Multilingual speech and language development and disorders

Abstract

Most people in the world understand and speak more than one language. Multilingualism is supported by the media, mobility (both legal and illegal), international economics, global literacy initiatives, progress in information technology, the drive for lifelong learning, and many other factors. Within this chapter, different definitions of multilingualism are explained, particularly relating to concepts such as successive and sequential multilingualism and language proficiency. Reasons children are multilingual are discussed, with particular emphasis on international migration. Features of typical and atypical speech and language acquisition are contrasted, followed by a discussion of the challenges related to assessment and differential diagnosis to distinguish between difference

and disorder in multi lingual children. Intervention strategies, particularly regarding the language of instruction and whether instruction in one language is able to be generalized to another, are also discussed. Finally, recommendations for future research are provided.