What is a primary outcome of children being supported in multilingual environments?

Supporting children in multilingual environments primarily enhances their cultural awareness. This experience allows children to interact with diverse perspectives, languages, and customs, fostering an understanding and appreciation of different cultures. As they learn to navigate multiple languages, they develop empathy towards speakers of those languages and gain insights into various social norms and values.

Furthermore, this cultural exposure can enrich children's social interactions and promote inclusivity, helping them to respect and celebrate diversity. The ability to communicate across cultures is a crucial skill in an increasingly globalized world, broadening children's horizons and preparing them for future collaborative environments.

In contrast to this positive outcome, other options such as lower academic achievement, reduced communication skills, and increased dependence on caregivers do not reflect the benefits of a multilingual environment. Early exposure to multiple languages typically supports cognitive development and enhances communication abilities rather than hindering them, and it encourages greater independence rather than dependence on caregivers as children become more capable in navigating their environment.