Outline of Presentation:

In our presentation, we will address a number of questions that linguists, professionals and families alike ask about the learning of foreign or second languages (L2) by high functioning ASD /Asperger Syndrome children.

Because in today’s world most countries are either bilingual/bicultural or multilingual/multicultural most families with high functioning ASD/Asperger Syndrome children are faced with the painful dilemma of deciding whether they should teach more than one language to their children. Unfortunately, many families are left on their own to decide on this most important issue although linguists stress the crucial role that language plays in the building of one’s identity.

And so, whether high functioning ASD/Asperger syndrome children live in monolingual families in which all members speak the same language or in multilingual families in which parents and grandparents speak different languages, whether they live in monolingual countries or bilingual/multilingual countries, there are a number of essential issues that need to be answered if we want to give them the chance to become full members of their communities, to be part of the workforce, to communicate well with their friends, and to be fully included in their family circles:

* Should we let them learn more than one language if they wish to do so?
* Are they able to learn more than one language?
* What language should they learn first: that of their families or that of their communities?
* What is the best way/the best method that will facilitate their L2 learning?
* What is the best setting where L2 learning should occur?
* What are the benefits (linguistic, cognitive, social, cultural, etc.) to L2 learning?
* Are there any drawbacks/challenges to L2 learning?

As a Psycholinguist who has been studying for more than 25 years L2 learning by typical and atypical learners with different kinds of disabilities (Autism, SLI, Dyslexia, Down syndrome), the presenter will base her presentation on her research in the newest developments in Psycholinguistics applied to L2 learning by high functioning ASD/Asperger syndrome children (Besnard : 2007, Bhatia et al. : 2004, Genesee et al. : 2004, Wire : 2002, Wire : 2005, etc.), on her recent interviewing a number of parents of bilingual high functioning ASD/Asperger syndrome children, and on her 15 year experience in the private tutoring in French as a second language of high functioning ASD/Asperger syndrome individuals.