Children's Language Skills Research Articles

The macrostructure of narratives produced by children acquiring Finnish Sign Language.

This article investigates the narrative skills of children acquiring Finnish Sign Language (FinSL). Producing a narrative requires vocabulary, the ability to form sentences, and cognitive skills to construct actions in a logical order for the recipient to understand the story. Research has shown that narrative skills are an excellent way of observing a child's language skills, for they reflect both grammatical language skills and the ability to use the language in situationally appropriate ways. This study was conducted using the FinSL Narrative Skills Production Test assessment to observe how narrative skills develop in children between the ages of 4 and 11 who acquire FinSL in their natural language environments. The results show that the narrative skills of children acquiring FinSL develop following the same guidelines found in other signed and spoken languages. Narrative structure and content increase with age.

Challenges Of Obtaining Reliable Eyewitness Testimony from Children and Practical Implications

The reliability of eyewitness testimony provided by children has always been a controversial area in research. This paper addresses the challenges of obtaining reliable eyewitness testimony from children and explores its practical implications. The research background highlights the importance of understanding children's developmental stage, memory and language skills, and how these factors influence their ability to provide accurate testimony. The review explores the different aspects that influence the reliability of children's testimony, including verbal and non-verbal factors, cognitive instructions, and how to build trust. As children have high emotional needs, it is important to provide support while obtaining eyewitness testimony. The final section summarizes the main findings, highlighting the effectiveness of multiple interviews, flexible questioning strategies and the importance of parent and interviewer support. Disadvantages include differences in children's anxiety levels and the need to adapt interview techniques to children. Future research should focus on refining these techniques and studying the impact of different support systems on children from different backgrounds.

What role does the environment play in language development? Exploring the associations among socioeconomic status, parent language input, and language skills in school-aged children with autism.

Language development in children with autism is influenced by proximal (e.g., parent language input) and distal (e.g., socioeconomic status) environmental constructs. Studies have found that "rich and responsive" parent language input supports autistic children's language development, and recent work has reported positive associations between measures of socioeconomic status (SES) and child language skills. However, little is known about how these proximal and distal environmental constructs interact to shape language development in autism. In a sample of 74 autistic school-aged children, the present study investigated the associations among measures of SES, the quantity and quality of language produced by parents and children during home-based dyadic parent-child interactions, and children's expressive and receptive language skills. Results showed that annual household income was positively associated with parent number of total words (NTW), parent number of different words (NDW), and parent mean length of utterance (MLU), while neither parent education level nor annual household income were significantly associated with measures of child language skills. Parent MLU was positively associated with child MLU and child expressive language skills. Findings suggest that annual household income may influence both the quantity and quality of parent language input, and that parent MLU, a qualitative measure of parent language input, may play a particularly important role in shaping autistic children's expressive language development. Future research should study longitudinal associations among SES, parent language input, and child language skills, as identifying environmental predictors of language skills in autism may facilitate the creation of more effective interventions that support language development.

A meta-analysis of the relationship between speech and language development in children with nonsyndromic cleft palate with or without cleft lip

Objective Children with nonsyndromic cleft palate with or without cleft lip are at risk of speech production and language delays. In typical development, a strong relationship exists between speech and expressive language development. However, the understanding of this relationship in children with nonsyndromic cleft palate with or without cleft lip is incomplete. The objective of this study was to determine the average correlation between consonant inventory and two expressive language skills in children with NSCP ± L. Design The study used a random effects meta-analyses design. Articles were included by searching PubMed, APA PsycINFO, and ERIC. Main Outcome Measures Correlations between consonant inventory and (1) expressive vocabulary and (2) mean length of utterance. Result Based on eight studies representing 187 children with nonsyndromic cleft palate with or without cleft lip, consonant inventory was positively correlated with expressive vocabulary size (k = 8, z = 0.74, SE = .16, p < .001, [0.424, 1.052]). Using data from four studies, representing 83 children with nonsyndromic cleft palate with or without cleft lip, consonant inventory had a positive nonsignificant correlation with mean length of utterance (k = 4, z = 0.513, SE = 0.293, p = .081, [−0.063, 1.088]). Conclusion Results support a connection between consonant inventory and expressive vocabulary size in children with nonsyndromic cleft palate with or without cleft lip across four languages. Small consonant inventories are often associated with expressive language delays.

