Language as a tool of emotion : exploring the connection between multilingualism and socio-emotional development in early childhood

Abstract

Early childhood is a significant stage for human development, including linguistic and socio-emotional development. Multilingual children are in a special position due to learning multiple languages simultaneously from a young age. They are expected to internalise multiple linguistic and cultural perspectives and this will inherently affect their perspectives on emotion and social communication.

The purpose of this bacher’s thesis is to understand the possible connections between multilingual children’s linguistic and socio-emotional development. The research conducted is a narrative literature review of current research on linguistic development, multilingualism, socio-emotional development and the connection between the aforementioned topics. Firstly, multilingualism and socio-emotional development will be explored as independent phenomena. Through the research, wide ranging connections between socio-emotional development and linguistic development could be observed, including vocabulary and verbal skills, social skills as well as emotion experiencing and expression. Language is also connected to other aspects of a child’s experience, for example culture, which will have a direct effect on a child’s socio-emotional learning.