One incorrect assumption is that bilingualism leads to language communication disorders (e.g. language delay).  Research does not attribute such disorders to bilingualism.  Rather, such beliefs derive from prejudice and ignorance of linguistic and cognitive research. The communicative differences of bilingual children must be distinguished from communicative disabilities. This is where many kids are often treated differently or even rejected from schools for not being able to speak at the same level as other kids, in this case a special education lawyer could be contacted for legal help.  The failure to make this important distinction partly occurs because basic mistakes in assessment and categorization are sometimes made.

A bilingual child is often assessed in their weaker, second language.  Hence, both language development and general cognitive development are measured inaccurately.  For example, in the US and the UK, immigrant children are sometimes assessed through the medium of English and on their English proficiency.  Their level of language competence in Spanish, Vietnamese, Hmong, Korean, Cantonese, Turkish, Talagog, Bengali or Panjabi, for example, is ignored.

The result is that such children can be classed as having a ‘language disability’ and perhaps a ‘learning disability’.  Instead of being seen as developing bilinguals (i.e. children with a good command of their first language who are in the process of acquiring a second, majority language), they may be classed as of ‘limited English proficiency’ (LEP in the US), or even as having general difficulties with learning.  Their below-average test scores in the second language (e.g. English) are wrongly defined as a ‘deficit’ or ‘disability’ that can be remedied by some form of special education.