Communications in Humanities Research ISSN: 2753-7072
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Research Article

The Impact of Bilingualism on Children’s Executive Function: A Critical Review of Evidences

Ruoshui WangFujian Normal University*

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

This paper looks at what happens with kids' EF when they know two languages. Based on the three-factor model (inhibition, updating, and shifting), some research has shown that bilingual children could have some advantages when the task is hard, at the beginning of learning, and in a strong second language environment. But big and repeat studies make people wonder if this good thing is true everywhere, saying there are different ways of doing things, papers only showing nice results, and not matching real life well. Review shows that the bilingual advantage depends on context and is moderated by developmental stage, task type and environmental factors. Current studies are limited due to inconsistent definition of bilingualism, artificial tasks used and control of socio-economic and cultural factors. More future research will use long term and more natural methods, and classify bilingualism better so we can learn about how it changes children's EF. Bilingualism is not a universal benefit, but rather a potential resource, especially for early childhood education.

Keywords: Bilingualism; Executive function; Children; Early childhood education; Cognitive development
Published: January 7, 2026
DOI: 10.54254/2753-7064/2025.NS31174
Volume: CHR Vol.99
pp. 80-85
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