Language Development In Children Research Articles

Multilingual parents’ language development concerns in the early years

ABSTRACT Implementing a multilingual family language policy can raise many language development concerns for parents. In this study, we report on the types of concerns held by Australian parents of multilingual children aged 0–4. Drawing on both questions from the Parents’ Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS) questions and our own custom measures, we surveyed 223 parents who were subdivided into two groups: those flagged by the PEDS as having children at risk of a language delay, and those who were not. The study finds that parents who report language concerns on the PEDS were much more likely to be concerned about their child’s language development on a range of custom measures than those without PEDS concerns. However, both groups reported similar rates of concerns about refusal to speak their home language. We also explored the extent to which parents sought advice about language development concerns, finding only a minority chose to discuss their language concerns with their Maternal and Child Health (MCH) nurse. Given the importance of language development screening in the early years, we argue that MCH nurses require more support and training to address language development concerns, particularly when negotiating concerns about potential atypical language development in multilingual children.

Prediction of hearing impairment by indirect hyperbilirubinemia in neonates

Background: Hearing is a special sense and one of the most important components of communication. The ability to communicate and acquiring skills largely depends on the ability of hearing. Hearing impairment can have a substantial influence on a child's speaking ability, language development and social skills. Early detection and timely initiation of treatment for childhood hearing loss is very crucial as inadequate auditory input during first few years of life irreversibly delays the language skills for communication and reading. This study aimed to predict the frequency of hearing impairment in neonates with indirect hyperbilirubinemia. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at the Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and Special care neonatal unit (SCANU) of Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute, Dhaka, Bangladesh during the period from January 2020 to December 2021. In this study, we included 85 hospitalized neonates with hyperbilirubinemia based on the selection criteria. Results: The mean age of the patients was 5.6 (±1.6) days. Pre-term babies were 63.5% and 36.5% were termed babies. Among all patients, 49.4% and 43.5% of patients had indirect bilirubin levels from 15 to<20 mg/dl & 20 to<25 mg/dl respectively. Among 11 hearing-impaired neonates, 3 (27.2%) had mild to moderate impairment, 6 (54.5%) had moderate to severe impairment and 2 (18.1%) had severe to profound hearing impairment. Sepsis, ototoxic drugs and indirect hyperbilirubinemia were independent predictors of hearing impairment. Conclusions: This study concluded that indirect hyperbilirubinemia of≥15 mg/dl in preterm and≥20 mg/dl in term neonates is an important predictor of hearing impairment in neonates.

Read Aloud as a Means of Early Childhood Language Development: A Literature Study

Read Aloud as a Means of Early Childhood Language Development: A Literature Study

Validation of the Second Version of the LittlEARS® Early Speech Production Questionnaire (LEESPQ) in Romanian-Speaking Children with Normal Hearing

Objectives: The objectives of the current study were to validate the LittlEARS® Early Speech Production Questionnaire (LEESPQ) in Romanian and to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Romanian version of the questionnaire for Romanian children with normal hearing. The LEESPQ was created and tested for the assessment of preverbal and early verbal skills (0–18 months) in children with normal hearing. Methods: The English version of the LittlEARS® Early Speech Production Questionnaire (LEESPQ) was adapted into Romanian language using a translation/back-translation procedure and validation of the content before applying the questionnaire. The Romanian version was applied to the parents of 232 children with normal hearing, aged between 0 and 18 months. The questionnaire was statistically analyzed to assess its reliability, internal consistency, predictive accuracy, and the influence of gender on children’s scores. Results: Statistical analyses confirmed the LEESPQ’s reliability (α = 0.876) and high predictive accuracy (λ = 0.951). Age correlated strongly with total scores (ρ = 0.67; p < 0.001), supporting the age-dependent progression of speech production milestones. Gender did not significantly affect the scores. Normative curves and minimum expected scores were established for each age group. Conclusions: This study confirmed that the Romanian version of the LEESPQ is a reliable, valid, language-independent instrument, useful in the assessment of language development in children with normal hearing, aged up to 18 months.

Parents’ Support of the Educational and Language Development of Children with Hearing Impairment (HI) in Eswatini

Parents’ Support of the Educational and Language Development of Children with Hearing Impairment (HI) in Eswatini

The Application of Digital Media in Preschool English Education

With the rapid evolution of digital technology, the application of digital media is becoming increasingly important in the field of education, especially in the English learning of preschool children. This shift has prompted educators to rethink traditional teaching methods and explore how to effectively utilize new technologies to enhance the experience and effectiveness of language learning. Based on constructivist learning theory, this paper investigates how digital media promotes language acquisition and cognitive development in preschool children through rich audio-visual input. Through the classification of digital media tools, it provides a thorough analysis of the varied applications in collective teaching, regional activities, and family education, critically examining the functions and effects of digital media in each context. In addition, a detailed analysis is provided on the use of digital media tools, their impact on teachers' instructional strategies, and the acceptance and interactivity of these tools by children during the learning process. The unique advantages of digital media in English teaching are also evaluated in the paper, while its limitations are highlighted. The results indicate the challenges faced in the application of digital media and propose a series of coping strategies to promote its effective implementation in preschool English teaching. In the future, the potential of digital media in educational technology should be explored, with further research to better support children's language learning and development

Longitudinal associations between screen time and children's language, early educational skills, and peer social functioning.

