Learning graphic symbols in two languages: Effects of monolingual teaching

Abstract

Purpose

Limited research exists to guide augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) intervention for children from multilingual backgrounds. When a graphic symbol-based AAC system is provided to children, they need to learn the meaning of the graphic symbols. This study determined the effect of teaching the association between a graphic symbol and a spoken word in one language on the ability of bilingual children without disabilities to transfer this learning to their second language.

Method

A one-group pre-test-post-test design was used. The ability of 30 English-Afrikaans bilingual children aged 4–5 years to provide the spoken words associated with nine graphic symbols in English and Afrikaans was evaluated before and after teaching them the symbol-word associations in English.

Result

Correct symbol-word associations in English increased from a median of 0–9 post-teaching, while correct symbol-word associations in Afrikaans increased from a median of 0–6. A moderate positive relationship was identified between children’s performance on symbol-word associations in Afrikaans during the post-test and their use of Afrikaans in the home.

Conclusion

Results suggest the presence of positive transference of graphic symbol-word associations learnt in one language to another known language. The implications of this finding on the provision of multilingual AAC intervention are discussed.

Keywords:

• augmentative and alternative communication
• multilingual
• child
• graphic symbol

Acknowledgements

The financial assistance of the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa (grant no. TTK150617119597) towards this research is herewith acknowledged. Opinions expressed and conclusions arrived at are those of the authors and are not necessarily to be attributed to the NRF. The authors would like to thank the children who participated in the study and their parents, the principals and other school staff who provided access to the premises and assistance with logistical arrangements, as well as the research assistants.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The authors further report that they are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

Notes

1 Picture Communication Symbols are a registered trademark of Tobii Dynavox LLC of Pittsburgh, PA, https://us.tobiidynavox.com

2 Metacom was developed by Anette Kitzinger, Oeversee, Germany, https://www.metacom-symbole.de

3 SymbolStix is a product of n2y, LCC, https://www.n2y.com

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa [grant no. TTK150617119597].