What is it about?
One of the most crucial decisions for parents of children with Autism in Ghana to make, just like others in most bilingual and multilingual environments, is what language(s) to use with their children. This study was conducted to first investigate the state of Autism in Ghana and then to unravel the language choices that parents make for their children and factors that influence the choices they make.
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Why is it important?
This work, being the first of its kind on Autism and language choice in Ghana, provides a personal and detailed insight on the situation of Autism in Ghana. It throws attention onto the lack of information and resources, and the challenges parents and children with the condition go through. By discussing the decisions such parents have to take on language choices and the reasons behind taking these decisions, we get to understand their positions better, and also envisage the implications of these on the children and society as a whole in years to come.
Perspectives
I hope this article serves as an attempt to raise awareness about Autism in countries like many in Africa where the condition is still not well known and is shrouded in superstition and many other issues. If it also gets people to realize that sometimes the language choices of people is not really a matter of choice, but incontrollable circumstances make it so, then I will be very happy.
Elizabeth Orfson-Offei
University of Ghana
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Autism spectrum disorder and language choice in Ghana, Pragmatics and Society, June 2021, John Benjamins,
DOI: 10.1075/ps.18058.orf.
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