“The Languages That You Know Draw the Boundary of Your World”: A Thematic Analysis of the Experiences of Autistic Bilingual Adults Living in the United Kingdom

Digard, Bérengère Galadriel; Davis, Rachael; Stanfield, Andrew C.; Sorace, Antonella; Fletcher‐Watson, Sue

doi:10.1089/aut.2021.0077

Cited by 10 publications

(4 citation statements)

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“…The issue is particularly pertinent because family language decisions can be the source of much parental stress and anxiety (Sevinç 2022), even though bilingualism may positively influence children's well-being (Müller et al 2020). Indeed, for those who choose to raise their autistic child in a multilingual environment, benefits may include enriched relationships with family and community members (Digard et al 2023;Yu 2016), participation in religious and cultural life (Howard et al 2019a;Jegatheesan 2011;Sher et al 2022), and, in adulthood, more social and vocational opportunities (Digard et al 2022). Recent research also suggests that language learning is a particular passion or strength for some autistic adults (Caldwell-Harris 2022).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring Different Stakeholder Perspectives on Bilingualism in Autism

Howard,

Gibson,

Katsos

2024

Languages

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An increasing body of research suggests that bilingualism is possible and perhaps even advantageous for autistic individuals. However, several factors might influence parents’ decisions about raising their autistic child bilingually, including national language policies, educational contexts, advice received from key professionals, and the child’s individual strengths and needs. Accordingly, there is a clear imperative to understand how the views of different stakeholders converge and diverge when language decisions are made in the context of autism. This paper brings new insights by synthesising the findings of three qualitative studies that used interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to explore the perspectives and experiences of bilingual autistic children (n = 11), parents (n = 16), and educational practitioners (n = 13) of bilingualism in autism in England and Wales. Despite wide variation between and within groups, a striking tension emerged between individuals’ beliefs about bilingualism in general, which were positive, and their experiences of bilingualism in autism specifically, which often foregrounded more monolingual approaches. This paper examines this tension, with a particular focus on stakeholders’ attitudes towards the feasibility of bilingualism, families’ language choices in the context of autism, and how notions of contextual linguistic diversity accentuated differences between England and Wales. We conclude by arguing that greater awareness of both bilingualism and neurodiversity in educational and clinical settings may improve the experiences of bilingual autistic children and, crucially, the language advice families receive.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring Different Stakeholder Perspectives on Bilingualism in Autism

Howard,

Gibson,

Katsos

2024

Languages

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“…In addition, parents of children on the autism spectrum have frequently reported receiving advice from practitioners to prioritize one language in their interactions with their child (Fernandez y Garcia et al, 2012;Kremer-Sadlik, 2005). Studies that gathered data from multilingual autistic adults found that they often reflected positively on their multilingualism and the impact on their lives (e.g., Digard et al, 2022).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Teacher wellbeing and retention: The impact of rapidly transforming learning and teaching with digital technologies

2024

Education and New Developments 2024 – Volume 2

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This book contains the full text of papers and posters presented at the International Conference on Education and New Developments (END 2024), organized by the World Institute for Advanced Research and Science (WIARS).Education is a fundamental right that accompanies us from the very beginning of our lives. It encompasses every experience we encounter, influencing and shaping our thoughts, emotions, and actions. Whether we engage in formal education within classrooms or learn from the world around us, the process of acquiring knowledge plays a vital role in our personal growth and development. It equips us with the tools to navigate the complexities of life, broadens our perspectives, and empowers us to make informed decisions. This International Conference seeks to provide some answers and explore the processes, actions, challenges and outcomes of learning, teaching and human development. Our goal is to offer a worldwide connection between teachers, students, researchers and lecturers, from a wide range of academic fields, interested in exploring and giving their contribution in educational issues.We have brought together a diverse group of individuals with various backgrounds to contribute their unique perspectives and knowledge on Education. By including people from different nationalities and cultures, we aim to create a rich plethora of experiences that can broaden our understanding of human nature and behavior. The exchange of ideas and experiences among our participants helps to cultivate personal and academic development, providing a platform for the exploration of new insights and discoveries.END 2024 received 729 submissions, from more than 50 different countries, reviewed by a double-blind process. Submissions were prepared to take form of Oral Presentations, Posters, Virtual Presentations and Workshops. The conference accepted for presentation 284 submissions (39% acceptance rate).

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“…Research also suggests some tentative positive effects on cognition including facets of executive function skills [e.g., (11)(12)(13)] and crucially, in lived experiences. Specifically, parents describe increased familial connections and closeness when they are able to express themselves in their first language [e.g., (3,14)] and autistic bilingual adults have expressed the benefits of bilingualism on domains such as widening access to work and social opportunities, social interactions, and self-understanding (15,16).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Raising bilingual autistic children in the UK: at the intersection between neurological and language diversity

Digard,

Johnson,

Kašćelan

et al. 2023

Front. Psychiatry

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IntroductionWhile research shows no negative effects of bilingualism on autistic children’s development, due to misconceptions around both autism and bilingualism, bilingual parents and educational/clinical practitioners who advise them often express unfounded concerns that exposing autistic children to more than one language will cause confusion and developmental delays. To understand the reasons that drive these misconceptions, this study focuses on: identifying factors that impact family decisions about (not) raising autistic children bilingually; attitudes toward bilingualism expressed by the community, doctors, family members, and teachers; sources of information about bilingualism and autism available to families.MethodsThrough a mixed-method online survey, we explored these questions in 31 UK-based bilingual families with 34 autistic children (age M = 10.6 years; SD = 7.1).ResultsThe families reported choosing bilingualism for their autistic child primarily so that the child can communicate with family and community members. Attitudes toward bilingualism in their networks were predominantly positive, with a large portion of individuals not having opinions possibly due to lack of information. Only about 1/3 of parents had access to information on bilingualism and autism, mostly found on the internet.DiscussionWe discuss these findings and offer future directions for research, practice, and battling stigmas around bilingualism and autism.

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“The Languages That You Know Draw the Boundary of Your World”: A Thematic Analysis of the Experiences of Autistic Bilingual Adults Living in the United Kingdom

Abstract: S. (2022). "The languages that you know draw the boundary of your world": A thematic analysis of the experiences of autistic bilingual adults living in the UK. Autism in Adulthood.

Cited by 10 publications

References 47 publications

Exploring Different Stakeholder Perspectives on Bilingualism in Autism

Exploring Different Stakeholder Perspectives on Bilingualism in Autism

Teacher wellbeing and retention: The impact of rapidly transforming learning and teaching with digital technologies

Raising bilingual autistic children in the UK: at the intersection between neurological and language diversity

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