Cognitive development of fluent and nonfluent bilingual speakers assessed with tachistoscopic techniques

Abstract

A tachistoscopic study investigated verb;il skills among bilingual speakers, 10 fluent and 15 nonfluent, on rhyming and semantic tasks in both their native (Greek) and second (English) languages. Fluent bilinguals scored higher on all tasks, especially on the English rhyming and che Greek semantic tasks. Fluent also responded faster, especially on the English semantic task. Fluent bilingual speakers scored higher on the Uses of Objects Test, an index of creativity. Nonfluent bilinguals had higher grades in geometry and arithmetic at school while fluent bilinguals had higher grades in Greek composition.