Word inferencing in sequential bilinguals in realistic listening environments

Bilingualism offers many cognitive and social advantages, but learning in a second language can be challenging, especially in noisy classrooms. This study examines how background noise affects Spanish-English bilingual children’s ability to learn new words from context, compared with monolingual English speakers. We will test 11- to 13-year-olds as they listen to sentences containing made-up words in both quiet and noisy conditions. We expect that noise will make it harder for all children to infer word meanings, but that bilingual learners may face additional challenges when processing speech in English. By understanding how noise interacts with bilingualism, this study aims to help educators create more equitable and supportive learning environments for multilingual students."