European International Journal of Pedagogics
151
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TYPE
Original Research
PAGE NO.
151-153
DOI
3
OPEN ACCESS
SUBMITED
15 March 2025
ACCEPTED
11 April 2025
PUBLISHED
13 May 2025
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue05 2025
COPYRIGHT
© 2025 Original content from this work may be used under the terms
of the creative commons attributes 4.0 License.
The Benefits of a Bilingual
Environment on The
Psycho-Speech
Development of Children
With ASD
Yulia Popova
Lecturer of the Department of Speech Therapy at Nizami State
Pedagogical University, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Abstract:
The article discusses the influence of the
bilingual
environment
on
the
psycho-speech
development of children with ASD. It also addresses the
inclusion of these children into a bilingual environment
to enhance their communication and speech skills. The
research conducted within the article shows that
children with ASD raised in a bilingual environment
demonstrate a "bilingual advantage," which manifests
in improved executive functions of brain activity.
Keywords:
Bilingualism,
bilingual,
monolingual,
children's bilingualism, autism spectrum disorder,
bilingual advantage, bilingual environment, cognitive
functions, communication skills.
Introduction:
Early childhood autism (ASD) is a
complex disorder of mental development, which is
manifested by significant difficulties in the field of social
interaction and communication [5].
According to a number of researchers (E. R. Baenskaya,
M. M. Liebling, O. S. Nikolskaya, U. Frith, L. Wing, and
others), one of the key factors limiting the adaptation
and successful development of children with ASD is the
underdevelopment of the psycho-speech sphere [2].
The speech development of such children may deviate
from the age norm both in quantitative terms (speech
delay, limited vocabulary, low speech activity) and in
qualitative terms (echolalia, grammatical disorder,
difficulties in using speech for communication).
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European International Journal of Pedagogics
A study by scientists from the University of Geneva
(Switzerland), the University of Thessaly (Greece) and
the University of Cambridge (Great Britain) has shown
that bilingualism partially compensates for the deficit
of the model of mental and executive function in
autistic children. This is reported in a press release
from the University of Geneva.
Over the past ten years, researchers have been
studying the development of autistic children in a
bilingual environment. They found that contact with
two languages does not hinder the speech
development of children on the autism spectrum.The
researchers observed the speech development of
bilingual verbal children with autism and compared it
with the development of children who had contact
with only one language. Research results have shown
that children who come into contact with two
languages master speech skills no worse than children
who come into contact with only one language.
So far, we have no research on the impact of a bilingual
environment on children who do not use spoken
language to communicate. However, we know that
bilingualism does not harm the development of verbal
children on the autism spectrum.
Research shows that children with ASD often do not
have a natural need for communication, which is
expressed in avoiding contact, lack of dialogue, limited
expression of emotions, difficulties in understanding
other people's experiences and cognitive disharmony
[1]. The speech symptoms in this group of children vary
in severity and nature, which makes it difficult for them
to integrate into the social environment.
In today's multicultural society, more and more
families use two or more languages in everyday
communication, forming a bilingual environment.
Children with ASD growing up in such conditions are an
increasingly common social phenomenon. Previously,
it was assumed that bilingualism could negatively
affect speech development in children with ASD. In this
regard, many families were inclined to abandon one of
the languages, believing that this would simplify the
communicative development of the child. However,
the results of modern research do not confirm the link
between bilingualism and the deterioration of speech
abilities in children with ASD [3].
International experience confirms that if a child is able
to master one language, he has a similar opportunity
to master two. Modern research shows that children
with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are able to learn
two languages no less successfully than their
monolingual peers. A number of studies have not
revealed differences in language skills, including
vocabulary and stages of early language development,
between children with ASD who speak one and two
languages.
Moreover, the use of the native language in the home
environment provides the child with more diverse
speech patterns, which contributes to a better
assimilation of the language of the surrounding society
[6].
Some studies have documented improvements in
cognitive and executive functions in bilingual children
with ASD compared to monolingual peers. In particular,
bilingualism can mitigate typical delays in speech and
cognitive development.
For example, an analysis conducted at McGill University
(Canada) showed that bilingual children with ASD switch
between tasks faster, demonstrating the so-called
"bilingual advantage"
—
improved planning skills, focus
of attention and flexibility of thinking. The parents of
such children also noted a great ease in the transition
between actions in everyday life.
The results of research conducted at the University of
Geneva (Switzerland), the University of Thessaly
(Greece) and the University of Cambridge (Great Britain)
confirm that bilingualism partially compensates for the
deficit in the development of the "mental model"
—
the
ability to understand the intentions and emotions of
other people, and also strengthens executive functions.
Bilingual children with ASD showed significantly higher
results in tasks that included assessments of thinking
flexibility, planning ability, and understanding of other
people's mental states.
Scientists emphasize that the need to constantly take
into account the linguistic context and the interlocutor
contributes to the training of skills important for
overcoming communicative and cognitive difficulties.
These data confirm that bilingualism can play a positive
role in the cognitive and speech development of
children with ASD, contributing to their adaptation and
social integration.
The conclusions of scientific research in this area are
unequivocal: There is no reason to deprive a child with
ASD of the opportunity to communicate in several
languages, as this leads to a limitation of his
communicative spheres and an increased lack of
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European International Journal of Pedagogics
interaction. Scientists emphasize that children with
ASD are able to master two languages, despite the
peculiarities
of
their
psychophysiological
development.
Moreover,
such
children
can
demonstrate comparable success in both bilingual and
monolingual educational environments.
Maintaining bilingualism in the family helps not only to
expand the child's communication skills, but also to
strengthen his ethnic and cultural identity. This, in
turn, creates additional conditions for social
interaction both in the home environment and outside
it
—
with relatives, representatives of the native ethnic
group and society as a whole [4].
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