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Language profiles of Welsh-English bilingual children with Down syndrome

Rebecca Ward Orcid Logo, Eirini Sanoudaki

Journal of Communication Disorders, Volume: 93, Start page: 106126

Swansea University Author: Rebecca Ward Orcid Logo

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DOI (Published version): 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2021.106126

Abstract

PurposeGiven that children with Down syndrome (DS) have language learning difficulties, concerns have been raised about the capacity of these children to acquire two (or more) languages. This research examines the language profiles of bilingual children with DS and typically developing (TD) children...

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Published in: Journal of Communication Disorders
ISSN: 0021-9924
Published: Elsevier BV 2021
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fullrecord <?xml version="1.0"?><rfc1807><datestamp>2021-12-31T14:23:00.1131649</datestamp><bib-version>v2</bib-version><id>58864</id><entry>2021-12-01</entry><title>Language profiles of Welsh-English bilingual children with Down syndrome</title><swanseaauthors><author><sid>e2b52d01dc0f07a26de8c6f2a4a44576</sid><ORCID>0000-0001-7177-3615</ORCID><firstname>Rebecca</firstname><surname>Ward</surname><name>Rebecca Ward</name><active>true</active><ethesisStudent>false</ethesisStudent></author></swanseaauthors><date>2021-12-01</date><deptcode>HPS</deptcode><abstract>PurposeGiven that children with Down syndrome (DS) have language learning difficulties, concerns have been raised about the capacity of these children to acquire two (or more) languages. This research examines the language profiles of bilingual children with DS and typically developing (TD) children in comparison to monolinguals, with a view towards identifying the factors associated with language abilities within these populations.MethodFour groups of children were recruited: Welsh-English bilinguals with DS (n=10), English monolinguals with DS (n=10), TD Welsh-English bilinguals (n=10) and TD English monolinguals (n=10). Children were individually matched on nonverbal cognitive ability (NVCA) to each child in the bilingual DS group and the four groups were matched on socioeconomic status and gender. Bilinguals were matched on current and lifetime exposure to Welsh and age of first exposure to their L2. Within DS and TD groups, chronological age was statistically controlled for. Language abilities were assessed via standardised assessments and specially designed tasks. Bilinguals were assessed in both of their languages.ResultsResults show no effect of language status on measures of expressive and receptive language abilities or phonological awareness. Language impairments were evident for both DS groups, particularly for expressive morphosyntax. Welsh receptive vocabulary scores of the bilinguals with DS were comparable to the TD bilinguals. Working memory, phonological awareness and chronological age were the strongest predictors of receptive language outcomes in both DS groups, explaining 90% of the variability.ConclusionsIn conclusion, we report no adverse outcomes on language development for bilinguals with DS. To our knowledge, this is the first group study of bilingualism in children with DS within the UK. Findings align with and add to the growing body of literature that reports that bilingualism does not negatively impact the language development of children with developmental disabilities. Clinical and educational implications are discussed.</abstract><type>Journal Article</type><journal>Journal of Communication Disorders</journal><volume>93</volume><journalNumber/><paginationStart>106126</paginationStart><paginationEnd/><publisher>Elsevier BV</publisher><placeOfPublication/><isbnPrint/><isbnElectronic/><issnPrint>0021-9924</issnPrint><issnElectronic/><keywords>Bilingualism; multilingualism; Down syndrome; developmental disorders; bilingual advantage; bilingual profiles</keywords><publishedDay>1</publishedDay><publishedMonth>9</publishedMonth><publishedYear>2021</publishedYear><publishedDate>2021-09-01</publishedDate><doi>10.1016/j.jcomdis.2021.106126</doi><url/><notes/><college>COLLEGE NANME</college><department>Psychology</department><CollegeCode>COLLEGE CODE</CollegeCode><DepartmentCode>HPS</DepartmentCode><institution>Swansea University</institution><apcterm>Another institution paid the OA fee</apcterm><funders>ESRC-DTP</funders><lastEdited>2021-12-31T14:23:00.1131649</lastEdited><Created>2021-12-01T16:38:21.3845059</Created><path><level id="1">Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences</level><level id="2">School of Psychology</level></path><authors><author><firstname>Rebecca</firstname><surname>Ward</surname><orcid>0000-0001-7177-3615</orcid><order>1</order></author><author><firstname>Eirini</firstname><surname>Sanoudaki</surname><order>2</order></author></authors><documents><document><filename>58864__21824__0a2eb28e58fb4b3fb6a817941d47323a.pdf</filename><originalFilename>Ward &amp; Sanoudaki 2021.pdf</originalFilename><uploaded>2021-12-07T09:43:54.9303422</uploaded><type>Output</type><contentLength>858587</contentLength><contentType>application/pdf</contentType><version>Version of Record</version><cronfaStatus>true</cronfaStatus><documentNotes>&#xA9; 2021 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CC BY license</documentNotes><copyrightCorrect>true</copyrightCorrect><language>eng</language><licence>https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/</licence></document></documents><OutputDurs/></rfc1807>
