Launch of Bilingualism Matters centre at Essex

We're launching a new centre to promote bilingualism and language learning in the East of England.

Bilingualism Matters was originally started in Edinburgh, but now has branches across Europe and America. The Essex branch will cover the whole of the East of England.

It acts as a one-stop shop for expert advice on all aspects of bilingualism for parents, as well as professionals, including teachers, speech therapists and policy makers.

Professor Florence Myles, Director of the Centre for Research in Language Development throughout the Lifespan (LaDeLi) at Essex, said: “There are lots of benefits to being bilingual with research suggesting those who are are more aware of different cultures and are better at multi-tasking and focussing their attention.

“It may also have benefits in later life by slowing down cognitive aging and even delaying the onset of dementia.

“At Essex we carry out research on all aspects of language development, from how we first learn to speak through learning a second language to the implications of language attrition, for example when we stop using our native language regularly. Being part of Bilingualism Matters complements the work we are already doing here.”

The launch of Bilingualism Matters in the East of England branch is open to anyone with an interest in the science behind language. It will include a public lecture by Professor Ludovica Serratrice from the University of Reading, entitled ‘Two Languages are Better Than One.’

This will be followed by the official opening of the branch by founder of Bilingualism Matters, Professor Antonella Sorace, from the University of Edinburgh, and talks by community consultants and LaDeLi researchers.

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