Literacy instruction for autistic children who live in cultures where the primary languages are not English
Many autistic children across the globe speak languages other than English. However, much of the research about teaching autistic children to read and write is derived from studies including people who speak English and no other languages. An interesting article in the journal Autism reviews the research on teaching autistic children to read and write in languages other than English. According to the authors, they did this because the world’s languages, and the ways they are represented in written form, vary greatly. A broader overview that encompasses languages other than English can help us better understand how learning to read and write can be supported for autistic children around the world. The studies included in their review highlight some potential differences in effective literacy teaching for autistic children learning to read and write using different writing systems. The studies they reviewed tended to include relatively small samples of autistic children, among other limitations. I hope that their review will increase awareness and research efforts in the area of autism and global literacy.
Citation: Bailey, B., & Arciuli, J. (2022). Literacy instruction for autistic children who speak languages other than English. Autism : the international journal of research and practice, 26(2), 389–405. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613211025422
Find the full article behind a paywall here.
Keywords: ASD; autism; autism spectrum disorder; languages other than English; literacy.