Session Information
04 SES 01 A, Billingualism and Inclusion
Paper Session
Time:
2009-09-28
09:15-10:45
Room:
NIG, HS A
Chair:
Inger Assarson
Contribution
This paper will highlight and discuss bilingualism and cultural diversity concerning children with autism spectrum diagnosis and in relation to aspects of inclusive education.
Several investigations carried out during the latter part of the 1990´s revealed an increase in the number of multilingual children in Sweden diagnosed within the autism spectrum (Tideman, 2000). To which extent are language problems confused with learning problems and how do schools and teachers assess abilities and needs when dealing with pupils with different cultural background? Whether this is due to factors that can be related to linguistic or cultural aspects or to factors related to disabilities, or, some connection between the two, has so far been rarely problematized.
Wilder, Taylor, Obiakor och Algozzine (2004) argue that students with multicultural backgrounds and autism are challenged on three dimensions – communication, exceptionality, and culture. The first two often seem to be addressed in the literature, while multicultural perspectives are not (ibid. p.111).
According to Toppelberg, Snow och Tager-Flusberg (1999) a high quality of language instruction, in the mother tongue as well as in the second language, is crucial for developing a functional language for children diagnosed within the Autism spectrum. More studies concerning school situations and learning and cooperation between professionals (teachers, psychologists, medical experts, speech therapists etc) meeting these children frequently are suggested for (ibid.). Instructions have to be done in relation to children’s social and cultural background as well as mother tongue and second language (Cummins, 1996; Thomas & Collier, 2002) and especially the opportunity to learn in both languages in several school subjects is stressed (Gibbons, 2002).
The project Immigrant pupils with Special Educational Needs: Cultural Diversity and Special Needs Education, focused on how to respond to the special educational needs of pupils coming from different cultures, often using a different language than the one used in the host country. Language problems seem to be confused with learning or behaviour problems; how to assess abilities and needs when dealing with pupils with an immigrant background; how better to support teachers and families (European Agency, 2009, in press).
According to interviews with Swedish parents, teachers, speech pathologists and administrators multilingual children with Asperger´s Syndrome or high-functional autism are not offered either instruction in their mother tongue or study guidance to a significant degree, despite the fact that they are entitled to such according to the law (Andersson, 2007; Andersson & Jansson, 2007).
Method
Teachers working with multilingual children diagnosed within the autism spectrum were invited to a participatory action research study, a research circle (cf. Reason and Bradbury, 2001; Härnsten & Holmstrand, 2003). A research circle can be described as an arena where researchers and practitioners use knowledge and competence to jointly tackle a problem of mutual interest. In this study: how could researchers and teachers develop knowledge and understanding within the area of multiculturalism and autism.
This research circle, consisting of seven teachers and a researcher, had twelve meetings and was carried out during a period of 16 months. Experiences were discussed in continuing dialogues and in on-going processes with time for reflection between meetings. New perspectives shedded light on the same questions but in a different ways than at earlier stages. In the final meeting transcribed dialogues were analysed together by all participants.
Expected Outcomes
The results show that mother tongue instruction and study-guidance issues were not discussed in several schools. Other schools revealed an attitude of doubtfulness as to whether mother tongue instruction and study guidance played a significant role for children with autism-spectrum problems and in particular for non-articulate children. The participants emphasized the fact that once a child is diagnosed within the autism spectrum the diagnosis “takes over”: “Once you put your autism glasses on, then that is what counts”.
The outcome of the research circle gives reason to envisage a risk scenario that can result if a child, of foreign background and faced with several languages to handle, is diagnosed with autism before her/his grasp of Swedish is adequate and before adequate skills are acquired.
Challenging each others experiences turned out to make invisible issues visible.
References
Andersson, F (2007). Challenging experiences. Stockholm Institute of Education/ Stockholm University. Andersson, F. & Jansson, A. (2007) Flerspråkig eller felspråkig. Lärarhögskolan i Stockholm. Cummins,J. ( 1996) Gibbons, P. (2002). Reason, P. & Bradbury, H. (Eds.) (2001). Handbook of Action Research. Participatory Inquiry and Practice. London: SAGE Publications.Wilder, Taylor, Obiakor och Algozzine (2004). Thomas & Collier (2002) Tideman, (2000). Toppelberg, Snow och Tager-Flusberg (1999)
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