"The study of bilingualism unfolds against a varied backdrop of sociocultural and sociopolitical factors. While the nature of bilingualism and multilingualism has often been misunderstood, the bilingual community is a dynamic and ever-growing part of the global population. This book pioneers the study of bilingualism across the lifespan and in all its diverse forms. In framing the newest research within a lifespan perspective, the editors highlight the importance of considering an individual's age--from infancy to late adulthood--when researching how bilingualism affects language acquisition and cognitive development. Four major topics are explored: (a) early bilingualism, (b) factors affecting bilingualism across the lifespan, (c) academic achievement and literacy in bilinguals, and (d) cognitive effects of bilingualism. A key theme is the variability among bilinguals, which may be due to a host of individual and sociocultural factors, including the degree to which bilingualism is or is not valued in each country and context. This book is a call for language researchers, psychologists, and educators to pursue and promote a better understanding of bilingualism in our increasingly multicultural society."--Back cover.