ASD and learning languages - any experiences?

[StarlightMcKenzie]

I'm not sure whether I'm nuts or not but I'm thinking of enrolling ds for some Spanish classes.

On the one hand it seems crazy to try this with a child with difficulties in their own language and communication.

On the other hand I wondered if it would give him a lot of information about his mother tongue by going through the 'academics' and rules of another language more formally and to revisit the 'purpose of communication'.

Certainly at the beginning, the language learning will be mostly concrete (parts of body, numbers, colours etc.) so I think he will enjoy it.

So, has anyone attempted this? How has it gone?

Is it a good idea, or probably best to forget it?

do you find DS responds differently to how to phrase instructions too, Star?

eg if i say to DD 'come on, get your shoes on, we're going to be late' she then needs to know how late, what will happen if she is etc but if i say 'time to get your shoes on' she just does it...

I just asked ds would he like to learn to play the piano and his reply "no way on earth" his preference being he wants to play the flute!

As others have said probably because I 'suggested' it and it wasn't his idea!

Also why he disliked martial arts, boy scouts and swimming lessons, all of which come with someone telling you how to do things and why he likes arts and crafts, no one telling you what to do, all his own ideas.

Ds used to be an 'expert' in everything ie don't tell me, I already know how to. Now he is 'im rubbish' at everything.

Ripping I have notice its all in how I phrase instructions!

Nothing can ever be a request or a question, otherwise the answer will be 'no'. Ds HAS to have choices, but I control the choices if that makes sense.

For example "ds do you want a drink" - no
"ds do you want blackcurrant" - no

It has to be "ds do you want blackcurrant or orange" - blackcurrant (even though he never drinks orange!)

Test

I cajoled my ds into spanish classes a few years back, he loved it, but stalled at same level (nouns/numbers/colours) as in his initial acquisition of english, ie one word level! He also had echolalia leading to good mimicry of accents!

Ps hec, demand avoidance if it reaches a certain level is an asd related dx in its own right, pathological demand avoidance, seems to be highly control and anxiety driven

Yes. I have to phrase things carefully to get compliance. I often offer choices when I know which answer I will get.

Claw, once ds had some basic skills on the keyboard he was able to do his own thing. Play in a different key, try it without any White notes, start in a different place add an extra note to a chord etc. HE IS in absolute control of the playing. I think it is a healthier thing to have obsessive control over than for example eating etc.

Most definitely Star, as you know he is extremely controlling of his eating, if he could transfer that to a piano or anything more healthy, I would be more than happy!

Most of his other controlling behaviours I have managed to move him on from, but im really stuck on the eating. School seems to play a bit part in his eating ie I make progress, something happens in school, im back to square one. Im really hoping once anxiety around school is reduced, I can start to make progress with the eating again.

In his new school, none of the children are allowed to bring pack lunch, although the school cater for individual children ie if he wants to eat a slice a bread, that's what he can have. Will be interesting to see how he copes with this.

DS1 is fascinated with other languages. He used to enjoy watching the children's programs on S4C (they have English subtitles) and he's learning some French at school and picks up new vocabulary quite easily.There doesn't seem to be as much focus on rigorous grammar rules as there was back when I did O-level, though. When I used to cover GCSE French and Spanish classes, I knew more about Spanish verbs than a lot of the kids, even though I only took Spanish in 3rd year (year 9 - I'm old!) So, I'm not sure if your DS would learn that much that he'd be able to compare with English and use to support his understanding of the language at primary school level.

So took ds to lessons. Mentioned to his teacher ds' dx, and she completely unphased said 'oh yes, my ds has a dx of ASD and ADHD, he'll be fine, go and have a cup of tea'.

And he was!

(though tbh, my ds is always fine at first attempts at things as the novelty and nerves kind of scare him into being fairly meek and compliant - can't wait for week 4!!)

Brilliant Star