Home-Based Naturalistic Language Strategies for Young Multilingual Children With Autism

Abstract

It is important for practitioners supporting multilingual homes to model language development strategies for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Long-held views recommend children with ASD struggling with communication skills in multilingual homes learn solely in the region's dominant language. However, current research shows that language acquisition in the home language benefits the child. Ignoring the home language diminishes its value and utilization in the child's language development, creating a disconnect between these individuals and the family and community. This article describes how practitioners can implement and model three research-based strategies for parents or caregivers, building on each other or used in isolation, to use in a natural environment, through examples in a Spanish-speaking household: (a) joint attention, (b) parallel talk, and (c) modeling and expanding.