Psyche, language and autism: contributions from semiotics within educational contexts

ABSTRACT This article presents a case study that evidences the structures of thought and language of a child diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), pointing out how educational practices were included in the child's contexts. This manuscript emerged from results obtained from a broader research, developed by the first author of this article, from 2015 to 2017. It was a qualitative study that, as a whole, analyzed the specific patterns of functioning of the psyche and language of four children, one adolescent and two adults with ASD. For this article, we prioritized only data referring to one of the four children: a seven-years-old boy. Data interpretation was based on the premises of Bakhtinian and Vygotskian semiotic theory. The findings indicate that the relationship of autistic people with the world is more complex, because it is more direct than mediated, which generates disorders of language and, consequently, of communication and social interaction. These issues can be softened by cultural processes of materialization of the meanings of signs included in the discourses of their interlocutors.

摘要 本研究呈现一项个案研究，用以展现一名确诊为自闭症谱系障碍（Autistic Spectrum Disorder，ASD）儿童的思维与语言结构，并阐明教育实践如何融入该儿童的生活场景。本稿件源自本文第一作者于2015年至2017年间开展的一项更广泛研究的成果。该研究属于质性研究，整体分析了4名儿童、1名青少年及2名成年自闭症谱系障碍患者的心理与语言运作的特定模式。针对本篇论文，我们仅优先采用了其中一名7岁男童的相关数据。数据解读基于巴赫京式（Bakhtinian）与维果茨基式（Vygotskian）符号学理论的前提假设。研究结果表明，自闭症群体与世界的关系更为复杂，因其互动更具直接性而非中介性，这会引发语言障碍，并进而导致沟通与社会互动障碍。此类障碍可通过将对话者话语中所蕴含的符号意义进行物质化的文化过程加以缓解。