To find this quite odd from TA?

[Bluey124]

DD is 8. Happy, enjoys school, has friends, quiet but nothing wrong with that.
Yesterday the new TA and I got chatting and she mentioned that DD had an 'accent'. Weirdly, she does but I haven't mentioned it to her because don't want to embarrass her. I sort of shrugged it off to the TA and said that's just how she speaks and she replied with 'Yes. It's a sign of autism sometimes' and then just looked at me. I said this has never been addressed to me by a teacher or nursery staff and she just repeated that it was one of many signs of autism. I asked again if DD had been OK and happy during the day and she said she had. So now I dont know what to make of it all. Aibu to wonder what you think of this ?

I don't think it's inappropriate, you can take it or leave it but she wasn't being critical. If you don't think she has autism then no big deal but it's not out of the realms of possibilities or an insult.

Its could be that the TA has spotted other autistic traits in your daughter and wants to alert you to the possibility. Girls are excellent at asking autism so you may not have noticed.

OR.. she did some autism training on an inset day, heard something about false accents indicating autism and now considers herself and expert and took it upon herself to worry you just to show off her vast knowledge.

Just typed long reply and lost it.

She's thinking of echolalia. From what you've said about your child, she's wrong. She needs stopping before she runs her mouth off at other parents. I'm rarely one for encouraging people to complain about school things- but in this case a little ignorance is in danger of going a long way.

Does she think all actors are autistic?

No, I just like the colour blue hence my own username. She doesn't really watch much TV and has always spoken with the same accent.
She has no special educational needs although struggles a lot with maths but very good at English, reading and writing etc.

Absolute tosh - the listener defines 'accent' not the speaker, I'm northern - received pronunciation is an accent as far as I'm concerned.

Part of the reason kids learn languages easier than adults is that they can hear and mimic pronunciation much better than adults.

Its not even vaguely unusual for kids to pick up an accent from watching stuff, from friends etc.

The TA needs to go back to college.

I wouldn’t pay too much heed to this at this point in time as others have said unless they’re picking up on behavioural problems or issues that coincide with it. If they had any issues their SENCO or member of their SEN team would approach you further on down the line. My son has ASD and has a full blown American accent and always has had since he’s been able to talk. He uses all of the American phrases despite us only use it the English ones. He wasn’t exposed to much American TV etc when he was growing up although that’s what people mostly assume when they realise we’re not American. 😬 We are all born and bred English as are all his dads family. So yes, it CAN be a sign but he also had many, many other SEN problems which were clear and obvious before he started talking and I don’t know any other ASD children with a different accent. Not to say that there aren’t I just don’t think it’s that common but my son’s Paediatrician said it’s just one of those things. It hasn’t caused him any issues he is just matter of fact when he meets new people and explains he’s autistic and is actually English. He’s 13 now and will (badly) mock my English accent in a very stereotypical queens English sort of fashion which we have a good chuckle at.

@Noorandapples it was inappropriate the TA is neither qualified to make suggestions of ASD nor the correct person within the school community to flag it to a parent. Making throw away remarks in the playground, worrying parents unnecessarily is what makes it inappropriate, the TA knows nothing of the family or their background to be flagging what could be a very sensitive matter infront of other parents. There are set process to deal with such things

Ie TA notices signs, informs class teacher/Sendco in writing providing evidence and examples. Sendco reaches out to home or takes a watch and wait approach for more evidence.

This does not warrant a full blown complaint but a polite "Just to let you know" email to the SENCO as per my initial post to flag the TAs actions so that it doesn't happen again.

Not appropriate for a TA to say something like that to you. I'm a TA in a special school and I'd be in big trouble if I off-handedly said something like that to a parent.

If something delicate needs to be discussed with a parent it should be the teacher of the class doing it, but despite that I don't think this was a necessary thing to say to you. I'd ignore it.

An accent that there is no 'reason' for can be a sign of autism. So, as a TA I might mention an accent to a parent as they might say oh yes that's because that's where Dad is from or they spend lots of time with a GP or someone else with that accent. If not, and parent is concerned then it might help to build up a picture. Definitely not her place to start diagnosing though.

Is there a chance she was just very clumsily explaining why she'd mentioned it?

You can't diagnose someone on one trait. My daughter has DS and shows a few signs of autism but her pediatrician says he doesn't think she has it.
Girls are often harder to diagnose as they present differently from boys.
Definitely ask to speak to the school's Senco.

Not the TA's place to be speaking to you about this. Although its interesting that PP's have said a child having an Aussie accent for no apparent reason is not unusual.

Maybe it is a regular thing. I've only heard the occasional Americanism or accent on certain words from the kids I've met.

Totally unprofessional and inappropriate of the TA. Speak to the class teacher or better yet the senco.

Hi @Bluey124 just wondering if you have an update on your daughter as far as the accent is concerned? Going through something similar at the moment with my own little one. She's 5.