Introduction
Nowadays, people have become more aware of the types of developmental differences and tend to spread such information. Among the developmental disabilities that used to be not well-recognized by the general public is autism, which is mainly characterized by relatively slower learning of language and cognitive skills and impulsivity. However, while this condition is being constantly studied, there is still a stigma surrounding autism, and upon analyzing research and first-person experiences, my personal understanding of the disability has been deepened in terms of social and linguistic aspects.
The first noteworthy statement that changed my personal perspective is the common perception of the condition. The social model of disability and understanding autism as an identity rather than a condition are becoming increasingly popular among autistic individuals (Prince, 2009). According to the neurodiversity paradigm developed by sociologist Judy Singer, who is autistic, in 1998, autism is only one of many regular variances in human neurology (Prince, 2009). According to Morenike, who was diagnosed with autism at 32, “Autism is simply a different way of thinking and seeing, and […] interacting with one’s world” (Iris, 2018, 0:54). Therefore, the whole approach to the issue of autistic language learning should change if autism is seen as a separate kind of identity as opposed to a disability or deficiency.
It is additionally worth mentioning that sociolinguistic techniques should be used to describe the distinctions between autistic and allistic (non-autistic) speech to define autistic communicative competence as the degree to which an individual successfully passes for neurotypical. The double empathy dilemma, however, has replaced this explanation in more recent research that has analyzed this theory (Prince, 2009). Instead of being a flaw on the part of the autistic person, communication issues between autistic and allistic persons are brought on by a shared poor understanding of the other person’s cognitive processes and cultural customs.
Language Syntax
When it comes to cognitive skills, my knowledge has been deepened by the research by Betts. The reason why people diagnosed with autism have difficulties understanding other people’s thoughts is that the perceptual and processing experiences of the two groups are dissimilar (Betts et al., 2022). Therefore, it is not because they are incapable of making accurate assumptions. Numerous experimental studies have shown that autistic people are adept at information sharing within their own social groups (Betts et al., 2022).
What changed my perception of the communication abilities of autistic individuals is that both allistic and autistic participants rated interpersonal rapport higher in matched neurotype interactions than in mixed-neurotype interactions, indicating that autistic people prefer the company of people who share their traits (Betts et al., 2022). Thus, linguistically, allistic people struggle to comprehend autistic people’s behavior.
As for other features that I personally was not aware of, these involve a poor understanding of literary devices. The comprehension issues in cross-cultural communication are caused by the listener’s language attitudes just as much as by the speaker’s linguistic ability (Betts et al., 2022). The affected individuals have pragmatic misunderstandings in terms of difficulties with metaphor, indirect requests, and irony. Therefore, the autistic deficits could instead be attributed to cross-cultural misunderstanding.
Neuro-Divergent Identities
It is probably no coincidence that the rise in autistic culture and visibility has coincided with the spread of orthographic messaging technology. Still, the fundamental tenet that written communication is not language is the foundation of both nativist and constructivist accounts of language acquisition (Betts et al., 2022). Allistic typists and people with autism and with apraxia who use augmentative and alternative communication exhibit comparable communication strategies.
The research by Heasman and Gillespie illustrated the neuro-divergent experiences in terms of language and behavior of people diagnosed with autism through video games. The results of Heasman and Gillespie (2019) were consistent with previous studies on the underappreciated capacity of autistic peer groups to be driven and capable of managing conversations with each other. The research showcased the necessity of contextual factors for autistic social interactions. For instance, withdrawing from each other and toward the screen avoids the difficulties in face-to-face interaction that many autistic individuals encounter (Heasman & Gillespie, 2019).
In this case, people who are diagnosed with autism tend to avoid eye contact when interacting with others. However, it was found that the engaging and motivating features of computer games can raise influence levels, and frequent play can increase learning and provide context for more open communication. As a result, this was an addition to my understanding of the communication of people with this condition. They do not always find direct communication uncomfortable but instead need an impetus and common interests.
However, given that many holistic neurocognitive theories of autism, such as monotropism, improved perceptual functioning, hyperreactivity, and hyperconnectivity, have direct relevance to conventional neurolinguistic understandings of language acquisition, this theory merits further investigation. As autism activist Sandy Yim speculates, real-time written interaction may give autistics a chance to process language in serial rather than in parallel, lessening the cognitive load if the real-time language requires simultaneous parsing, interpretation, and response formulation (Betts et al., 2022).
Finally, neurodivergent features of people diagnosed with autism have been mentioned by an autistic activist Martijn Dekker who once said that for many autistic people, the internet is similar to sign language for the deaf (Grant & Kara, 2021). Nonspeaking autistic people like author Amy Sequenzia and activist Mel Baggs have shown that language ability need not be compromised simply because one cannot speak aloud (Grant & Kara, 2021). Therefore, what deepened my knowledge about people with autism is that they not only have different patterns of thinking but sometimes find the Internet as their safe space.