spelling 2021-12-31T14:23:00.1131649 v2 58864 2021-12-01 Language profiles of Welsh-English bilingual children with Down syndrome e2b52d01dc0f07a26de8c6f2a4a44576 0000-0001-7177-3615 Rebecca Ward Rebecca Ward true false 2021-12-01 HPS PurposeGiven that children with Down syndrome (DS) have language learning difficulties, concerns have been raised about the capacity of these children to acquire two (or more) languages. This research examines the language profiles of bilingual children with DS and typically developing (TD) children in comparison to monolinguals, with a view towards identifying the factors associated with language abilities within these populations.MethodFour groups of children were recruited: Welsh-English bilinguals with DS (n=10), English monolinguals with DS (n=10), TD Welsh-English bilinguals (n=10) and TD English monolinguals (n=10). Children were individually matched on nonverbal cognitive ability (NVCA) to each child in the bilingual DS group and the four groups were matched on socioeconomic status and gender. Bilinguals were matched on current and lifetime exposure to Welsh and age of first exposure to their L2. Within DS and TD groups, chronological age was statistically controlled for. Language abilities were assessed via standardised assessments and specially designed tasks. Bilinguals were assessed in both of their languages.ResultsResults show no effect of language status on measures of expressive and receptive language abilities or phonological awareness. Language impairments were evident for both DS groups, particularly for expressive morphosyntax. Welsh receptive vocabulary scores of the bilinguals with DS were comparable to the TD bilinguals. Working memory, phonological awareness and chronological age were the strongest predictors of receptive language outcomes in both DS groups, explaining 90% of the variability.ConclusionsIn conclusion, we report no adverse outcomes on language development for bilinguals with DS. To our knowledge, this is the first group study of bilingualism in children with DS within the UK. Findings align with and add to the growing body of literature that reports that bilingualism does not negatively impact the language development of children with developmental disabilities. Clinical and educational implications are discussed. Journal Article Journal of Communication Disorders 93 106126 Elsevier BV 0021-9924 Bilingualism; multilingualism; Down syndrome; developmental disorders; bilingual advantage; bilingual profiles 1 9 2021 2021-09-01 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2021.106126 COLLEGE NANME Psychology COLLEGE CODE HPS Swansea University Another institution paid the OA fee ESRC-DTP 2021-12-31T14:23:00.1131649 2021-12-01T16:38:21.3845059 Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences School of Psychology Rebecca Ward 0000-0001-7177-3615 1 Eirini Sanoudaki 2 58864__21824__0a2eb28e58fb4b3fb6a817941d47323a.pdf Ward & Sanoudaki 2021.pdf 2021-12-07T09:43:54.9303422 Output 858587 application/pdf Version of Record true © 2021 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CC BY license true eng https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
title Language profiles of Welsh-English bilingual children with Down syndrome
spellingShingle Language profiles of Welsh-English bilingual children with Down syndrome
Rebecca Ward
title_short Language profiles of Welsh-English bilingual children with Down syndrome
title_full Language profiles of Welsh-English bilingual children with Down syndrome
title_fullStr Language profiles of Welsh-English bilingual children with Down syndrome
title_full_unstemmed Language profiles of Welsh-English bilingual children with Down syndrome
title_sort Language profiles of Welsh-English bilingual children with Down syndrome
author_id_str_mv e2b52d01dc0f07a26de8c6f2a4a44576
author_id_fullname_str_mv e2b52d01dc0f07a26de8c6f2a4a44576_***_Rebecca Ward
author Rebecca Ward
author2 Rebecca Ward
Eirini Sanoudaki
format Journal article
container_title Journal of Communication Disorders
container_volume 93
container_start_page 106126
publishDate 2021
institution Swansea University
issn 0021-9924
doi_str_mv 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2021.106126
publisher Elsevier BV
college_str Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
hierarchytype
hierarchy_top_id facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
department_str School of Psychology{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences{{{_:::_}}}School of Psychology
document_store_str 1
active_str 0
description PurposeGiven that children with Down syndrome (DS) have language learning difficulties, concerns have been raised about the capacity of these children to acquire two (or more) languages. This research examines the language profiles of bilingual children with DS and typically developing (TD) children in comparison to monolinguals, with a view towards identifying the factors associated with language abilities within these populations.MethodFour groups of children were recruited: Welsh-English bilinguals with DS (n=10), English monolinguals with DS (n=10), TD Welsh-English bilinguals (n=10) and TD English monolinguals (n=10). Children were individually matched on nonverbal cognitive ability (NVCA) to each child in the bilingual DS group and the four groups were matched on socioeconomic status and gender. Bilinguals were matched on current and lifetime exposure to Welsh and age of first exposure to their L2. Within DS and TD groups, chronological age was statistically controlled for. Language abilities were assessed via standardised assessments and specially designed tasks. Bilinguals were assessed in both of their languages.ResultsResults show no effect of language status on measures of expressive and receptive language abilities or phonological awareness. Language impairments were evident for both DS groups, particularly for expressive morphosyntax. Welsh receptive vocabulary scores of the bilinguals with DS were comparable to the TD bilinguals. Working memory, phonological awareness and chronological age were the strongest predictors of receptive language outcomes in both DS groups, explaining 90% of the variability.ConclusionsIn conclusion, we report no adverse outcomes on language development for bilinguals with DS. To our knowledge, this is the first group study of bilingualism in children with DS within the UK. Findings align with and add to the growing body of literature that reports that bilingualism does not negatively impact the language development of children with developmental disabilities. Clinical and educational implications are discussed.
published_date 2021-09-01T04:15:44Z
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