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Original Research Article

Structure, Function, and Connectivity in The Multilingual Brain: A Systematic Review of Neurolinguistic Evidence and Implications for Language Education

Gazi Mohd Shakil Imtiaz Fahad

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Gazi Mohd Shakil Imtiaz Fahad Corresponding Author

Faculty, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University

ORCID: 0009-0002-5443-1271

Correspondence: fahad@mbstu.ac.bd

Received
22 Jun 2026
Published
10 Jul 2026
DOI
Pending

Abstract

The rapid development of neuroimaging technology has turned neurolinguistics into one of the most empirical areas of cognitive science, although the pedagogical translation into formal language education curricula remains disproportionately limited. This research addresses this gap by means of a mixed-methods study that triangulates three independent strands of data: a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) compliant Systematic Literature Review (SLR), a structured survey (N = 14) and a qualitative protocol comprising semi-structured interviews and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). The SLR based on 487 records from Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and ERIC (2010-2025) identified 33 high-quality peer-reviewed studies evaluated with a binary Quality Assessment Rule (QAR; inter-rater κ = .84). The structured survey utilized the 58-item Neurolinguistic Profile and Performance Assessment Scale (NIPPAS), which operationalized ten neurolinguistically grounded constructs: Executive Control (EC), Metalinguistic Awareness (MA), Structural Language Processing (SLP), Cross-linguistic Connectivity (CLC), Adaptive Communication (AC), Metacognitive Monitoring (MM), Multilingual Memory (MEM), Neuroplasticity Indicators (NPI), Sociocultural Integration (SCI), and Language Acquisition Efficiency (LAE). One-sample t-tests confirmed that nine of ten construct means were significantly higher than the neutral midpoint (μ0 = 3.0; all p < .05), with Metacognitive Monitoring producing the greatest effect (M = 3.99, d = 1.38) with Structural Language Processing result, i.e., (t(13) = 4.606, p <.001, d = 1.23). Cronbach’s alpha ranged from .549 to .977. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically, which suggested three superordinate themes: Executive Flexibility as Cognitive Resource, Affective Mediation of Inter-lingual Suppression, and Sociocultural Embeddedness of Multilingual Cognition. Collectively, the findings support a four-domain conceptual framework: Structural, Functional, Connectivity, and Educational, which leads to recommendations for language curriculum design, teacher training and multilingual policy.

Keywords: Multilingual Brain; Neurolinguistics; Executive Control; Cross-Linguistic Connectivity; Language Education; Neuroplasticity

How to Cite

APA

Gazi Mohd Shakil Imtiaz Fahad (2026). Structure, Function, and Connectivity in The Multilingual Brain: A Systematic Review of Neurolinguistic Evidence and Implications for Language Education. British Journal of Advanced Research, 1(1). https://doi.org/Pending

MLA

Gazi Mohd Shakil Imtiaz Fahad. "Structure, Function, and Connectivity in The Multilingual Brain: A Systematic Review of Neurolinguistic Evidence and Implications for Language Education." British Journal of Advanced Research, vol. 1, no. 1, 2026. DOI: https://doi.org/Pending

Chicago

Gazi Mohd Shakil Imtiaz Fahad. "Structure, Function, and Connectivity in The Multilingual Brain: A Systematic Review of Neurolinguistic Evidence and Implications for Language Education." British Journal of Advanced Research 1, no. 1 (2026). https://doi.org/Pending

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Tracking ID BJAR_JUN_26_007
Article No. 003
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Article Info
Journal BJAR
Volume Vol 1, No 1
Year 2026
Type Original Research Article
Licence CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
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