Facilitations and Bilingualism
As of now, not all children with autism have access to or opportunities in terms of exclusive education and curriculum based on individual needs. Respect for the right of children with disabilities to preserve their identities and recognition of particular cultural and linguistic identities are two rights for children highlighted in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Grant & Kara, 2021). However, the specifically-established curriculum can have a positive influence on children, especially if languages are involved. Evidence suggests bilingualism may be advantageous for kids with and without autism (Grant & Kara, 2021). The benefits of bilingualism for non-autistic children in terms of sociocultural aspects, such as family ties and well-being, are increasingly highlighted by the research (Grant & Kara, 2021). There is also a chance that children raised by monolingual parents may need to form strong relationships with their relatives or take part in cultural activities.
I have learned that children with autism might gain from the solid familial and cultural ties that their common language allows. Access to the home language can be a source of positive self-esteem for autistic children, who already face higher levels of adversity in terms of well-being and social exclusion (Grant & Kara, 2021). As a result, limiting this access could make the situation worse. This may be especially important for autistic people from low socioeconomic status groups or racial minorities, who may benefit from immersion in the native tongue (Grant & Kara, 2021).
Although bilingualism has not been linked to any adverse outcomes, many parents are still concerned that it could harm their autistic child’s development. Furthemore, clinical and educational professionals frequently advise parents to raise their children monolingually, upholding the now-debunked theory that bilingualism could lead to additional confusion or language delay.
Parents who use the majority language at home but have a different native language (such as immigrant families) can raise particular issues in monolingual countries. Non-fluent speakers of the majority language, in contrast to fluent speakers, report difficulty and discomfort in communicating with their children and worry about teaching them the “wrong” way to speak the language, which can result in less communication with their children. In a US-based study, parent-child interactions and the child’s participation in family conversations declined among immigrant parents of autistic children who only spoke English at home (Cole, 2021).
Given the link between one’s native language and emotional processing, parents may feel more emotionally able to connect with their children when they speak their native tongue. Speaking a non-native language may reduce the emotional value of parent-child communication. When parents speak their native tongue, they feel less confined and more connected to their autistic child (Cole, 2021). The decision to monolingualism can be detrimental to the child’s sense of identity, belonging, and access to cultural heritage.
Educational Solutions
A greater linguistic and cultural diversity among educators could help children with autism better understand the experiences and needs of their bilingual autistic students. Monolingual educators, particularly those in monolingual environments, may need to pay more attention to the link between bilingualism, identity, and inclusion (Cole, 2021). Incorporating specialized training would aid in dispelling some of the assumptions made by instructors, who frequently have no experience working with multilingual autistic students. For educators to make educated suggestions, information must be available (Cole, 2021). The current approach, which emphasizes the child’s language skills and autistic profile, ignores the child’s receptive language abilities.
Previously, I thought that students with autism had major difficulties in terms of educational development. However, while children may encounter early language challenges, they frequently grow to fluency, according to teachers who have assisted bilingual autistic students over the years (Cole, 2021). Therefore, decisions should be made in a way that allows the kid to develop as a bilingual child if they desire to do so, but also taking into account the student’s talents and profile (Cole, 2021). Since it can be difficult to gauge these students’ needs and development, creating appropriate tools should be a top focus in education.
Conclusion
To sum up, Although autism is a disorder that is continually being researched, there is still a stigma attached to it. After studying research and first-hand accounts, my awareness of the condition has grown, particularly in terms of linguistic and social components. I found that eliminating negative behaviors may leave children unable to self-regulate, express strong emotions, or escape unpleasant events. Atypical developmental processes are advantageous to that person’s intrinsic developmental trajectory; examples include echolalia and hyperlexia as alternative routes into functional spoken language.
Additionally, there is growing evidence that various developmental routes can result in the same outcome. Focusing on reducing the behaviors that constitute an autism diagnosis ignores that these behaviors result from much underlying neurobiology, and interfering with them may compromise a child’s standard coping mechanisms and growth. Therefore, early treatments should support the child’s natural learning process and developmental trajectory rather than working against them.
References
Betts, K., Creechan, L., Cawkwell, R., Finn‐Kelcey, I., Griffin, C. J., Hagopian, A., Hartley, D., Manalili, M. A., Murkumbi, I., O’Donoghue, S., Shanahan, C., Stenning, A., & Zisk, A. H. (2022). Neurodiversity, networks, and narratives: Exploring intimacy and expressive freedom in the time of Covid‐19. Social Inclusion, 11(1). Web.
Cole, K. L. (2021). Neuroqueering interpersonal communication theory: Listening to autistic object-orientations. Review of Communication, 21(3), 187–205. Web.
Grant, A., & Kara, H. (2021). Considering the autistic advantage in qualitative research: The strengths of autistic researchers. Contemporary Social Science, 16(5), 589–603. Web.
Heasman, B., & Gillespie, A. (2019). Neurodivergent intersubjectivity: Distinctive features of how autistic people create shared understanding. Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice, 23(4), 910–921. Web.
Iris. (2018). What women with autism want you to know [Video]. YouTube. Web.
Prince, D. (2009). The silence between: An autoethnographic examination of the language prejudice and its impact on the assessment of autistic and Animal Intelligence. Disability Studies Quarterly, 30(1). Web.