Multilingual Perspectives on Child Language Disorders

Edited by Janet L. Patterson, Barbara L. Rodríguez

Publication date:

05 January 2016

Publisher

Multilingual Matters

Dimensions:

234x156mm
6x9"

ISBN-13: 9781783094721

This book investigates language disorders in children who speak languages other than, or in addition to, English. The chapters in the first section of the volume focus on language disorders associated with four different syndromes in multilingual populations and contexts. This section discusses language disorders associated with autism spectrum disorders, Down syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome and Williams syndrome. The chapters in the second section of the book relate to language impairment in children who speak diverse languages, although the issues they address are relevant across languages and cultural contexts. The book also reviews assessment procedures and intervention approaches for diverse languages, including Bengali, Cantonese, French, Spanish, and Turkish. The volume aims to stimulate thoughtful clinical practice and further research in language disorders in multilingual populations.

Contributors

Acknowledgments

1. Janet L. Patterson: Child Language Disorders Across Languages, Cultural Contexts, and Syndromes

Section 1 Language Disorders in Specific Clinical Populations

2. Stefka H. Marinova-Todd and Pat Mirenda: Language and Communication Abilities of Bilingual Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

3. Elizabeth Kay-Raining Bird: Bilingualism and Children with Down Syndrome

4. John Thorne and Truman Coggins: Communication in Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Impairment and Intervention

5. Vesna Stojanovik: Multilingual Perspectives on Language in Children with Williams Syndrome

Section 2 Language Disorders in Specific Languages

6. Carol To: Language Disorders in Cantonese-Speaking Children

7. Jane Stokes and Nita Madhani: Perspectives on Working with Preschool Children from Panjabi, Gujarati, and Bengali Speaking Families

8. Elin Thordardottir: Typical Language Development and Primary Language Impairment in Monolingual French-Speaking Children

9. Seyhun Topbaş and Ilknur Maviş: Comparing Measures of Spontaneous Speech of Turkish Speaking Children With and Without Language Impairment

10. Barbara L. Rodríguez: Linguistic Variation and Assessment Implications for Spanish-Speaking Children in the United States

The authors offer needed analysis of a variety of languages and unique multilingual perspectives for some of the most prevalent child language disorders. This approach simultaneously widens our perspective and sharpens our understanding of how to better serve the child and the family sitting before us seeking our insight and guidance. I plan to use it in my classes.