Exploring illocutionary acts employed by autistic children: The case of Indonesian children

Abstract

This study documented illocutionary acts employed by Indonesian children who had autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Twelve children were recruited using a convenience sampling technique. The data were gathered through in-depth observation and clinical intervention settings. These data were then analyzed qualitatively. The findings of this study portrayed that the participants employed three illocutionary acts in their communication. They employed directive (D), expressive (E), assertive, and speech acts (A) or DEA. Interestingly, the participants did not produce commissive and declarative utterances. Instead, they used declaration (D), interrogative (I), and imperative (I) speech acts. Based on the findings, it can be asserted that in terms of communication skills, the participants generally deployed simple directive, assertive, and expressive (DEA) speech acts with a direct literal speech act strategy. This study also suggested that in language learning and clinical intervention, teachers or therapists should consider the individual condition and understand the autistic children’s illocutionary speech acts.