Tapping into family power: Enhancing English learning for Chinese children in Banda Aceh through parental involvement

Learning English at an early age is believed to lead to a significant improvement in children's language skills. Parental involvement is thought to have a positive influence on children's development in learning English as a second/foreign language. A preliminary study found that Chinese parents are actively involved in helping their children learn English. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the types of parental involvement of Chinese parents and their roles in helping their children learn English in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. The focus of this study is on six types of parental involvement (parenting, communicating, volunteering, supervising children's learning at home, decision making, and collaborating with the community) and five roles of parents (motivators, models, facilitators, sources of knowledge, and coordinators) in children's education as proposed by Epstein (2011). The participants of this study are ten Chinese parents, seven mothers and three fathers, who have enrolled their children for early English language learning in one of the private courses in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. This study used a qualitative approach and was conducted through interviews. The findings show that Chinese parents engage in four types of parental involvement: parenting, communication, monitoring children's learning at home, and decision making. They also fulfil five parental roles in their children's language learning: motivators, models, facilitators, knowledge sources and coordinators. As this study focuses on parental involvement in children's English learning at primary school level, it is suggested that further research should aim to examine parental involvement in children's English learning at different levels of education, such as middle school or senior high school.

Language Profiles of School-Age Children With 16p11.2 Copy Number Variants in a Clinically Ascertained Cohort.

Individuals with proximal 16p11.2 copy number variants (CNVs), either deletions (16p11.2DS) or duplications (16p11.2Dup), are predisposed to neurodevelopmental difficulties and disorders, such as language disorders, intellectual disability, and autism spectrum disorder. The purpose of the current study was to characterize language profiles of school-age children with proximal 16p11.2 CNVs, in relation to the normative sample and unaffected siblings of children with 16p11.2DS. Standardized language tests were conducted in 33 school-age children with BP4-BP5 16p11.2 CNVs and eight unaffected siblings of children with 16p11.2DS to evaluate language production and comprehension skills across various language domains. A standardized intelligence test was also administered, and parents completed a standardized questionnaire to assess autistic traits. Language profiles were compared across 16p11.2 CNVs and intrafamilial pairs. The influence of nonverbal intelligence and autistic traits on language outcomes was investigated. No significant differences were found between children with 16p11.2DS and those with 16p11.2Dup, although both groups exhibited significantly poorer language skills compared to the normative sample and unaffected siblings of children with 16p11.2DS. Severe language deficits were identified in 70% of individuals with 16p11.2 CNVs across all language subdomains, with significantly better receptive vocabulary skills than overall receptive language abilities. In children with 16p11.2DS, expressive language deficits were more pronounced than receptive deficits. In contrast, only in children with 16p11.2Dup did nonverbal intelligence influence their language outcomes. The current study contributes to the deeper understanding of language profiles in 16p11.2 CNVs in a clinically ascertained cohort, indicating generalized deficits across multiple language domains, rather than a syndrome-specific pattern targeting specific subdomains. The findings underscore the importance of early diagnosis, targeted therapy, and monitoring of language skills in children with 16p11.2 CNVs. https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.27228702.

The Role of Folklore in Building Character and Early Childhood Language Skills

This study explores the role of folklore in shaping the character and language skills of early childhood learners. Folklore, rich in cultural values and moral lessons, serves as an effective medium for instilling virtues such as empathy, respect, and responsibility in young children. Through storytelling, children not only engage with the narratives but also enhance their linguistic abilities, including vocabulary acquisition, comprehension, and narrative skills. The research employs a qualitative approach, gathering data through observations, interviews with educators, and analyses of children's responses during storytelling sessions. The findings indicate that incorporating folklore into early education significantly promotes moral development and language proficiency among children. Furthermore, it highlights the necessity of integrating cultural narratives into educational practices to foster a holistic learning environment. The study underscores the importance of folklore as a vital tool for educators in nurturing the character and language skills of young learners, ultimately contributing to their overall development

Early parenting styles and children’s social skills in China: a longitudinal exploration of mediating mechanism

ABSTRACT This study examines the development of children's social skills during the crucial transition from kindergarten to grade school. It explores the long-term connection between parenting styles and children's social skills. This study conducted a three-year longitudinal survey involving 121 children and their parents. The results show that early authoritative parenting styles were significant positive associated with children's social skills in second grade, and early authoritarian parenting styles were significant negative associated with children's social skills in second grade. Child-parent relationship closeness and receptive language skills mediate the association between early parenting styles and second-grade children's social skills. We propose that improving the closeness of the child-parent relationship and enhancing children's receptive language skills could effectively enhance children's social skills. This provides theoretical support for intervention programmes aimed at improving children's social skills.

