Cognitive development in bilingual children: a case for bilingual instruction in early childhood education

The debate on how limited-English-proficient children should be educated has continued across the nation. While the debate focuses on bilingual education in terms of culture and language maintenance, individual, community, national identity and fair access to social, economic and educational opportunities, scholars are considering the value of bilingual education in terms of cognitive development. Bilingual instruction in relation to cognitive development and cognitive processes in children is evaluated.