Bilingualism: The Hidden Power of Iranian American Children’s Minds
By: Sara Zareh
Speaking both languages is brain training and preparation for the future
If you are an immigrant parent, you’ve probably faced the dilemma of whether to speak to your child in your native language or the language of your new country.
Sometimes, learning two languages at once seems confusing for a child, and usually the second language ends up being the one that fades away. Once a child starts school, communicating in the local language becomes easier, and gradually the heritage language gets used less—sometimes eventually forgotten.
This is a common challenge among many Iranian American families.
But new research shows that people who are bilingual experience slower cognitive decline and enjoy stronger mental abilities.
Why is this important?
Speaking in a parent’s native language builds a deeper level of closeness and interaction between parent and child.
Parents can offer richer vocabulary and provide children with more tools to describe and interact with the world around them. This knowledge also creates a strong foundation for learning English later.
Bilingualism strengthens memory, focus, and mental flexibility. Speaking Persian is not just about preserving tradition—it’s a cognitive advantage.
Homes where two languages are spoken are not confusing for children. On the contrary, they help strengthen young minds.
So, speaking both languages is truly brain preparation for the future.
And this doesn’t only apply to children—people who migrate later in life and learn a new language can benefit as well. It’s also valuable (though sometimes more challenging) in households where the parents have different native languages.
Cultural Importance
Speaking Persian at home helps children form stronger connections with grandparents and extended family and better understand their parents’ identity.
Children who connect with their cultural roots often develop stronger self-confidence and a clearer sense of identity.
Better Brain Development
Being multilingual helps preserve the brain’s communication pathways, making signal transmission faster and more efficient.
Studies show that bilingual children usually have:
- Better problem-solving and multitasking skills
- Stronger cognitive flexibility
- Greater resilience against dementia in later life
Some Iranian American parents worry that speaking Persian at home might make it harder for their child to learn English.
The truth is that children naturally learn English fluently through school, friends, television, and books. But they can only learn Persian from you. If you don’t speak it at home, chances are they won’t learn it well.
How to Apply This in Practice
- At home—especially when your child is young—speak mostly in Persian.
- Use English only, when necessary, such as helping with schoolwork, and avoid constantly mixing the two languages, as this can confuse children when forming proper sentences in both languages.
- Encourage children to respond in Persian, even if at first, they reply in English.
- Read Persian storybooks, sing songs, and tell family stories in Persian.
- As children grow older, gradually introduce more English into conversations.
As children mature, their English proficiency naturally increases. At that point, you can aim for a more balanced use of both languages—but starting with Persian at home builds a strong linguistic foundation.
What Does Science Say?
An article titled “Bilingual Brains Build Stronger Neural Networks” in News Neuroscience examined how bilingualism affects the brain.
Using FMRI scans of 151 participants (monolingual and bilingual), researchers found that bilingual individuals had more effective and widespread connections between different regions of the brain.
This difference was especially clear in connections between the cerebellum and the left frontal cortex—the brain areas responsible for cognitive flexibility (the ability to adapt thinking and processing), attention, and resistance to age-related memory decline.
Most importantly, the earlier a second language is learned, the stronger these brain networks become. That’s why bilingualism in childhood provides the greatest benefit.
Why These Findings Matter
- Neuroplasticity Support: Early exposure to a second language builds new neural pathways and optimizes brain performance.
- Broad Cognitive Benefits: More efficient brain networks improve attention, memory, and executive function, and may even protect against brain aging.
- Education: The results show that learning a second language from childhood (such as Persian at home) is highly beneficial for brain development and long-term cognitive health.
Conclusion
If you live in an English-speaking environment, speaking Persian at home and encouraging your child to learn it not only strengthens family and cultural bonds but is also scientifically proven to build stronger brain networks, greater cognitive flexibility, and long-term mental resilience.
