- All Early Stage Researchers received multi-disciplinary training on multilingualism that enabled them to develop academic and research skills. In addition, they gained generic research skills, e.g. project management and data analysis using R, and dissemination and communication skills, e.g. presenting research findings to academic and non-academic audiences, writing up academic and non-academic papers, and policy reports. These enabled them to continue with academic as well as non-academic careers.
- The results showed that multilinguals’ life experiences, code-switching, and literacy experiences impact language learning, cognitive abilities, and creativity and drive and shape neural adaptations. Engagement in bilingual language use was shown to trigger region-specific grey matter increases, either sustained or followed by volumetric decreases, depending on the quantity and quality of bilingual experiences. This provides evidence for a dynamic process of subcortical restructuring.
- Heritage speakers acquire and process language qualitatively similarly to homeland native speakers. There were effects of cross-linguistic influence at both the behavioural and neural level, suggesting that all languages are co-activated and there is competition between languages. As a result, processing may be slower compared to monolinguals. Similarity between the languages leads to a processing advantage. Effects of multilingualism were also found in biases. Multilinguals reported higher cognitive flexibility than monolinguals, and higher cognitive flexibility was associated with less explicit bias in individuals with low internal motivation to respond without prejudice.
- Multilingual learners’ repertoires, experiences, and motivations are often excluded from the classroom. Using a second language as the only medium of instruction was shown to be detrimental to literacy development and learning outcomes in children. Research on the education of individuals with a refugee background showed that flashcards and pantomime are effective methods for vocabulary learning and running dictation may lead to positive gains in grammar learning.
- Psychology interventions seem to be effective in both a foreign as well as the native language in non-clinical populations with intermediate/high level proficiency in a foreign language. More research with clinical populations is necessary to address the foreign language effect in psychotherapy.
- Multilingualism does not lead to language impairment or dyslexia. Language-dependent measures, including sentence repetition, nonword repetition, phonological awareness and clitic production, and language-independent measures, including rhythmic motor production, are indicative of disorder in monolingual and multilingual children. The MuLiMi computerised screening platform, developed as part of MultiMind, was shown to meet the requirements concerning multilingual language and reading assessment, allowing for the comparison of both languages as well as conscious decision-making for diagnosis and intervention needs in children at risk for Developmental Language Disorder and Dyslexia.
