Students who identify as multilingual perform better at school, study shows

November 11, 2021

New research from England shows that young people who consider themselves "multilingual" tend to perform better across a wide range of subjects at school. The study, of just over 800 pupils in England, found a positive relationship between test scores and multilingual identity. A pupil had a multilingual identity if he or she felt a personal connection with other languages through knowledge and use. Those who self-identified as multilingual typically outperformed their peers not just in subjects such as French and Spanish, but in non-language subjects including math, geography, and science!

If pupils were encouraged to see themselves as active and capable language learners, it could have a really positive impact on their wider progress at school. - Linda Fisher