It has long been the assumption of many in the field of second language teaching that learning a second language helps to promote and enhance native language skill development, and that this correlation is direct and positive. Language professionals have assumed that learning a second language directly supports the development of better skills, overall, in one’s first language. Evidence supports the assertion that students who study a second language score higher on verbal sections of the SAT than students who do not. A review of the current research related to second language acquisition in children can offer new insights into this seemingly direct relationship. [Read more]

Therese Caccavale (2007). The Correlation between Early Second Language and Native Language Skill Development. Learning Languages, 13(1), pp. 30-32.