How do parents scaffold their autistic children's bilingual language interactions in everyday settings?

Abstract

This study examines how multilingual caregivers use their linguistic resources to support their autistic children's language development, challenging historical narratives recommending therapists use only one language, English. Using a critical language socialization framework in which multilingualism is considered a practice that transcends linguistic competence, we analyzed 108 videos from five Spanish-dominant, Mexican heritage families. Findings showed that (1) families flexibly used their linguistic resources in daily interactions; (2) home activity settings predicted language use in distinct ways, transportation activities provided fewer constraints for interlocutors to use decontextualized language, language for abstract reasoning and prediction; and (3) variability in maternal scaffolding strategies influenced children's decontextualized language. We recommend the implementation of asset-based interventions designed to leverage the strengths of multilingual autistic children and their families.Lay AbstractMexican heritage bilingual mothers of autistic children use a variety of language practices when talking with their children. We asked mothers to video record their language interactions with their autistic child over 10 days. Specifically, we analyzed the verbal language practices parents and children used during daily routine activities (e.g. meals). Historically, therapists have recommended that multilingual families only use English when talking with their autistic children, so as not to confuse them and interfere with their development. It is important to understand how multilingual parents use this non-empirical advice. In our sample, we found that mothers used a variety of language strategies including Spanish, English, describing and labeling their environment, action directions (directing a child to perform an action), close-ended questions (e.g. what color is this?), open-ended questions (e.g. How does the radio work?), and abstract reasoning to interact with their children. These strategies varied across activity settings. In particular, transportation was an important setting for children to use abstract language. Mothers' verbal strategies influenced children's language output, including children's use of abstract reasoning and prediction, one of the most complex language strategies.