A case study on the second language oral communication skills of the Filipino learners with Tourette syndrome

• Main Author: Bautista, Aileen C.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2022
• Subjects: Tourette syndrome; Oral communication; Linguistic analysis (Linguistics); Education
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etdd_deal/6; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1007&context=etdd_deal
• Institution: De La Salle University

Tourette syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder that prompts an individual to perform motor or vocal tics. This group is categorized under special populations. However, extant literature reports the emerging need to investigate their linguistic ability, especially in the Philippines. Thus, this current study attempts to provide a linguistic description of the individuals with TS in their oral communication skills in the English language. Using the case study approach, I utilized a battery of tests to provide a clear linguistic description of phonological, grammatical, word-reading, and oral comprehension skills. Informed by the Social Interactionist Theory, Ramanathan’s position on intentionality, and Rivera-Navarro’s postulation on the lives of the individuals with TS, the linguistic description seeks to educate and empower the Filipinos with TS, their families, and the public in identifying their linguistic potentials and the lived experiences of these people in helping the members of the TS community in achieving their intended quality of life. In this research, the findings revealed linguistic dysfluencies manifested in the oral comprehension aspect, especially when the text when oral reading is employed. Thus, proving past studies on the linguistic challenges of the said population. This research is hoped to yield significant contributions to the language policies in the Philippine Educational System for inclusive and mainstream education and the methodological use of the battery of tests in assessing possible linguistic challenges to the special populations.