The impact of bilingualism on the development of cognitive flexibility in older preschoolers

Abstract

The article analyzes the impact of bilingualism on the development of cognitive flexibility in older preschoolers. Bilingualism is considered an effective tool that stimulates thinking flexibility and a child's ability to quickly adapt to new tasks. Objective. The article aims to substantiate the theoretical foundations of the impact of bilingual education on the development of cognitive flexibility as a key executive function of the brain in older preschoolers. To achieve the objectives, a complex of general scientific theoretical methods was used: induction and deduction in the analysis of psycholinguistic concepts; terminological analysis to clarify the definitions of "bilingualism," and "cognitive flexibility"; systemic-structural method for modeling the links between speech activity and neuroplasticity; comparative analysis of modern foreign and domestic pedagogical approaches to bilingual education. The results obtained during the theoretical analysis allowed for revealing the essence of cognitive flexibility as a child's ability to operatively switch between different mental sets and adapt to changing rules of activity. It is proved that the situation of bilingualism creates a unique "cognitive conflict," the resolution of which requires constant activation of selective attention mechanisms and inhibitory control (suppressing the non-target language). It is substantiated that the senior preschool age is a sensitive period for the development of neuroplasticity through immersion in a second language environment. It is determined that the formation of bilingual communication culture contributes not only to linguistic development but also to an increase in the general level of intellectual lability. The role of the bilingual environment as a catalyst for the formation of a "cognitive reserve," which provides a high level of metalinguistic awareness, is characterized. The importance of implementing a bilingual approach to stimulate divergent thinking and creativity in older preschoolers is noted. Conclusions. Theoretical research confirms that bilingual education is a powerful stimulus for the development of executive brain functions. Cognitive flexibility, formed in conditions of bilingual communication, becomes the foundation for a child's successful adaptation to school learning and the development of divergent thinking. Prospects for further research lie in the development of methodological tools for diagnosing speech development and studying the levels of cognitive flexibility in bilingual children.