Children's high and increasing levels of screen time are of growing concern to parents, health professionals, and researchers. With the growing availability and use of devices such as smartphones and tablets, it is important to understand the impact of children's screen use on development. Prospective longitudinal data from 6,281 children (48.3% female) in the Growing Up in New Zealand study were used to examine relations between the extent of screen exposure in early childhood (2-4.5 years) and later language development, early educational skills, and peer social functioning at ages 4.5 and 8 years. Higher levels of screen exposure were associated with lower levels of vocabulary, communication, writing, numeracy, and letter fluency and higher levels of peer problems. These associations were reduced after controlling for confounding family social background factors but remained significant. Results indicate that more than 1.5 hr of daily direct screen time at age 2 was associated with below average language and educational ability and above average levels of peer relationship problems at age 4.5. Exposure to more than 2.5 hr of daily direct screen time was associated with higher than average peer relationship problems at age 8. Findings indicate that high levels of screen exposure during early childhood are negatively associated with children's later language, educational, and social development. Such information is critical to help inform policy guidelines, health care, and parenting practices regarding the availability and children's use of screens in early childhood. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

The Impact of Autistic Traits on Joint Attention in Young Children With Down Syndrome During Mother-Child and Father-Child Interactions.

Joint attention predicts later language in Down syndrome (DS) and autism. The co-occurrence of autism in children with DS is 6%-19%, which is higher than in the general population. However, little is known about how co-occurring autism in DS impacts the development of joint attention. This study compared mother-child and father-child interactions in families of children with DS. Our purpose was to investigate differences in caregiver joint-attention bids and whether caregiver and child joint attention were associated with autistic traits and receptive language in children with DS. Fifteen children with DS (Mage = 39.67 months) and their biological caregivers participated in the current study. We collected mother-child and father-child interactions in participant's homes. Using Wilcoxon signed-ranks tests, we examined if there were differences in mothers' and fathers' joint attention bids and if children responded differently to their bids. We used Spearman correlations to examine the associations between child autistic traits, receptive language, and caregiver and child joint attention. We found that mothers initiated more joint-attention bids than fathers but did not find differences in child responsiveness or initiations based on communication partner. Mothers used more bids when children had more autistic traits. Child autistic traits were negatively correlated with child responsiveness to father joint-attention bids. Children with more autistic traits produced fewer joint-attention bids with both caregivers. Findings suggest mothers and fathers may use differing approaches to support their child's language development. Regardless of communication partner, children with more autistic traits engaged in fewer instances of joint attention.

Reliability, validity and developmental sensitivity of the Language Use Inventory (LUI) in the Spanish context

IntroductionThe Language Use Inventory (LUI) is a standardized parent-report questionnaire to assess pragmatic language development in children 18 to 47 months of age. The aim of this study is to describe the translation of the Language Use Inventory (LUI) from English to Spanish and to report findings on the Spanish version's reliability, validity and developmental sensitivity. MethodsThe original English version of the LUI was translated into Spanish. Parents of 236 typically developing children completed the inventory. A sub-sample of 107 participants completed the LUI-Spanish, again within 2 weeks, to assess test-retest reliability. ResultsResults showed that the LUI-Spanish demonstrates robust psychometric properties, exhibiting strong internal consistency and test-retest reliability, as well as good developmental sensitivity. Children's scores showed a decrease with age in the subscales that assess communication with gestures. In contrast, subscales that assess communication with sentences obtained significant higher scores with participants' age. No significant differences were found in terms of gender. ConclusionsFindings indicate that the LUI-Spanish is a suitable tool for assessing the pragmatic skills of toddlers and preschool-aged children.

Theories of Language Development in Children: A Study from Linguistic and Psychological Perspectives

Theories of Language Development in Children: A Study from Linguistic and Psychological Perspectives

Bursty, Irregular Speech Input to Children Predicts Vocabulary Size.

