MultiMind · The Multilingual Mind

The Multilingual Mind

Europe has been a melting pot throughout history, resulting from constant waves of migration. More recent waves of migration have led to the establishment of many multilingual communities across the continent. However, most national administration systems in Europe have not been designed with multilingual citizens in mind but operate within a monolingual mode (monolingual habitus) and ignore that a large number of citizens in Europe can communicate in several languages and the benefits and challenges that this diversity brings. Understanding the benefits and challenges of being multilingual is crucial for the education, wellbeing, and employment of all citizens in Europe, it can help the integration of new migrants and refugees and the prospects of European countries. MultiMind addressed societal challenges and opportunities within the education and health sectors through an innovative research programme that combined fundamental and applied research across disciplines in a range of different social and educational settings. It investigated the influence of multilingualism on language learning, cognition, creativity, and decision making, on brain function and structure, and its role as a reserve in atypical populations using a combination of cutting-edge research methodologies. At the same time, it aimed at training a new generation of researchers in world-leading labs using cutting edge methodologies and allowing them to build the necessary background and skills fostering their career progress as independent researchers in academic or non- academic sectors, in an international, multidisciplinary, and multisectorial program on multilingualism. Multi-Mind adopted a multi-disciplinary perspective with the following five main scientific objectives: 1. to understand the relationship between language learning, cognition, and creativity. MultiMind will investigate the role of environmental, language architecture, and domain general factors on language learning, cognition, and creativity. The outcomes have important implications for language teaching and educational policies. 2. to determine how the properties of the language and orthographic systems affect the way multilingual and multiliterate people process language using behavioural and neuroscience methods. The outcomes have important implications for teaching practices across European countries. 3. to understand the cognitive mechanisms underpinning social cognition, the role of language as a social group marker, how language use affects decision making, and the manifestation of stereotypes. The outcomes have important implications for challenges on migration in Europe. 4. to understand the impact of multilingualism in children with language impairment using behavioural and neuroimaging methodologies and to develop computerised tasks for screening language impairment and dyslexia in multilingual children. The outcomes have important economic and non-economic implications for health and education services across Europe. 5. to address the efficacy of teaching methods and educational activities promoting language and literacy in pre-schools and schools for migrants/refugees, and to identify good practice that meets the needs of students with a migrant/refugee background. The outcomes have crucial implications for the education of migrants/refugees in Europe and for their integration. The project generated novel findings (see below) that address all five objectives and have important societal implications that were articulated in the five policy reports generated and the book ‘Myths and facts about multilingualism’ (see below).

Data: CORDIS, © European Union