Bilingual profiles, reading acquisition and bilingual advantage: how to evaluate strengths and difficulties in bilingual and second language learning children

An increasing number of children are exposed to a reading system in a language that is different from their L1, both because of migration processes or increased learning occasions. These children can be defined as bilingual children or second language learners, based on the type of linguistic exposure they received (Paradis, Genesee, & Crago, 2011). Often, immigrant children have been described to perform more poorly than monolingual children in reading tasks (Slavin & Cheung, 2003) whereas a parallel research line on the “bilingual advantage” reports better capacities in non-verbal skills (e.g., Bialystok, 2009; Bonifacci, Giombini, Bellocchi, & Contento, 2011). We discuss some research inputs on assessment tools for evaluating L1/L2 bilingual profile and protective factors for L2 acquisition, together with evidences on the cognitive and metalinguistic bilingual advantage.