‘It feels like a blessing’ – The experience of Hebrew-English bilingualism among autistic children: An interpretative phenomenological analysis

Over half the world’s population are bilingual. Despite this, practitioners often advise parents of autistic children to teach their child one dominant national language and limit their child’s exposure to community languages. Limited research with autistic children’s carers has shown that this monolingual approach impoverishes children’s experiences in communal, familial, religious, and social contexts. There is very little research on this topic from the first-person perspectives of autistic children themselves. There is no research exploring the perspectives of Hebrew-English bilingual autistic children. This study aimed to explore the perspectives and experiences of autistic children on Hebrew-English bilingualism. In accord with the interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) methodological framework, semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore the experiences of 13 Hebrew-English bilingual autistic children. The IPA clustering process resulted in two overarching group experiential themes (GETs). The first GET was ‘Bilingualism aids religious, educational, and social integration and connection’. The second GET was ‘Preference of bilingualism and dislike of monolingual approach’. Recommendations include training for practitioners regarding potential positive outcomes of bilingualism, alongside the way their advice to adopt a monolingual approach impacts upon autistic children. We also argue the importance of autistic children’s views being considered whenever bilingual decision-making is made. Lay abstract Over half the world’s population speak two or more languages. Despite this, practitioners often advise parents of autistic children to teach their child one main national language and not expose their child to additional community languages. Limited research with autistic children’s carers has shown that this approach negatively impacts autistic children’s communal, family, religious, and social experiences. There is very little research on this topic from the first-hand perspectives of autistic children themselves. There is no research exploring the perspectives of autistic children who speak both Hebrew and English. This study aimed to explore the views of autistic children who have ability in the Hebrew and English languages. Using the interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) research approach, we conducted interviews to explore the experiences of 13 autistic children who have ability in both the Hebrew and English languages. The research resulted in two overarching themes. The first theme was ‘Bilingualism aids religious, educational, and social integration and connection’. The second theme was ‘Preference of bilingualism, and dislike of monolingual approach’. Our recommendations include training practitioners to be more aware of the way the advice they give for autistic children to only learn one language can negatively impact autistic children. We also argue that whenever decision-making about an autistic child learning two or more languages is made, autistic children’s views should be considered.