Bilingualism and Bilingual Education, Bilingualism and Translational Action

Abstract

Bilingualism basically defined as having been brought up with two languages and being more or less equally competent in using both languages is a significant phenomenon in this information era requiring frequent access and communication among people. This study aims to identify the bilingualism phenomenon focusing on some of its components. First of all though it is not easy to make clear cut definitions regarding the term bilingualism, what the term stands for and which basic constellations can be associated with this term will be explained in the study in a detailed way. Following the definition of bilingualism, some conditions such as second language acquisition which proposes a basis for bilingualism, the effects of bilingualism on the brain and certain individual factors affecting bilingualism are going to be dealt with. An important component of bilingualism, bilingual education, will be analyzed within the perspectives of the importance of bilingual family in raising bilingual children and bilingual education especially in pre-school and school as a preparatory phase for later stages of bilingual schooling.  In addition, the concept of bilingualism is also dealt with in terms of its relationship with the translational action to gain the study an inter-disciplinary aspect.