Wellbeing and Inclusion Support Hub (WISH)
April was Autism Awareness Month! This occasion is marked to acknowledge the strengths, achievements and uniqueness of people on the Autism spectrum. This year’s theme was all about learning and growing together as one community.
At Robertson State School, we have a number of children who have a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), each bringing a range of unique strengths and characteristics to each and every classroom.
Further Support for ASD
If your child has a diagnosis and you are looking for further support, Autism Queensland is just one of the many providers offering a range of support services for children and their families. Workshops and webinars are run regularly to help support children and adults with autism.
Sessions are:
- Based on evidence-informed practice
- Strengths focussed
- Informed by respectful language and approaches
- Provide a safe space
- Co-designed with autistic individuals.
Some of our teachers at Pallara SS have attended these sessions and have returned to school equipped with ready-to-use, inclusive and supportive practices for their classrooms. You can sign up to their Newsletter via their website.
For more information, check out: www.autismqld.com.au
Another helpful source is: www.autismawareness.com.au
Happy Autism Awareness Month!
Amanda Slinger
HOSES
Speech Language News
Multilingual Communication Development
Any child who regularly hears more than one language is considered a multilingual communicator. This article will explore how multilingual communication develops and answers some common questions around multilingual communication.
Take a moment to think about your child/ children:
- Does your child regularly hear a language that is different from what you speak with them?
- Do the adults, siblings or parents in your home speak a different language than the adults at your child’s school?
- Do family members or friends who visit or call speak a different language with your child?
- Does your child hear more than one language, even if you only speak to them in English?
- Is your child exposed to other forms of communication, like sign language or communication devices?
If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, your child or children are likely to be a multilingual communicator!
Research shows that a child only needs 10-25% exposure to a language to start learning it – even if they don’t actively speak the language or you’re not deliberately teaching it. Simply being around different languages is enough for a child to begin learning.
This can happen at home, kindergarten, in shopping centers, parks, or other places your child regularly visits.
What Does Multilingual Communication Development Look Like?
Children learning multiple languages develop their skills a bit differently than those learning just one. How well a child speaks and understands a language depends on how much they hear the language and how much they get to practice it.
Research suggests that the more a child is exposed to a language, the better they become at understanding and speaking it. It doesn’t matter how perfectly the adults or other children around them speak the language and the most important thing is how much the child is hearing it. So, continue talking to the child in all of your languages!
Types of Multilingual Development:
There are two main ways multilingual communication develops:
- Learning all languages from birth: For example, both parents speak English and Mandarin to their baby from birth.
- Learning a second or third language later: For example, a child who hears Punjabi at home and then starts hearing English at age 3 when they enter an English-speaking daycare.
Children who have been learning multiple languages since birth often pick up new words faster. Both types of multilingual children may show errors with grammar and sentence structure. They might also mix words, grammar, and sentence structures from different languages – a process called 'code-switching.' This is not a sign of confusion; it’s actually a positive sign that the child is progressing in their language development!
With regular exposure and chances to practice, multilingual children will develop their language skills to make friends, learn at school, and communicate effectively. If a child is struggling with one language, it may simply mean they need more exposure and practice. If they are having difficulty with all languages, seeking support from a Speech-Language Pathologist may be necessary.
Supporting Multilingual Communication Development:
Children learn languages best through fun, meaningful interactions. For multilingual children, the same principle applies!
To help multilingual children thrive:
- Keep talking to them in all their languages.
- Play with them and encourage interaction with other children using those languages.
- Use plenty of words and sentences without pressuring them to respond.
- Keep your language simple and repetitive, giving the child many chances to respond in their own way, whether through words, gestures, or other forms of communication.
Warm regards and until next time,
Morgan Johnson
Speech-Language Pathologist
Robertson State School (Wednesdays & Thursdays)
