By Chloe Bloom, Florida State University
Hi, my name is Chloe Bloom! I am a senior at Florida State studying Communication Science and Disorders, with the goal of becoming a speech-language pathologist. I am especially interested in working both in research and clinical intervention with children who are simultaneously acquiring multiple languages.
Language is such a fundamental part of how we connect with others, and I’ve always been fascinated by the way children learn to communicate. This summer, I will be taking that curiosity a step further through a research project focused on multilingualism in early childhood. Specifically, I hope to better understand the perspectives that parents have on raising preschool-aged children in environments where multiple languages are spoken every day.
My research is grounded in what is known as the sensitive period theory, which suggests that there is a window in early childhood when the brain is especially receptive to learning languages. During this time, children have an incredible ability to absorb and differentiate between multiple linguistic systems. However, despite what research tells us, there are still many misconceptions about multilingualism. Some people believe that learning more than one language at a time can cause confusion or delays in speech and language development. These myths can sometimes discourage families from exposing their children to multiple languages early on.
Through my project, I hope to challenge these misconceptions and advocate for the benefits of multilingualism. I am particularly interested in highlighting successful models of multilingual education, where children not only learn multiple languages but thrive socially, academically, and culturally. By listening to parents and understanding their experiences, I aim to bring more awareness to the realities of raising multilingual children.
To carry out this research, I will be traveling to Spain this summer, an opportunity I am incredibly excited about. I have cultivated a strong passion for language and culture over the years, but it truly deepened during my sophomore year when I studied abroad in Valencia through FSU. That experience sparked my interest in the Spanish language and opened my eyes to the richness of multilingual communities.
Torres de Serranos, my home for the six weeks spent in Valencia!
This summer, I will be conducting interviews with parents in Barcelona and the Basque Country. These regions are especially fascinating because of their linguistic diversity. In addition to Spanish and English, many families speak Catalan in Barcelona and Basque in the Basque Country. These environments provide a unique opportunity to observe how multiple languages coexist in everyday life and how children navigate and learn within them.
La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. Day trip during my semester abroad!
By gathering these perspectives, I hope to contribute to a broader understanding of multilingual development and help inform future practices in speech-language pathology. As I continue my education at Florida State and eventually pursue graduate studies, I plan to use this research to support children and families from diverse linguistic backgrounds. My long-term goal is to work in both clinical and research settings, helping to create more inclusive and effective approaches to language development.
I am so grateful for the opportunity to pursue this project and can’t wait to share what I learn along the way., This summer will not only be a time of research, but also one of personal and professional growth as I immerse myself in new cultures, languages, and perspectives.
Stay tuned for updates from Spain!
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