Children learn language by listening to speech from caregivers around them. However, the type and quantity of speech input that children are exposed to change throughout early childhood in ways that are poorly understood due to the small samples (few participants, limited hours of observation) typically available in developmental psychology. Here we used child-centered audio recorders to unobtrusively measure speech input in the home to 292 children (aged 2-7 years), acquiring English in the United States, over 555 distinct days (approximately 8600 total hours of observation, or 29.62 h/child). These large timescales allowed us to compare how different dimensions of child-directed speech input (quantity, burstiness) varied throughout early childhood. We then evaluated the relationship between each dimension of input and children's concurrent receptive vocabulary size. We found that the burstiness of speech input (spikes of words) was a stronger correlate with age than the quantity of speech input. Input burstiness was also a stronger predictor than input quantity for children's vocabulary size: children who heard spiky, more intense bouts of input had larger vocabularies. Overall, these results reaffirm the importance of speech input in the home for children's language development and support exposure-consolidation models of early languagedevelopment.

The Influence Of Cognition On Children's Language Development: The Relationship Between Comprehension, Memory and Language

The Influence Of Cognition On Children's Language Development: The Relationship Between Comprehension, Memory and Language

Integrating Balinese Gamelan Music with Sensorimotor Rhythm Intervention to Improve Brain Wave Synchrony and Language Processing in Autistic Children

The main objective of this study was to explore the effectiveness of combining Balinese Gamelan music with sensorimotor rhythm intervention in improving brain wave synchronization and language processing abilities in autistic children. This study used a qualitative method with an ethnographic case study approach to explore how the integration of Balinese gamelan music and sensorimotor rhythm intervention has the potential to affect brain wave synchronization and language development in autistic children. This study in-depth examines the experiences of autistic participants in the context of a culture-based intervention, which combines elements of traditional rhythm with sensorimotor therapy in a natural and authentic environment. Participants were selected through purposive sampling technique, consisting of parents of children with autism spectrum who experience limitations in language processing, aged between 5 and 15 years, who had been selected based on parental willingness and therapist recommendations. The number of participants was estimated at 25 children, sufficient for in-depth data collection and considering the variability of responses to the intervention. This study shows that the integration of Balinese gamelan music with sensorimotor rhythm intervention has the potential to improve motor synchronization, focus ability, emotional engagement, and language processing in autistic children. This intervention was also able to create a positive atmosphere that supported children's engagement in a structured musical environment. In addition, preliminary data from EEG suggests that gamelan rhythms may help create more regular brainwave synchronization, although these findings require further research to confirm. Overall, the results of this study provide new insights into the role of traditional music in supporting sensorimotor and cognitive development in children on the autism spectrum, especially in unique cultural contexts.

EFFECT OF SOCIAL INTERACTION ON NEGATIVE VOCABULARY ACQUISITION IN 6-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN

This study aims to describe how social interaction affects the acquisition of negative vocabulary in 6-year-old children. This research was conducted using descriptive qualitative method. The subject in this study is a 6-year-old boy. The data in the study are negative vocabulary utterances produced by 6-year-old children. The data collection technique applied in this research is direct observation through interviews. The results show that children who communicate less with parents and interact more with the outside environment tend to use more negative vocabulary. Environmental factors, such as home, school, and playground, play an important role in this process. Therefore, it is important for parents and educators to create a conducive environment and provide positive social stimulus to support children's healthy language development.

Analisis Metode Bernyanyi pada Pengembangan Bahasa Anak Usia Dini di RA As-Syarif Sibanggor Jae

Name: Trini Dama Yanti. Student ID: 20030041. This thesis discusses the analysis of singing methods in early childhood language development at RA As-Syarif, Sibanggor Jae village. The research aims to determine (1) the language development of early childhood at RA As-Syarif and (2) the effectiveness of the singing method in supporting language development. This qualitative study employs a descriptive approach, describing data processing results through observation, interviews, and documentation. Data were analyzed in three stages: data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. The results indicate significant progress in children's language development at RA As-Syarif, particularly in symbolic and complex language use. The singing method has proven effective in enhancing vocabulary, speaking skills, and children's confidence. This research concludes that the singing method creates a fun learning environment that supports early childhood language development.

Annual Research Review: How did COVID-19 affect young children's language environment and language development? A scoping review.

A diverse body of research conducted since the start of Covid-19 has investigated the impact of the pandemic on children's environments and their language development. This scoping review synthesises the peer-reviewed research literature on this topic between 2020 and 2023. Following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews, we searched five databases for studies that fulfilled the following inclusion criteria: studies with neurotypical (monolingual or multilingual) 0-6-year-old children; studies focusing on any area of language development, including sources describing literacy or educational practices that impacted language development; studies focusing in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, with no restrictions of geographical location or language used by participants. Ninety-four eligible studies were identified for review. The extracted data were synthesised using frequency tables and narrative descriptions. Eligible studies used a wide range of data collection periods, methods, research sites, sample ages, sizes, and roles to fulfil 15 broad aims. They show that children's language-learning environments were significantly impacted, with variability over time and across the socioeconomic spectrum. Together they investigated diverse language domains, as well as several home, educational, and demographic factors that were hypothesised to impact children's language development. Of those studies that focused on language outcomes, most converge to suggest a decline in typical expectations of children's language development, including their social communication, vocabulary, morphosyntax, literacy, and language of schooling, as well as general communication skills, school readiness, and other areas of academic progress. Our synthesis suggests that children's language and environment were significantly impacted by COVID-19. This scoping review will support families, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers working with pandemic-era children to further understand the effects of the pandemic on children's development.

