In this episode of The Exceptional Humans Podcast, host Penelope delves into the intriguing question: Can someone be non-verbal and bilingual? She explores the definition of non-verbal communication, its prevalence in individuals with severe autism spectrum disorder (ASD level 3), and the various augmentative and alternative communication methods. Penelope discusses the cultural and societal assumptions that often overlook bilingualism in non-verbal individuals and shares real-life examples highlighting the challenges and implications of excluding bilingual elements in argumentative and alternative communication. The episode emphasises the importance of acknowledging bilingualism to achieve better outcomes for those with non-verbal communication preferences.

00:00 Introduction to The Exceptional Humans Podcast

00:24 Understanding Non-Verbal Communication

01:25 Challenges and Assumptions in Bilingualism

02:32 Behavioural Perspective on Language

03:37 Real-World Examples of Non-Verbal Bilingualism

05:56 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

06:08 Acknowledgements and References

Sources

Johnston, J.M. (2014) Radical behaviorism for ABA practitioners. Cornwall on Hudson, NY: Sloan Publishing. 

Kay-Raining Bird, E., Genesee, F. and Verhoeven, L. (2016) ‘Bilingualism in children with developmental disorders: A narrative review’, Journal of Communication Disorders, 63, pp. 1–14. doi:10.1016/j.jcomdis.2016.07.003. 

Oksaar, E. (1989). Psycholinguistic aspects of bilingualism. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 10(1), 33–46. https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.1989.9994361