Meaning-Making and Co-Creation: Re-Defining Effective Communication with Black, Disabled AAE-Speaking Children

Area of Science:

• Disability Studies
• Linguistics
• Early Childhood Education

Background:

• The social model of disability has limitations in affirming communication for Black, disabled African American English (AAE)-speaking preschoolers.
• Clinical approaches to effective communication often overlook the unique languaging practices of multiply-marginalized children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To apply a Black disability political approach to understand communication among Black, disabled AAE-speaking preschoolers.
• To explore strategies of repair and negotiation in redefining effective communication beyond clinical frameworks.
• To affirm the agency and communicative practices of disabled children from marginalized backgrounds.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative analysis of play samples from two Black, disabled AAE-speaking 4-year-olds.
• Examination of repair and negotiation strategies used to achieve communicative goals and establish connections.

Main Results:

• Children utilized various repair and negotiation strategies (e.g., requesting repair, self-repair, co-constructing meaning).
• These strategies often fall outside traditional clinical definitions of effective communication.
• Children demonstrated awareness and engagement in shared interactional goals and connection.

Conclusions:

• Black, disabled AAE-speaking preschoolers actively employ sophisticated communication strategies.
• Centering these children's languaging practices can expand clinical approaches and affirm their agency.
• Rethinking "effective communication" is crucial for supporting multiply-marginalized disabled children.