Consonant articulation accuracy in paediatric cochlear implant recipients

ABSTRACT Hearing loss is a significant risk factor for delays in the spoken language development of children. The purpose of this study was to examine the distribution of articulation errors for English consonants among children with cochlear implants (CIs) who utilise auditory-oral communication. Speech samples from 45 prelingually deafened paediatric CI users were obtained using a single-word picture elicitation task. Samples were audio recorded and transcribed in PRAAT; overall percentage consonant correct (PCC) and individual phoneme error patterns were examined. Results showed an average PCC of 76.49% and participants exhibited lower accuracy in producing several consonants that are late acquired by typically hearing and developing children. In comparison to previous studies of children with severe-to-profound hearing loss who did not use CIs, participants in this study were more accurate in their production of most fricatives and affricates. Surprisingly, some phonemes that are acquired early in typically developing populations and that have high visual salience, specifically the nasal bilabial stop, /m/, were produced with relatively lower accuracy than would be expected based on published research. In comparison to voiced and voiceless oral bilabial stops, /b/ and /p/, /m/ was subject to substantially more place of articulation errors.

Exploring the Role of Early Diagnosis of Hearing Loss in Children and Its Impact on Educational Outcomes, Language Development, and Social Integration in Special Education Settings

The study explores the impact of early diagnosis of hearing loss on children's educational outcomes, language development, and social integration in special education settings. The research involved 150 children with early hearing loss, comparing the differences between early diagnosis (0-2 years) and late diagnosis (more than 2 years after birth). A quantitative research design was employed, using standardized test scores, teacher assessments, speech development tests, and social interaction surveys for data collection. The findings show that early diagnosis positively influences academic performance, language development, and peer interactions. Children diagnosed early demonstrated better academic outcomes (p < 0.05), more advanced language skills (p < 0.05), and improved social interactions (p < 0.05) compared to those diagnosed later. A strong positive correlation was found between early diagnosis and the effectiveness of support services (r = 0.65, p < 0.05). These results emphasize the importance of early intervention and robust support systems for children with hearing loss, highlighting the need for expanded newborn hearing screening programs and improvements in educational practices. Further research is recommended on long-term outcomes, the role of assistive technologies, and the influence of family involvement on improving outcomes following early diagnosis.

Vitamin B12 intake during pregnancy linked to child speech development and intelligence quotient.

Nutrient deficiencies during pregnancy may affect offspring development. We aim to examine the association between prenatal vitamin B12 intake and children's cognitive development. A total of 5151 mother-child pairs from the Czech part of ELSPAC study were included in the analysis. Dietary information was obtained during pregnancy using food frequency questionnaire. Parents reported on their child's speech and language development at 18months, 3, 5 and 7years. Intelligence quotient (IQ) was measured at 8years in subcohort of 854 children. Children of mothers with higher vitamin B12 intake demonstrated higher scores in language (B=0.20, 95% CI 0.06, 0.34) and talking and understanding (B=2.39, 95% CI 0.97, 3.80) in a fully adjusted model at 18months. Additionally, they were more likely to get maximum points in the intelligibility test at age 3 (OR=1.05, 95% CI 1.01, 1.09) in unadjusted model, however, not in fully adjusted model. We found a positive effect of higher vitamin B12 intake on verbal IQ (B=1.08, 95% CI 0.09, 2.08). We identified consistent associations between prenatal vitamin B12 intake and children's cognitive development. The results suggest that inadequate vitamin B12 during pregnancy may negatively affect children's cognitive development, particularly in speech and language.

Is home environment predictive of early grammar development?

Research shows that children's home environment (e.g., the composition of their household and the resources available in it) has an impact on children's language development. However, this research has mostly been conducted among English speakers from the minority world and has often only considered vocabulary size. This exploratory study investigated whether home environment factors are predictive of grammar development in Afrikaans-speaking (n = 117) and English-speaking (n = 102) toddlers in South Africa. Moreover, potential differences between these two language groups were explored. Results showed that home environment factors pertaining to family stability predicted two of the three grammar scores, namely total grammar and complex phrases. Cluster analysis showed distinct patterns of home environment factors between Afrikaans and English-speaking households, illustrating the importance of measuring these factors even across samples from the same country. This study shows that children's home environment is an interconnected system and cautions against oversimplified single-factor approaches.