认知促进还是认知负担：早期二语学习与幼儿全面发展研究述评

Cognitive Enhancement or Cognitive Burden: A Review of Research on Early Second Language Learning and Holistic Development in Young Children

摘要: 在全球化与学前外语教育普及的背景下，幼儿早期第二语言学习究竟带来认知与社会性发展优势，还是构成额外认知负担，已成为发展心理学与教育心理学的核心议题。本文系统梳理关键期假说、双语抑制控制理论等核心理论框架，整合近年实证研究与元分析证据，总结早期二语学习对幼儿执行功能、元语言意识、情绪理解、社会认知等方面的影响效应，并对发表偏倚、社会经济地位混淆等方法学问题进行评述。文章重点分析起始年龄、语言熟练度、教学模式等调节变量，指出我国本土化研究的不足，提出未来应开展大样本纵向追踪及神经机制研究。本文从政策、幼儿园、家庭三个层面提出具体建议，旨在为学前英语教育提供科学依据。

Abstract: Against the backdrop of globalization and the widespread adoption of preschool foreign language education, whether early second language learning in young children fosters cognitive and social development advantages or imposes additional cognitive burdens has become a central issue in developmental and educational psychology. This paper systematically reviews key theoretical frameworks such as the critical period hypothesis and the bilingual inhibitory control theory, integrates recent empirical research and meta-analysis evidence, summarizes the effects of early second language learning on children’s executive functions, metalinguistic awareness, emotional understanding, and social cognition, and evaluates methodological issues such as publication bias and socioeconomic status confounding. The study focuses on analyzing moderating variables including age of onset, language proficiency, and teaching models, identifies gaps in localized research in China, and proposes future studies involving large-scale longitudinal tracking and neural mechanism research. Specific recommendations are provided from three levels—policy, kindergarten, and family—to offer a scientific basis for preschool English education.