Mom Asks: Is there Something Wrong with my Child?

Naima Shirdon Premise & Question:  I was speaking with a Somali mother who was expressing concerns about her 4-year old daughter ‘Salma.’ She mentioned that Salma is very rowdy at home; she’s very defiant and quite a handful. She is ornery and has difficulty following directions. At school, however, her teachers say that Salma is…

Somali Moms Ask: Should I Only Speak English at Home?

  By: Sirad Shirdon “ We only use English in the home”. As a speech-language pathologist, families often admit that they speak English exclusively in the home. If these families were from English speaking backgrounds, this would be understandable. However, I am increasingly hearing this from families who come from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The…