Many people grow up in a bilingual home and/or community. A child’s brain is as capable of learning two languages as one. At one time people were fearful that growing up bilingual or trilingual would harm one’s brain—perhaps making one into an imbecile. Now, however, there is substantial research refuting such fears. Indeed, there is growing awareness of the benefits of this early childhood language-learning experience.

Here is an article that I think is well worth reading:

de Lange, C. (May 2012). Bilingual Brain Boost: Two Tongues, Two Minds. Published in New Scientist with the title: One brain, two minds. Retrieved 6/9/2012 from http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/catherine-de-lange.

Recently I read about Ypsilanti New Tech High School in Michigan. It is a high school that is based on project-based learning and high tech.

Feldscher, K. (11/30/2010). Ypsilanti New Tech High School's unconventional approach resonating with teachers, students. Retrieved 12/1/2010 from http://www.annarbor.com/news/ypsilanti/ypsilanti-new-tech-high-school-students-and-staff-adjust-to-changes-excited-about-new-direction/.

Of course, I am a long time advocate of project-based learning. That is probably why the article caught my attention—that, and the mention of technology.

Many years ago, when I first became a faculty member in the University of Oregon College of Education, I heard about C.P. Snow and his ideas on Two Cultures. I didn’t read his material, but I agreed with his ideas of science versus non-science ways of viewing the world and as areas of scholarship. Although I had been sort of brainwashed by my mathematician father during my childhood to believe that Mathematics was not only the queen of the sciences but the queen of intellectualism, I was gradually coming to accept the idea that in every academic discipline there are a great many very smart people.

Recently I read C.P. Snow’s famous lecture (about 30 pages in length):

Snow, C.P. (1959). The Two cultures and Scientific Revolution. Available free online at http://sciencepolicy.colorado.edu/students/envs_5110/snow_1959.pdf.