Many children worldwide grow up learning and using two or more languages. Early multilingualism can provide numerous benefits, but often comes with unique challenges. The experiences of multilingual children vary greatly. Multilingual children differ from one another, for example, in the languages they speak, how different these languages are from each other, how often they use each language, or the societal prestige associated with their languages. Therefore, it is impossible to treat multilingual children as a homogeneous group, and an increasing body of research examines how multilinguals differ from one another and how these differences influence their development. We aim to bring together interdisciplinary researchers who have adopted this perspective and are working toward a more realistic and inclusive view of early multilingualism for a two-day symposium.
Dates: 6th and 7th of October 2026
Place: University of Zurich, Switzerland
Timeline:
- Abstract submission deadline: 30th of June 2026
- Notification of abstract acceptance: 17th of July 2026
- Registration open: 17th of July 2026
- Registration application deadline: 14th of August 2026 (Priority will be given to the applications of presenting authors.)
