Evaluating tact instruction in two languages for bilingual children with autism spectrum disorder.

Researchers studied how to best teach vocabulary to bilingual children with autism. They compared teaching both languages at once versus teaching English first, then the second language. While both approaches worked, teaching both languages together helped children better tell the languages apart. However, teaching just one language was much more efficient than teaching two languages in sequence. This research helps families and therapists decide the best language teaching approach.

This research examined different approaches to teaching vocabulary (tacts) to bilingual children with autism across two studies. Study 1 compared simultaneous instruction (teaching both languages together) versus sequential instruction (teaching English first, then the second language) in four children. Both methods were effective, but simultaneous instruction better promoted discrimination between languages. Study 2 compared monolingual versus sequential bilingual instruction in three participants.

Results showed monolingual instruction was substantially more efficient than teaching two languages sequentially. Sequential bilingual instruction required additional simultaneous teaching to establish proper language discrimination, while monolingual instruction needed no additional support. The findings suggest monolingual approaches are more efficient, though bilingual instruction remains viable.

Results suggest monolingual instruction may be more resource-efficient for vocabulary development. However, bilingual instruction remains viable when culturally appropriate. Simultaneous bilingual teaching appears superior to sequential approaches when bilingual instruction is chosen. Clinicians should consider family language needs alongside efficiency when planning interventions.

Small sample sizes (4 and 3 participants respectively). Study type not specified in metadata. Abstract lacks detail on participant characteristics, methodology, and outcome measures. No information provided on generalization or long-term maintenance of skills.

Bilingual individuals can acquire two languages simultaneously or sequentially. Study 1 examined the effects of simultaneous instruction (introducing tacts in both languages at the same time) and sequential instruction (introducing tacts in English, followed by a second language after mastery) with four children with autism. Both instructional procedures were effective, but simultaneous instruction promoted better conditional discriminations between the two languages than sequential instruction. Study 2 compared monolingual with bilingual (sequential) instruction with three participants.

Teaching tacts in a single language was substantially more efficient than teaching tacts in two languages for all participants. As in Study 1, participants required additional simultaneous teaching after mastering sequentially taught targets to establish conditional discriminations, whereas monolingual instruction required no additional teaching. These results indicate that monolingual instruction is more efficient than sequential bilingual instruction, although sequential bilingual teaching can still be effective. The findings have important implications for designing bilingual instruction.