22 Jan 2024
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has become increasingly prevalent globally. Autistic children often face significant communication barriers, including delayed language development and difficulties in understanding and responding to others. Thus, some professionals and parents have traditionally discouraged autistic children from learning languages other than their first language to avoid placing an additional burden on their language development. However, research led by Dr Emily Ge Haoyan, Assistant Professor in the School of Education and Languages at Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU), suggests that bilingualism, specifically exposure to Cantonese and English, does not hinder language development in autistic children. Instead, it may enhance their ability to understand and express themselves in daily communication....
