:35 > 0:18:38- ..and may make - more grammatical errors...
0:18:38 > 0:18:42- ..but that doesn't impair - the child's use of the language.
0:18:42 > 0:18:46- That's clear when a child - tries to explain something...
0:18:47 > 0:18:50- ..or presents an argument - in an academic manner.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53- This looks like metal to me.
0:18:54 > 0:18:56- Yeah, - it's just not the magnetic kind.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59- A-ha! - It's just not the magnetic kind.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04- We could say that bilingualism - may have some cost to children...
0:19:05 > 0:19:08- ..because they would - perform more poorly...
0:19:08 > 0:19:12- ..than monolingual - English speakers on these tests.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15- But that cost - has no important consequence...
0:19:15 > 0:19:19- ..because they're not disadvantaged - in language use...
0:19:20 > 0:19:24- ..in language comprehension - and in language production.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31- Further interesting work - is being carried out...
0:19:32 > 0:19:34- ..on the other side of Toronto.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38- This is the Jewish - Baycrest Hospital.
0:19:38 > 0:19:43- They've made an amazing discovery - about bilingualism here.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45- It's a geriatric hospital.
0:19:46 > 0:19:50- Extensive research into memory - processes is carried out here.
0:19:50 > 0:19:54- A lot of exciting - neurological research is done here.
0:20:02 > 0:20:03- Are you ready?
0:20:03 > 0:20:04- Are you ready?- - I think so.
0:20:04 > 0:20:06- Let's begin.
0:20:06 > 0:20:07- They made a discovery...
0:20:08 > 0:20:11- ..while carrying out tests - in the memory clinic.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16- Red, blue, green, red.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21- When we split these patients - into people who were bilingual...
0:20:22 > 0:20:24- ..and people who were monolingual...
0:20:25 > 0:20:29- ..it turns out the bilingual people - did get Alzheimer's.
0:20:29 > 0:20:31- It doesn't stop it altogether...
0:20:31 > 0:20:35- ..but it seems to defer - the onset of Alzheimer's disease.
0:20:36 > 0:20:40- These people that were bilinguals - were coming in four years later...
0:20:40 > 0:20:42- ..than monolinguals.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46- Four years is a long time.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49- There are huge implications to this.
0:20:49 > 0:20:54- Experts say the best you can hope - for with the available drugs...
0:20:54 > 0:20:57- ..is to suppress the effects - for six months.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01- If bilingualism can halt the onset - for up to four years...
0:21:01 > 0:21:07- ..it has huge financial implications - for the NHS.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11- I'm going to move on - to the next task.
0:21:11 > 0:21:15- Exactly what's behind it - we don't really know.
0:21:15 > 0:21:21- Our best bet is bilingualism is one - example of a number of activities...
0:21:21 > 0:21:26- ..like doing crosswords, sudokus - and playing a musical instrument...
0:21:26 > 0:21:31- ..which have the effect of keeping - cognitive abilities into old age...
0:21:32 > 0:21:33- ..and to defer dementia.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41- We shape our brain, - just as our brain shapes us.
0:21:41 > 0:21:46- We're now investigating - the effect of musical training.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49- We're finding interesting data - that is in some ways similar...
0:21:50 > 0:21:54- ..and in some ways quite different - from what we find for bilingualism.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57- I think this is - a very important direction.
0:21:57 > 0:22:03- How and how broadly does experience - effect the way we live...
0:22:03 > 0:22:05- ..and interact in the world?
0:22:11 > 0:22:16- Seeing this man skating in Toronto - reminds me of what I've learned.
0:22:16 > 0:22:20- It seems ice skating - can be good for the brain...
0:22:20 > 0:22:24- ..just like playing the piano - and other mental activities.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28- Individual experiences - affect the brain.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32- In turn, this affects - the way we live our lives.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44- The research I've seen here - opens up a wide area of study...
0:22:45 > 0:22:49- ..providing a new approach - to bilingualism and the brain.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55- The teams in Canada and Wales...
0:22:55 > 0:22:58- ..ask similar questions - about bilingualism.
0:22:59 > 0:23:03- It's been exciting to see how - the team here approaches the work.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06- It's fascinating - to see their ideas...
0:23:06 > 0:23:10- ..and to find out how they - see the field's development.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19- We're lucky in Wales - to have two languages...
0:23:20 > 0:23:22- ..and a strong musical tradition.
0:23:23 > 0:23:28- I'm interested in the effect that - playing music can have on the brain.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32- That may be - one of my next research projects.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38- In the meantime, - I must practise a bit more!
0:24:06 > 0:24:09- S4C subtitles by Eirlys A Jones
0:24:09 > 0:24:10- .