Speaking Two Languages Won’t Confuse You—But Cutting Research Might
Why Defunding Research Threatens Decades of Progress
I would like to think we're past this misconception, but I live in a bubble of linguists, so my perspective may be skewed. Some people still believe that speaking two languages confuses children. Typically, these concerns come from monolingual speakers or those advised by them. Yet decades of research show the opposite: bilingual children aren't confused—when both languages are adequately supported, they thrive academically, socially, cognitively, and economically. While my research focuses on adults rather than children, my goal is to create that support for those who grew up bilingually, ensuring they have the conditions to flourish. The last few days have been disheartening as I've watched valuable research being put at risk.
Let me share what's at stake. I teach interpreting—oral translation—a skill most of my students have informally practiced for their families since childhood. Traditionally, our teaching methods didn't acknowledge this rich experience. Through a Department of Education grant, affiliated with one of the sixteen Language Resource Centers across the US, my colleague Dr. Aída Martínez-Gómez and I studied how teaching interpreting enhances bilingual proficiency and how incorporating students' lived experiences transforms their learning. Teaching interpreting is particularly rewarding because it combines public speaking, language skills, and broader cultural knowledge. While most students don't become professional interpreters, after several interpreting courses, they become more articulate and expand both their world knowledge and their proficiency in English and Spanish. Without grant support, we can't measure and understand these valuable impacts.
This is just one of our ongoing projects. My colleagues and I are also developing improved Spanish proficiency assessments to ensure students receive appropriate support, while exploring the possibility of establishing a bilingual major in Criminal Justice. This research helps build systems that value bilingualism, but without funding, these crucial efforts may collapse.
Progress in education requires sustained effort, time, and deep thinking—we won't see results overnight. But without resources, we'll certainly see a setback. Our research creates better educational opportunities for bilingual students, ensuring they don't just maintain their languages but thrive because of them. Without it, we risk reverting to outdated notions that frame bilingualism as a barrier rather than an asset. We risk losing our ability to accurately assess and support Spanish proficiency, to develop bilingual education pathways that reflect our students' realities, and to recognize the valuable experience of those who've served as family interpreters. If we stop studying these issues, we don't just pause progress—we move backward, failing an entire generation of bilingual speakers whose potential deserves to be nurtured, not ignored.