How parenting styles affect the development of language skills and reading comprehension in primary school students.

This study examined how parenting styles influence children's language skills and reading comprehension. Six hundred and eighty-five Chinese-speaking third graders (Mage = 9.23 years, SD = .66; 341 girls) were randomly recruited from eight primary schools. We measured students' primary caregivers' parenting styles, parental education, family income, migration status, number of children's extracurricular books in the home and family cohesion at Wave 1 (i.e. grade 3). We also assessed students' reading motivation, language skills (i.e. vocabulary knowledge and syntactic awareness) and reading comprehension at Wave 2 (i.e. grade 4). The structural equation model analysis revealed that parenting styles indirectly affect language and reading comprehension development, with authoritative and authoritarian parenting exerting different influences on the two outcomes. Specifically, authoritative parenting was positively related to the number of children's books, which in turn was directly, or indirectly through reading motivation, associated with children's language skills and reading comprehension. In contrast, authoritarian parenting was negatively related to family cohesion, which was associated with children's reading motivation, and consequently, their language skills and reading comprehension. The multigroup analysis showed that the indirect pathways varied slightly across parental migration statuses. These findings enhance the global understanding of the pathways linking parenting styles to children's language skills and reading comprehension, suggesting that educators and researchers should not overly emphasize the direct role of parenting styles in children's academic performance.

The effect of speech and non-speech noise on comprehension of storybook reading for elementary school children

Children are generally more affected by surrounding noise than are adults, and are more disturbed by speech than by non-speech noise. Storybook reading, which is one of the main activities in school curricula, is known to improve children's language skills, social abilities, and behavior. However, classrooms are generally noisy environments, and the effectiveness of storybook reading in noise is unclear. This study aimed to investigate how noise affects storybook reading comprehension among elementary schoolchildren. A practiced speaker read picture books to 11 elementary school schoolchildren (age range, 6-9 years) under three listening conditions: quiet, speech noise (babble noise), and non-speech noise (noise recorded in a boiler room). A comprehension test (e.g., story flow, character behaviors, keywords) was conducted after each book was read. No significant difference in story comprehension scores was found among the listening conditions, likely because the visual information helped the children understand the stories even in noise. However, the story comprehension score under the speech noise condition was significantly higher for children who frequently played outside as compared with inside. These results suggest that children's comprehension of storybook reading in noise is affected by not only surrounding noise, but also the play area.

Does Mild and Moderate Hearing Loss Affect Verbal Working Memory and Language Skills in Children?

Introduction: For a comprehensive approach in children with hearing loss (HL), some cognitive and language skills should also be considered, along with auditory skills. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the working memory and language skills in children with mild to moderate HL. Methods: Forty children with mild to moderate HL between the ages of 4 and 9 years were included in this study. The children with mild and moderate HL were evaluated in two groups. The Meaningless Word Repetition test, Test of Language Development-Primary test, and Meaningful Auditory Integration Scale were administered to assess working memory, language skills, and auditory perception, respectively. Also, the relationship between language and memory skills was evaluated. Results: The study found statistically significant correlations between language skills and working memory test scores. Additionally, statistically significant differences were found between children with mild and moderate HL in terms of language and memory skills (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The children with moderate HL demonstrated poorer performance compared to those with mild HL. Even if it is mild, the degree of HL affects children’s language and memory skills. It is emphasized that the relationship between language and working memory should be taken into consideration in auditory rehabilitation programs for these children.

