Janine Copertino ABENGLISH 3-A

Kimberly Garrucho SEPT. 14, 2019

We have learned that bilingualism is the ability to communicate fluently in

a language other than your native language. As our world become global, we also
become increasingly bilingual. Most of the Filipinos are bilingual, although the
majority of the bilingual speakers communicate in their native language along
with Filipino, many other languages are spoken here in the Philippines such as
English, Chinese and Korean.

The mixing of cultures leads to bilingualism. Specifically, exposure to

languages from neighboring regions can influence the development of
bilingualism. Learning other language is also learning the behavior of the society
and its cultural customs. Therefore, bilingualism is not just by interacting fluently
in a language other than your native language but it means to do so with the
culture which is its reference point.

Bilinguals come from diverse environments influenced by various factors

that include family and cultural values, immigration status, linguistic background
and socio-economic status. Bilingualism can occur in ways other than
immigration. People can also decide to learn a new language on their own. A
person can become bilingual with dedication and practice of the language. Often,
individual who decide to become bilingual do so because of its many benefits. For
example, learning another language can lead to improved executive function,
increased ability to communicate with others and improved cultural competence.
Executive functions are skills that allow people to complete tasks by organizing
information properly.