**9. More cognitive benefits of being bilingual**

While early linguists believed that learning a second language induced developmental delays, current evidence indicates that this is not the case. (8) Bilingual pupils have a number of distinct advantages in school and beyond. Bilingual pupils, for example, have better functioning memory and attention spans. These abilities can contribute to both academic and professional success. On activities requiring executive coordination, bilingual students outperform monolingual students. This includes self-discipline, perseverance, and other abilities that aid students in achieving their objectives. Bilingual students also have the intelligence and drive to take on challenging school tasks when paired with the higher abstract thinking skills they acquire. And the benefits do not end with academic success. Bilingual people are more creative than monolingual people, which can lead to satisfaction as well as success. They're also better at multitasking and resolving conflicts, qualities that help both themselves and others. Best of all, bilingualism has been attributed to a lower risk of cognitive loss later in life. Bilingualism's cognitive gains favor students throughout their lives, from birth to old age. Bilingual students can learn to read not just as well as monolingual students, but much better. You will help them learn prereading skills as an educator, particularly if you teach a primarily bilingual classroom.