Examining the Effectiveness of Teaching Vietnamese Language among Ethnic Minority Primary Students in Son La Province

The Vietnamese language is the common language of different ethnic groups and also it is the official language used in the education sector. The development of the language skills of ethnic minority children is a fundamental issue in the development of education in ethnic regions. The main research question is; how effective are the current strategies in teaching the Vietnamese language to the ethnic minority primary students in Son La province? The methods used are collecting secondary documents, analyzing, and evaluating the situation. Data from the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 school years show that ethnic minority students in primary schools in Son La province still face certain limitations in language proficiency when learning Vietnamese. The level of Vietnamese usage among ethnic minority students outside the classroom is 45%, and at home is only 5%. Based on the current situation, this article aims to propose some solutions to help ethnic minority primary school students in Son La province overcome language barriers, especially in light of the new requirements of the 2025 General Education Program, and to provide educators and teachers with guidance on building and selecting content as well as teaching methods that are more suitable for learners. Keywords: Ethnic Minorities, Primary Students, Language Barrier, General Education Program, Vietnamese Language, Son La Province.

Validation of the Spanish form of a multidimensional assessment of family engagement for early childhood programs

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to validate the Spanish version of the Family Involvement Questionnaire‐Short Form (FIQ‐SF) for use with Spanish‐speaking families of children enrolled in early childhood education programs. This study examined the factor structure of the FIQ‐SF and established criterion validity for the resulting FIQ‐SF dimension scores. Results from exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses replicated the three dimensions of the English FIQ: Home Engagement, School Engagement, and home–school Conferencing. Mean differences across family demographics were examined. Criterion‐related validity for the three FIQ‐SF dimensions was established by examining correlations with scores on measures of parent‐reported satisfaction with educational experiences, program records of family engagement, direct assessments of child language skills and teacher‐reported approaches to learning. Future directions and practice implications for the use of the Spanish FIQ‐SF to inform program policy and interventions are discussed.

Parental self-efficacy and early language development in deaf and hard-of-hearing children.

This study examined the relationship between parental self-efficacy in parents of young deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) children and children's spoken language skills. A retrospective within-subjects study design was used that included 24 mother-child dyads with DHH children. Parental self-efficacy was assessed using the Scale of Parental Involvement and Self-Efficacy-Revised. Children's language abilities were assessed using the Preschool Language Scale-5th edition. Our data revealed no significant associations between global measures of parental self-efficacy and children's auditory comprehension, expressive communication, and total language scores. However, positive correlations were found between child language skills and specific parents' beliefs about their ability to support their child's spoken language development, their ability to use strategies to help their child communicate, and their active involvement in intervention. Findings highlight the importance of examining discrete aspects of parental self-efficacy as it specifically relates to parents supporting their DHH child's spoken language development. Future directions and implications are provided.

Weekend screen use of parents and children associates with child language skills

Weekend screen use of parents and children associates with child language skills

Evaluating the effect of cochlear implantation age on pragmatic abilities before and after age of 3

Introduction The cochlear implant (CI) is crucial in developing hearing, speech, language, and communication skills in children with profound hearing loss (HL). The study aimed to assess how the age at which children receive a CI affects the development of pragmatic abilities between the ages of 5 and 8 for those who received a CI before or after the age of 3. Methods Forty children with CI were evaluated. The children between the ages of 5 and 8 were divided into two groups who received CIs before or after age 3. The Persian version of the Children’s Communication Checklist (CCC) was used to assess pragmatic abilities with a parent rating scale. Results Children implanted under 3 got higher scores in social relationships, using context, conversational rapport, syntax, and speech. Also, their performance in inappropriate and stereotyped conversations was better than those over 3 years. They have a significant difference in the pragmatic composite than those who received CI over 3 except for coherence and interest (p < 0.05). Conclusion According to the results, children with CI under 3 performed better in pragmatic composites, which means they have better pragmatic abilities. These findings suggest that early CI is important. Of course, other individual and environmental factors must also be considered.

