SLP Multicultural & Bilingual Considerations 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A bilingual child produces sound substitutions that reflect phonological patterns of their home language. This is best described as:
- A phonological disorder requiring intervention
- Phonological transfer or interference from L1 (Correct answer)
- Dysarthria affecting both languages equally
- Childhood apraxia of speech
Correct answer: Phonological transfer or interference from L1
Phonological transfer occurs when L1 sound patterns influence production in L2, which is a normal bilingual phenomenon rather than a disorder.
Question 2: When assessing narrative skills in a bilingual child, an SLP should:
- Use only English narratives to ensure standardization
- Evaluate narrative macrostructure in both languages (Correct answer)
- Avoid narrative tasks because they are culturally biased
- Compare performance only to monolingual English norms
Correct answer: Evaluate narrative macrostructure in both languages
Narrative macrostructure (story grammar elements) should be assessed in both languages to distinguish disorder from language difference.
Question 3: The concept of 'language brokering' refers to:
- An SLP translating assessment results for parents
- A bilingual child interpreting for family members in adult contexts (Correct answer)
- Switching between languages mid-sentence
- Using a professional interpreter during therapy
Correct answer: A bilingual child interpreting for family members in adult contexts
Language brokering occurs when bilingual children translate or interpret for less proficient family members, which can affect their language development and family dynamics.
Question 4: Dynamic assessment is particularly useful in multicultural SLP practice because it:
- Eliminates the need for standardized testing
- Measures a child's ability to learn with mediated support, reducing cultural bias (Correct answer)
- Is faster to administer than norm-referenced tests
- Requires no knowledge of the child's home language
Correct answer: Measures a child's ability to learn with mediated support, reducing cultural bias
Dynamic assessment evaluates learning potential and responsiveness to instruction, which is less influenced by prior language exposure or cultural background than static tests.
Question 5: An SLP working with a client from a collectivist culture should recognize that:
- Family involvement in decision-making may be highly valued and expected (Correct answer)
- Individual autonomy should always override family preferences
- Collectivist cultures do not value professional services
- The client should be seen alone to ensure confidentiality
Correct answer: Family involvement in decision-making may be highly valued and expected
Many collectivist cultures emphasize group decision-making, so including family members in goal-setting and treatment planning reflects culturally responsive practice.
Question 6: A child who has been exposed to two languages since birth is referred to as a:
- Sequential bilingual
- Simultaneous bilingual (Correct answer)
- Heritage language speaker
- Late bilingual
Correct answer: Simultaneous bilingual
Simultaneous bilinguals acquire two languages from birth, whereas sequential bilinguals establish one language before significant exposure to a second.
Question 7: Which standardized test modification is ethically acceptable when assessing a bilingual child?
- Changing correct answers to match dialectal responses without documentation
- Administering the test in both languages and noting performance patterns with qualitative analysis (Correct answer)
- Reporting only the highest score obtained across language conditions
- Skipping subtests that appear culturally unfamiliar without notation
Correct answer: Administering the test in both languages and noting performance patterns with qualitative analysis
Administering tests in both languages with careful qualitative documentation is an acceptable modification that provides richer diagnostic information while acknowledging test limitations.
SLP Multicultural & Bilingual Considerations 2
A bilingual child produces sound substitutions that reflect phonological patterns of their home language.
This is best described as: