THE LINGUISTIC MATRIX OF NEURODIVERGENCE: ENGLISH AS A MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION (EMI) IN THERAPY CENTERS AND DOMESTIC SPACES OF PESHAWAR

Abstract

English language plays a pivotal role in the educational system of Pakistan and is considered a hallmark of social mobility and success in the affluent private school sector. In recent year, English has also become a medium of instruction in therapy centers in the main cities of Pakistan, including Peshawar, where Pashto and Hindko are vernacular languages. However, the adoption of English as a medium of instruction (EMI) in therapy centers creates a further comprehension and communication gap for children who are enrolled for therapy in such centers for challenges such as the neurodivergence and speech. EMI has now seeped into therapy centers as and is considered as the only appropriate language of instruction for neurodivergent children—specifically those who are on the Autism Spectrum ignoring the fact that these children already face challenges regarding language comprehension, resulting in a stark linguistic mismatch as the language spoken at their homes is mostly Pashto. Semi structured interviews with 10 parents/guardians of neurodivergent children and 10 therapists from therapy center, and 06 maids/helpers caring for such children in Peshawar reveal that English is preferred as a medium of instruction because the parents believe that it will help their kids to secure a placement in the mainstream schools after successful therapies. The theoretical framework of the study is informed by Lev Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory, according to which language is learned through social interaction, using English in therapy settings thus limits such process of language learning as put forth by the findings of this study. It further unraveled that the materials available and incorporated by the therapists during their therapy sessions are all designed in English language and that the parents, masquerading behind the colonial prestige of the English language, feel more confident to present their child with supposed “disabilities” communicating in English. There is an undeniable mismatch between the language spoken at home and that employed at therapy centers which adversely affects the learning process of the children. While there is extensive literature on EMI in Pakistani schools, colleges and universities, limited research has explored its usage and role in therapy centers in Pakistan. The purpose of this study is to bring into the light the need of introduction of balanced multilingual approaches in therapy centers that will benefit the differently-abled children and enhance the scaffolding of therapy practices in the therapy centers of Pakistan.