The Effect of Wordwall Media on Early Childhood Language Skills at TKIT Al-Kaukaba

The purpose of the research is to determine the influence of wordwall media on early childhood language skills in TKIT Al-Kaukaba. This study uses a quantitative approach using a quasi-experimental method using a Nonequivalent control group design. In this study, the population taken was all children of group B TKIT Al-Kaukaba totaling 30 students. The sampling technique in this study is total sampling, while the samples taken are TKIT Al-Kaukaba students with B1 group students of 15 children as the experimental group and B2 group of 15 children as the control class. The instrument in this study is an observation sheet of children's language skills. The data analysis technique using the mean difference test for two paired samples (unpaired sample t-test) was carried out to assess the data using SPSS software. The results of the study showed that there was a difference in the level of children's language proficiency between children who obtained the wordwall method compared to students who did not obtain the wordwall method

Feasibility Of Electronic Comics For The Introduction Of Clean And Healthy Living Behaviors At Mulya Fajar Kindergarten, Indragiri Hulu Regency

This research aims to develop an electronic comic (e-comic) as an innovative learning medium for introducing clean and healthy living behaviors at Mulya Fajar Kindergarten in Indragiri Hulu Regency. The e-comic is designed to enhance the interest and understanding of 4-5-year-old children in the importance of maintaining a clean and healthy lifestyle, which is a crucial aspect of early childhood education. The research began with an initial study to gather information and understand the current situation of teaching and learning activities at Mulya Fajar Kindergarten, particularly in the context of teaching about clean and healthy living. The researcher conducted observations and interviews with the school supervisor and teachers to identify any issues in the learning process, especially related to the introduction of clean and healthy living behaviors. The design of the e-comic was planned in stages, considering the appropriate materials for children to learn about clean and healthy living, the amount of information to be introduced, and any obstacles faced by teachers or students in teaching these concepts. The e-comic was created using the Canva platform, which offers a variety of tools for drawing illustrations, applying color palettes, adding text and dialog balloons, and incorporating graphic elements relevant to the theme of cleanliness and health. The final product of this research is an e-comic that has been tested and revised to ensure its quality and effectiveness. The e-comic is intended for use as an electronic learning medium for children aged 4-5 at Mulya Fajar Kindergarten in Indragiri Hulu Regency. The research also includes a statement of originality, confirming that the work is the researcher's own and free from plagiarism, and a validation sheet for the progress of the research project. The e-comic is expected to be a specific product that can be used to introduce clean and healthy living behaviors to young children, promoting interactive visual narratives that can develop children's language skills and creativity, as well as providing teachers with creative and innovative experiences to teach these concepts.

Bilingualism and second-order theory of mind development in autistic children over time: Longitudinal relations with language, executive functions, and intelligence.

Theory of Mind has long been studied as a core weakness in autism spectrum disorder due to its relationship with social reciprocity, while bilingualism has been shown to compensate for autistic individuals' mentalizing weaknesses. However, our knowledge of the Theory of Mind developmental trajectories of bilingual and monolingual autistic children, as well as of the factors related to Theory of Mind development in autism spectrum disorder is still limited. The current study has examined first- and second-order Theory of Mind skills in 21 monolingual and 21 bilingual autistic children longitudinally across three time points, specifically at ages 6, 9, and 12, and also investigated associations between Theory of Mind trajectories and trajectories of the children's language, intelligence and executive function skills. The results reveal that bilingual autistic children outperformed their monolingual peers in second-order Theory of Mind at ages 9 and 12, and that intelligence and, especially, expressive vocabulary skills played a pivotal role in advancing bilingual autistic children's second-order Theory of Mind development. On the other hand, monolingual autistic children only managed to capitalize on their language and intelligence resources at age 12. The findings highlight the importance of investigating bilingualism effects on autistic children's advanced cognitive abilities longitudinally.

Penggunaan Metode Bernyanyi dalam Meningkatkan Kemampuan Berbahasa Anak

The purpose of this study was to determine the increase in children's language skills through the use of the singing method in Group B children at Yapis Konda Kindergarten, Konda District, Konawe Selatan Regency. This research is a type of Classroom Action Research (CAR) which is carried out in 2 (two) learning cycles, each cycle consisting of 2 meetings with stages: planning, implementing, observing, evaluating and reflecting. The subjects of this study were group B students at Yapis Konda Kindergarten, Konda District, Konawe Selatan District, totaling 20 students consisting of 10 boys and 10 girls. The results of the research on the initial observation had classical completeness of 40%, namely only 8 students. in the first cycle there were 13 students (65%), then in the second cycle it increased to 18 students (90%) and exceeded the standard indicator of success that had been determined, namely 75%. These results indicate that the language skills of group B children in Kindergarten Yapis Konda, Konda District, South Konawe Regency can be improved through the use of the singing method.