Reevaluating the Language of Learning Advantage in Bilingual Arithmetic: An ERP Study on Spoken Multiplication Verification

Cerda, Vanessa R.; Soria, Paola Montufar; Wicha, Nicole Y.Y.

doi:10.3390/brainsci12050532

Cited by 4 publications

(15 citation statements)

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“…For ERPs time locked to the second operand, mean amplitude was measured between 200 and 600 ms across all experiments for the conditions of interest. At the solution of both verification tasks, a P300 was larger in amplitude for correct than incorrect solutions across both languages (for full Correctness analysis and direct comparison of Experiments 1A and 1B, see Cerda et al, 2022). Analysis of P300 latency and amplitude included problem Correctness (correct, incorrect) as an additional factor to investigate potential interactions with the PSE; however, no interactions reached significance ( p s > .05).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As reported by Cerda et al (2022), English proficiency was determined using subtests of The Woodcock–Johnson Tests of Achievement (Woodcock, McGrew, et al, 2001) and Tests of Cognitive Abilities (Woodcock, Mather, et al, 2001). Equivalent measures were used to assess Spanish proficiency, using the Woodcock–Muñoz Batería III (Muñoz-Sandoval et al, 2005).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In Experiments 1A and 1B, participants judged the correctness of presented solutions, with language and problem size as the variables of interest. See Cerda et al (2022) for a detailed procedure. The key difference between 1A and 1B was that for 1B, the ISIs between the first and second operands and between the operands and the solution were set to 0 ms.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The interstimulus intervals (ISIs) between the offset and onset of each sequential operand were reduced to 0 ms to create a faster-paced experiment. Cerda et al (2022) previously reported an overall delay in the P300 across tasks, suggesting that the ISI manipulation did indeed make the task more difficult. In the current study, we expected additional delays for the most difficult problems in the weaker language (i.e., large problems in LA−).…”

mentioning

confidence: 89%

“…However, the language of learning may not be the primary driver of language differences for arithmetic processing. Recently, in a reevaluation of the language bias for arithmetic, Cerda et al (2022) found that proficient, early bilingual adults accessed multiplication facts from memory with equivalent efficiency across languages. These findings are consistent with a recent meta-analysis study suggesting that performance differences across languages may be due more to proficiency in a language than differences in cognitive processing across languages (Garcia et al, 2021).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Bilingual problem size effect: An ERP study of multiplication verification and production in two languages.

Cerda,

Flaugher,

Montufar Soria

et al. 2023

Translational Issues in Psychological Science

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The problem size effect (PSE) is defined by better performance solving small problems (e.g., 2 × 4) than large problems (e.g., 8 × 9). For monolinguals, the PSE is larger when problems are presented in unfamiliar formats (e.g., written words), reflecting increased processing difficulty. Bilinguals are typically faster and more accurate at retrieving multiplication facts in the language of learning (LA+) than in their other language (LA−). We hypothesized that the less familiar arithmetic language (i.e., LA−) would elicit larger PSEs than LA+. Here, fluent Spanish-English bilingual adults verified spoken multiplication problems presented in LA+ and LA− while event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded (Experiment 1A). To further promote language differences, we increased task difficulty by presenting problems at a faster pace (Experiment 1B) and requiring bilinguals to verbally produce solutions (Experiment 2). Language differences in performance were only observed for Experiment 2, where solutions were produced more slowly in LA− than LA+. In the ERPs, a PSE was driven by larger P300s for small than large solutions. A language effect was only observed under time pressure where LA− elicited a PSE at the second operand. Additionally, the PSE was smaller for LA− at the solution. This suggests that categorizing multiplication facts is more effortful in LA−. In sum, very subtle language differences arise in fluent bilinguals when problems are more difficult, such as larger problems presented under time pressure in a weaker language. Critically, the effect of LA+ is at the level of response production and not access to the facts from memory.What is the significance of this article for the general public? Many bilingual students entering U.S. schools learn foundational concepts in a language other than English, leaving them at a potential developmental disadvantage compared to their monolingual peers when tested on this knowledge. This study investigates how the bilingual brain processes simple and more difficult multiplication facts across languages. Our results suggest that fluent bilingual adults only exhibit subtle language differences for the most difficult problems in their weaker language.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 89%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Bilingual problem size effect: An ERP study of multiplication verification and production in two languages.

