An Evaluation of Language Preference between Spanish and English with Picture Exchange Users
Run a quick reversal to see which language your bilingual AAC user actually wants.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Four preschoolers with autism used picture cards to ask for toys.
Each child heard requests in Spanish and English on different days.
The team flipped the language every five minutes and counted which one the child picked more.
They called the quick flip a concurrent-schedule reversal.
What they found
Two kids clearly wanted Spanish.
One kid kept picking the same side no matter the language.
One kid switched back and forth with no pattern.
Language preference is real, but it is not the same for every AAC user.
How this fits with other research
Tincani et al. (2020) warned that most SGD studies only train multiply-controlled mands.
Baez shows we must first ask which language the mand should use, or the device may speak the wrong tongue.
Butler et al. (2021) found edible preferences stay stable for a year.
Language choice, in contrast, can swing within one session, so you cannot test it once and forget it.
Dennison et al. (2019) urge culturally responsive home programs.
The new data back them up: if the child prefers Spanish at school, send Spanish cards home too.
Why it matters
Before you spend weeks teaching English mands, run a five-minute reversal.
Let the child pick Spanish or English each turn.
If Spanish wins, build the program in Spanish first.
You will save instructional hours and honor the family’s language.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Abstract Picture-based communication systems can effectively convey meaning to a listener regardless of the listener's language fluency. In other words, picture-based communication systems can serve as a means of cross-lingual communication. The current study employed a concurrent schedule assessment to measure the allocation of responses between two languages of four pre-kindergarten students with autism. We reversed contingencies (i.e., switched the language with which we responded) to ensure the allocation was due to the researcher's language use rather than some other variable (i.e., preference for the left side). Results showed three response patterns: two students consistently allocated to Spanish (i.e., had a preference), one student consistently chose pictures from the left side regardless of the language (suggesting either a side bias or no language preference), and one student began allocating to one language but did not maintain this allocation following several contingency reversals. These results suggest that users of picture-based augmentative and alternative communication systems may prefer the language used by their communication partner, and that a concurrent schedule arrangement can help identify the student's language preference. We discuss limitations and future directions for assessing language preferences.
Behavior Analysis in Practice, 2026 · doi:10.1007/s40617-025-01141-1