THE IMPACT OF EARLY BILINGUALISM ON ENGLISH SPEAKING SKILLS
Abstract
This article explores how early bilingualism influences learners’ English speaking skills, focusing on pronunciation, fluency, and speaking confidence. Data were gathered from classroom observations, interviews, and a short speaking test involving early bilingual and monolingual Uzbek learners. Findings show that students exposed to two languages from an early age develop stronger phonological awareness, faster speech processing, and higher willingness to communicate. However, certain phonological transfer patterns remain visible. The study concludes that early bilingualism provides a cognitive and linguistic advantage in developing English speaking competence.
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