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While bilingualism is associated with executive functioning advantages and language impairment in monolingual children is associated with executive functioning deficits, little research has merged these lines of enquiry. This study explored the effects of language proficiency and bilingualism on executive functioning in 53 children learning English as an Additional Language (EAL) and 53 monolingual peers who displayed either typical or low English language proficiency. Children completed measures of English language, selective attention, response inhibition, and verbal and visuospatial working memory during their second year of school in the UK (age 5-6). While children with EAL, regardless of language proficiency, displayed a response inhibition reaction time advantage relative to monolingual peers, no EAL advantages emerged on measures of selective attention or working memory. Low language proficiency was only associated with impaired response inhibition in monolingual children, and a similar trend was revealed for selective attention, highlighting that these measures may be particularly sensitive to language impairment rather than limited language experience. This research was supported by the Wellcome Trust (WT094836AIA) and a Crossland Scholarship awarded by Royal Holloway, University of London. |
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