Cerda,

Flaugher,

Montufar Soria

et al. 2023

Translational Issues in Psychological Science

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Arithmetic in the Bilingual Brain: Language of Learning and Language Experience Effects on Simple Arithmetic in Children and Adults

Cerda,

Wicha

2023

Mind Brain and Education

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In 2020, 21.5% of US preschoolers spoke a language other than English at home. These children transition into English‐speaking classrooms in different ways, often handling foundational concepts in two languages. Critically, some knowledge may be dependent on the language of learning. For instance, both bilingual children and adults typically prefer, and exhibit higher performance on arithmetic in the language in which they learned math (LA+) compared with their other language (LA−). The typical interpretation is that arithmetic facts are accessed from memory more efficiently or solely in LA+. However, recent research suggests that bilingual arithmetic is not restricted to one language in memory, and that language experience plays an important role in performance. Moreover, evidence suggests children and adults process arithmetic fundamentally differently. Thus, bilingual arithmetic memory may manifest differently across the life span. This review outlines evidence to date at the intersection between the brain basis of bilingualism, arithmetic processing, and development.

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Arithmetic in two languages: Localizing simple multiplication processing in the adult bilingual brain

Cerda,

Suárez-Pellicioni,

Booth

et al. 2024

Imaging Neuroscience

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Verbally memorized multiplication tables are thought to create language-specific memories. Supporting this idea, bilinguals are typically faster and more accurate in the language in which they learned math (LA+) than in their other language (LA-). No study has yet revealed the underlying neurocognitive mechanisms explaining this effect, or the role of problem size in explaining the recruitment of different brain regions in LA+ and LA-. To fill this gap in the literature, 29 Spanish-English early bilingual adults, proficient in both languages, verified simple multiplication problems in each language while functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was acquired. More specifically, this study aimed to answer two questions: 1) Does LA+ recruit left superior and middle temporal gyri (STG/MTG) to a greater extent than LA-, reflecting more robust verbal representations of multiplication facts in LA+? In contrast, does LA- recruit the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), reflecting more effortful retrieval, or the intraparietal sulcus (IPS), reflecting reliance on quantity processes? 2) Is there an interaction between language and problem size, where language differences are more pronounced for less practiced, large multiplication problems (e.g., 8 x 9) in comparison to more familiar, small problems (e.g., 2 x 3). Functional localizer tasks were used to identify hypothesis-driven regions of interest in verbal areas associated with verbal representations of arithmetic facts (left STG/MTG) and with the effortful retrieval of these facts (left IFG) and quantity areas engaged when calculation-based strategies are used (bilateral IPS). In planned analyses, no cluster reached significance for the direct comparison of languages (question 1) or for the interaction between language and problem size (question 2). An exploratory analysis found a main effect of problem size, where small problems recruited left STG/MTG and left IFG to a greater extent than large problems, suggesting greater verbal involvement for these problems in both languages. Additionally, large problems recruited right IPS to a greater extent than small problems, suggesting reliance on quantity processes. Our results suggest that proficient early bilingual adults engage similar brain regions in both languages, even for more difficult, large problems.

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Reevaluating the Language of Learning Advantage in Bilingual Arithmetic: An ERP Study on Spoken Multiplication Verification

Cited by 4 publications

References 75 publications

Bilingual problem size effect: An ERP study of multiplication verification and production in two languages.

Bilingual problem size effect: An ERP study of multiplication verification and production in two languages.

Arithmetic in the Bilingual Brain: Language of Learning and Language Experience Effects on Simple Arithmetic in Children and Adults

Arithmetic in two languages: Localizing simple multiplication processing in the adult bilingual brain

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