ABSTRACT
Language learning is strongly influenced by early experiences. This chapter explores the role of bilingualism at school entry in predicting secondary school foreign language (FL) learning in a majority English-speaking country (US) where FL is typically not required. We examine 14-year longitudinal data on a large (n = 33,247) predominantly low-income and diverse sample (58.8% Latinx, 33.4% Black; 60% with Spanish as the home language). Students with higher skills and academic performance early on were more likely to enroll in and performed better in FL courses in public secondary schools compared to their counterparts after controlling for student demographics. Notably, early language status (monolingual, dual-language learner [DLL], bilingual) was a unique predictor for both enrollment and performance in FL elective courses even after controlling for covariates, with bilinguals having higher odds of enrolling and performing better in FL courses, followed by DLLs and monolinguals. There was a significant moderating effect of early cognitive skills on the relationship between language status and FL learning – the positive effects of early bilingualism on later enrollment and performance were stronger for students with initially lower cognitive skills. Results support the benefit of early multiple language exposure and the importance of maintaining a minority home language for children.
