Sher David Ariel, Sher Nicole Wendy, Gibson Jenny L, Sher Hannah Ella
University of Oxford, UK.
University of Cambridge, UK.
Autism. 2025 Nov;29(11):2756-2773. doi: 10.1177/13623613251367244. Epub 2025 Sep 15.
Over half the world's population are bilingual. Despite this, practitioners often advise parents of autistic children to teach their child one dominant national language and limit their child's exposure to community languages. Limited research with autistic children's carers has shown that this monolingual approach impoverishes children's experiences in communal, familial, religious, and social contexts. There is very little research on this topic from the first-person perspectives of autistic children themselves. There is no research exploring the perspectives of Hebrew-English bilingual autistic children. This study aimed to explore the perspectives and experiences of autistic children on Hebrew-English bilingualism. In accord with the interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) methodological framework, semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore the experiences of 13 Hebrew-English bilingual autistic children. The IPA clustering process resulted in two overarching group experiential themes (GETs). The first GET was 'Bilingualism aids religious, educational, and social integration and connection'. The second GET was 'Preference of bilingualism and dislike of monolingual approach'. Recommendations include training for practitioners regarding potential positive outcomes of bilingualism, alongside the way their advice to adopt a monolingual approach impacts upon autistic children. We also argue the importance of autistic children's views being considered whenever bilingual decision-making is made.Lay abstractOver half the world's population speak two or more languages. Despite this, practitioners often advise parents of autistic children to teach their child one main national language and not expose their child to additional community languages. Limited research with autistic children's carers has shown that this approach negatively impacts autistic children's communal, family, religious, and social experiences. There is very little research on this topic from the first-hand perspectives of autistic children themselves. There is no research exploring the perspectives of autistic children who speak both Hebrew and English. This study aimed to explore the views of autistic children who have ability in the Hebrew and English languages. Using the interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) research approach, we conducted interviews to explore the experiences of 13 autistic children who have ability in both the Hebrew and English languages. The research resulted in two overarching themes. The first theme was 'Bilingualism aids religious, educational, and social integration and connection'. The second theme was 'Preference of bilingualism, and dislike of monolingual approach'. Our recommendations include training practitioners to be more aware of the way the advice they give for autistic children to only learn one language can negatively impact autistic children. We also argue that whenever decision-making about an autistic child learning two or more languages is made, autistic children's views should be considered.
世界上超过一半的人口具备双语能力。尽管如此，从业者们常常建议自闭症儿童的家长教孩子一门主要的国家语言，并限制孩子接触其他社区语言。针对自闭症儿童照料者的有限研究表明，这种单语教学法会使孩子们在社区、家庭、宗教和社会环境中的体验变得匮乏。从自闭症儿童自身的第一人称视角对这一主题进行的研究非常少。目前尚无研究探讨希伯来语 - 英语双语自闭症儿童的观点。本研究旨在探究自闭症儿童对希伯来语 - 英语双语的观点和体验。依据解释现象学分析（IPA）方法框架，我们进行了半结构化访谈，以探究13名希伯来语 - 英语双语自闭症儿童的体验。IPA聚类过程产生了两个总体的群体体验主题（GETs）。第一个GET是“双语有助于宗教、教育和社会融合与联系”。第二个GET是“对双语的偏好以及对单语教学法的反感”。建议包括对从业者进行培训，使其了解双语可能带来的积极成果，以及他们建议采用单语教学法对自闭症儿童产生的影响。我们还强调，在做出与双语相关的决策时，考虑自闭症儿童观点的重要性。
世界上超过一半的人口会说两种或更多语言。尽管如此，从业者们常常建议自闭症儿童的家长教孩子一门主要的国家语言，而不让孩子接触其他社区语言。针对自闭症儿童照料者的有限研究表明，这种方法会对自闭症儿童的社区、家庭、宗教和社会体验产生负面影响。从自闭症儿童自身的第一手视角对这一主题进行的研究非常少。目前尚无研究探讨会说希伯来语和英语的自闭症儿童的观点。本研究旨在探究具备希伯来语和英语能力的自闭症儿童的观点。我们采用解释现象学分析（IPA）研究方法，通过访谈来探究13名具备希伯来语和英语能力的自闭症儿童的体验。研究得出了两个总体主题。第一个主题是“双语有助于宗教、教育和社会融合与联系”。第二个主题是“对双语的偏好以及对单语教学法的反感”。我们的建议包括培训从业者，使其更清楚他们建议自闭症儿童只学一门语言的方式可能会对自闭症儿童产生负面影响。我们还主张，在做出关于自闭症儿童学习两种或更多语言的决策时，应该考虑自闭症儿童的观点。
