Multiple Languages in One Brain – Examining the Executive Function - Timothy Dean Keeley | PG 2019

Executive functions are controlled by the frontal lobes of the brain. The frontal lobes are connected with many other brain areas and co-ordinate the activities of these other regions. They can be thought of as the conductor of the brain’s orchestra. The Executive function and self-regulation skills depend on three types of brain function: working memory, mental flexibility, and self-control. These functions are highly interrelated, and the successful application of executive function skills requires them to operate in coordination with each other.
Research on executive functions such as working memory, perception, and attentional and inhibitory control, has suggested that bilinguals (multilinguals) can benefit from significant cognitive advantages over monolingual peers in various settings. There are also age-related benefits, which seem to help older adults on the battle against cognitive decline.
This presentation examines the evidence concerning the effect of multilingualism on the development of the executive function. In addition, possible techniques on how to avoid mixing languages will also be covered.

Tim Keeley is a professor of Cross-Cultural Management in Fukuoka Japan. He has spent the majority of his life in Asia (mainly Japan) but has also studied, lived and worked in such countries as Colombia, Switzerland, Poland, Germany, Thailand and Australia. Tim loves languages and cultures, as most polyglots do, and has channeled this passion into his research and lectures on the subjects of foreign language acquisition and cultural adaptation. He speaks most European languages (Slavic, Romance, Germanic, and Greek) as well as a dozen languages from Asia.

This video was recorded at the Polyglot Gathering in Bratislava 2019 ( https://www.polyglotbratislava.com/ ).