Early Bilingual Exposure and Its Impact on English Acquisition: A Critical Period Perspective in the Pakistani Context

Abstract

In this study, the researcher explores the practices of early bilingual education on the development of English language in the critical period among Pakistani children. The study will be based on the Critical Period Hypothesis (CPH) and will assess the impact of exposure to two languages (usually, the native language plus English) on the phonological, lexical and grammatical progression. The study is performed with the help of a mixed-method design, which examines the difference in performance of children studying in bilingual programs and traditional monolingual schooling. The language proficiency tests, observation in the classroom and interview with the teacher show that the early bilingual learners are more accurate in pronunciation, retain more vocabulary and have better receptive and productive language skills. The results indicate that early bilingual education has been found to increase cognitive flexibility and help learners acquire the English language more naturally within a critical time span. The research has implications on curriculum development and states that there is need to have structured policies on bilingual in the early education system in Pakistan.

Keywords: Early Bilingual Education, Critical Period Hypothesis, English Language Development, Pakistani Education System, Language Acquisition Strategies