Are you raising a child with a disability bilingual? Whether your child has Down Syndrome or autistic, has a fluency disorder, or any other genetic condition, he can become bilingual.
This was the topic of conversation last week in my special IG Live with a bilingual speech-language pathologist and bilingual mom, advocate, or raising bilingual children, Liliana Vazquez.
Liliana and I discuss bilingualism among children with disabilities and offer her perspective as it relates to language development and fluency. Is it any different than it is for children with no disabilities? Not really. Every child has his own strengths and language development, and fluency varies whether a child has a disability, or he doesn’t. Communication difficulties, code-switching, and word counts, all can progress pretty much at the same rate, regardless.
I invite you to watch our IGTV
A bilingual speech-language pathologist in the Chicago public school district, Liliana provides speech/language therapy in both English and Spanish to mostly Latino families. 70% of her students are Latinx. “I always encourage families to continue using language as a tool to help their kids connect with the culture. A disability shouldn’t stop parents from wanting their children to be bilingual.”
Tips for parents raising bilingual children with a disability:
- Know the facts – Become knowledgeable about the myths, and when to be concerned about a language delay.
Two studies to read: Bilingualism and Children With Down Syndrome By Elizabeth Kay-Raining Bird and Communicative Development in Bilingually Exposed Chinese Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders by Rachel Reetzke,a,b Xiaobing Zou,c Li Sheng,a and Napoleon Katsosb - Find resources- educators that can provide you with additional support or resources about bilingualism.
- Find a parent support group- Find your village. There are FB groups for parents raising bilingual children with Down Syndrome, Autistic groups, etc. They can offer support and information. And stay motivated and inspired!
- Befriend the school district’s speech pathologist. They can be your ally!
- Accept the challenge. It is a process. It will be worth it!
- With ALL children– talk to them about bilingualism. Share why it is important that your child learn the heritage language. Share the benefits.
Let’s celebrate Disability Pride every month of the year and teach ALL children to take pride, accept and love who we are including our disabilities.
Follow Liliana on Instagram @bilingualspeechie and visit her website for more bilingual resources.
