The theory and research reported in the preceding chapters of this volume describe a variety of aspects of cognitive and linguistic processing by bilingual children. Bilingual children of different ages and having had different experiences with bilingualism were studied for their ability to learn the second language, perform in school tasks, use language for special purposes, and solve a variety of both linguistic and non-linguistic problems.

The purpose of this chapter is to evaluate the evidence reported in this volume with respect to its implications for the study of the cognitive development, linguistic proficiency, and educational prognosis for bilingual children. At the same time, however, more general insights into these areas of cognition, language ability, and education will inevitably emerge. The implications of the study of bilingual children, that is, extend beyond a description of bilingual competence into broader domains of inquiry.

Our discussion is divided into two parts. First is an evaluation of the place and prognosis of bilingual children in educational systems. This discussion will also address the implications of these findings for the various programs available to bilingual children in schools. Second is an evaluation of the consequences of bilingualism for cognitive processing. This discussion will focus on the relation between linguistic and other cognitive skills and attempt to set the parameters for a description of the cognitive and linguistic development of bilingual children.