Dear Friends,
We are thrilled to present the Summer/Fall 2022 issue of our Center for Language Science/Bilingualism Matters at Penn State newsletter. In this issue, we explore what the research has revealed about the relationship between language learning and intellectual disability. It is likely that you know someone who has been diagnosed with intellectual disability. This person may even be you, and if so, we particularly welcome your input and feedback on this issue! One of our main goals with this issue is to debunk the common myth that children and adults who have been diagnosed with intellectual disability cannot become multilingual. In our main research summary, we discuss just how important it is to provide equal opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities to learn other languages and become multilingual. This conclusion is supported with lots of research in our myth-busting piece on intellectual disability and language learning.
And in our featured partner interview, you’ll have the chance to meet Penn State faculty member Dr. Wendy Coduti, and learn about ways that students with intellectual disabilities are engaged in language and other types of learning on campus. As always, we welcome your questions, comments, and ideas, and we wish you a wonderful summer and fall semester full of language and learning!
Sincerely,
Frances Blanchette, Natacha Mally (editor-in-chief), Catherine Pham, Daisy Lei, and Lindsey Chandler