Cognitive Dimension

The cognitive dimension comprises various challenges for CLD students acquiring a new language. Some key challenges involve not only the cognitive dimensions but also the sociocultural and linguistic dimensions. The bilingual teachers must understand these challenges of their students face in order to meeting the unique and individual needs of the language learners. The cognitive challenges consist of the interrelationships between the cognitive and sociocultural dimensions. Acquisition of a second language interrupts a child’s cognitive development in the first language. Moreover, students’ learning styles are different and influenced majorly by socialization and cognitive development in the home culture. I remember I used to sitting

In my culture, I was taught being respectful, and I would bow down my head without eye contact. In American culture, if you talk to someone without looking at his eyes, you are not respectful. Being a bilingual teacher, it is very important to be cross-culturally sensitive and be aware of students’ learning styles.

The other cognitive challenges emphasize the interrelationship between the cognitive and the linguistic dimensions. Transformative learning starts when the students can use linguistic and nonlinguistic representations to express what they know and what they have been learning. For Example, there is the ongoing debate about phonics versus whole language approach. Research indicates that second language learners acquire a new language successfully with literacy instruction focusing word meaning rather than the phoneme structure

Therefore the cognitive processes are proactive and dynamic involving informative selection, organization and contextualization. The learning strategies of each individual may be different but the outcome should be the same. That is goal-driven activities attaining targeted learning results. According to Chamot and O’Malley, there are three types of learning strategies: cognitive, metacognitive, and social/affective. Cognitive learning strategies involve the mental or physical manipulation of the material to be learned. The strategies are resourcing, grouping, note taking, and elaboration. Teachers model, rehears, and support students the use of learning strategies in the classroom. Social/affective learning strategies interconnect the cognitive and the sociocultural dimensions of the biography. This kind of strategies considers two levels: the individual level and the interactive level. For example, using self-talk strategy to increase self confidence at the individual level. Asking questions for clarification is under interactive level. Learners works with other cooperatively. Finally, the metacognitive learning strategies solely connect to the students and their own cognitive processes. The learning processes relate to planning, monitoring, and evaluating. For example, students plan, organize, and pay attention selectively to manage their