Language Development Research Articles

Psychomatics-A Multidisciplinary Framework for Understanding Artificial Minds.

Although large language models (LLMs) and other artificial intelligence systems demonstrate cognitive skills similar to humans, such as concept learning and language acquisition, the way they process information fundamentally differs from biological cognition. To better understand these differences, this article introduces Psychomatics, a multidisciplinary framework bridging cognitive science, linguistics, and computer science. It aims to delve deeper into the high-level functioning of LLMs, focusing specifically on how LLMs acquire, learn, remember, and use information to produce their outputs. To achieve this goal, Psychomatics will rely on a comparative methodology, starting from a theory-driven research question-is the process of language development and use different in humans and LLMs?-drawing parallels between LLMs and biological systems. Our analysis shows how LLMs can map and manipulate complex linguistic patterns in their training data. Moreover, LLMs can follow Grice's Cooperative principle to provide relevant and informative responses. However, human cognition draws from multiple sources of meaning, including experiential, emotional, and imaginative facets, which transcend mere language processing and are rooted in our social and developmental trajectories. Moreover, current LLMs lack physical embodiment, reducing their ability to make sense of the intricate interplay between perception, action, and cognition that shapes human understanding and expression. Ultimately, Psychomatics holds the potential to yield transformative insights into the nature of language, cognition, and intelligence, both artificial and biological. Moreover, by drawing parallels between LLMs and human cognitive processes, Psychomatics can inform the development of more robust and human-like artificial intelligence systems.

Analyze How Children Acquire Language and the Cognitive Processes Involved, including the Role of Environmental and Social Factors

Language acquisition is a multifaceted process through which children develop the ability to understand, produce, and utilize language for communication. This study explores the cognitive processes and social factors involved in language development, with a focus on how environmental contexts such as home, school, and community shape these abilities. Utilizing a qualitative approach, the research draws from semi-structured interviews, observations, and case studies of 200 participants, including children, parents, and educators, to investigate the roles of phonological awareness, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics in language acquisition. The study is grounded in theoretical frameworks such as Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory, Bruner’s Interactionist Theory, and Piaget’s Cognitive Developmental Theory, which provide insights into the interaction of social, cognitive, and environmental factors. The research findings emphasize the importance of structured educational activities, a language-rich environment, and positive social interactions in fostering language development. The study reveals that children who engage in targeted phonological activities, such as rhyming games and sound manipulation tasks, exhibit stronger phonological skills, which are critical for early literacy. It also highlights how syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic skills develop through meaningful interactions with caregivers, peers, and teachers. Additionally, the research underscores the significant role of environmental factors, such as verbal interactions at home and interactive teaching methods in the classroom, in supporting language development. This study addresses gaps in the literature by integrating cognitive mechanisms with social interactions and examining the impact of contemporary contexts, including digital media, on language acquisition. The findings offer practical recommendations for educators and parents, emphasizing the need to create supportive language environments and foster interactive learning experiences. The research contributes to a deeper understanding of the interplay between cognitive processes and environmental influences in language acquisition, providing valuable insights for improving educational practices and supporting children’s linguistic development.

A Study on the Impact of Voice-to-Text Technology on Academic Achievement of the Hearing-Impaired

Hearing loss is a significant barrier to academic achievement, with hearing-impaired (HI) individuals often facing challenges in speech recognition, language development, and social interactions. Lip-reading, a crucial skill for HI individuals, is essential for effective communication and learning. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the challenges faced by HI individuals, with the face masks hindering lip-reading. This literature review explores the relationship between hearing loss and academic achievement, highlighting the importance of lip-reading and the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) techniques in mitigating these challenges. The introduction of Voice-to-Text (VtT) technology, which provides real-time text captions, can significantly improve speech recognition and academic performance for HI students. AI models, such as Hidden Markov models and Transformer models, can enhance the accuracy and robustness of VtT technology in diverse educational settings. Furthermore, VtT technology can facilitate better teacher-student interactions, provide transcripts of lectures and classroom discussions, and bridge the gap in standardized testing performance between HI and hearing students. While challenges and limitations exist, the successful implementation of VtT technology can promote inclusive education and enhance academic achievement. Future research directions include popularizing VtT technology, addressing technological barriers, and customizing VtT systems to cater to individual needs.

The contribution of the amount of linguistic exposure to bilingual language development: Longitudinal evidence from preschool years.

This study examined the influence of linguistic input on the development of productive and receptive skills across three fundamental language domains: lexico-semantics, syntax, and phonology. Seventy-one (35 female) Basque-Spanish bilingual children were assessed at three time points (Fall 2018, Summer 2019, Winter 2021), between 4 and 6 years of age, by specifically examining language knowledge and spontaneous language use in each language. A direct impact of the amount of linguistic exposure on the longitudinal growth of lexico-semantic and syntactic abilities was observed in both languages. While phonological skills were not directly influenced by exposure, they were more proficient in the more exposed language. The use of lexically diverse and syntactically rich utterances developed relatively later than language knowledge, both supported by the amount of linguistic exposure.

Feasibility and acceptability of a caregiver-mediated early support program, delivered online, for infants at elevated familial likelihood for autism: A feasibility randomized controlled trial.

Preliminary evidence indicates potential benefit of providing caregiver-mediated intervention, prior to diagnosis, for infants at elevated familial likelihood for autism and related developmental delays including language delay (EL-A). However, delivering such interventions online and in low-resource settings like India has not been reported. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of delivering a novel manualized caregiver-mediated early support program, the "LiL' STEPS," online in India, for EL-A infants. LiL' STEPS stands for Language development & Intervention Lab's (LiL') Supporting Early social-communication and language by Promoting caregiver Sensitive responsiveness (STEPS). The program comprised 14 sessions with a focus on social-communication and language, conducted over 12-weeks using demonstration and video feedback. Families of 36 EL-A infants aged 9 to 15-months participated in this feasibility randomized controlled trial (RCT). Families were randomized in a 2:1 ratio (n = 24 LiL' STEPS and n = 12 care as usual groups). Information on feasibility and acceptability was collated following a mixed methods approach from caregiver interviews, fidelity forms, session notes, and study register. Findings indicated the LiL' STEPS study trial as feasible and acceptable with recruitment rate of 4 per month, 100% willingness for randomization, 8.3% attrition, and 3.03% loss of blinding. Interventionist and caregiver fidelity was maintained above 80%. Despite challenges like interruptions during sessions, 100% families found the program acceptable and satisfactory, 86% said they would recommend the program to others, and 71% preferred online modality. Caregivers' perspectives on beneficial components and experience attending the program have been described. Accordingly, recommendations for future definitive RCTs have been presented.

Tracking Listening Skill Development in Infants and Children with Hearing Loss: A Normative Dataset for the Functional Listening Index-Paediatric (FLI-P®).

Longitudinal studies highlight the importance of early intervention and timely device fitting for language development in children with congenital or early acquired hearing loss. Due to the variability in hearing loss, comorbidities, family circumstances, and service access, individualised monitoring of listening development is essential to inform decision-making. The Functional Listening Index-Paediatric (FLI-P), a 64-item hierarchical checklist of listening skills, has been validated for children with hearing loss aged 0-6 years. This study aimed to develop benchmarks for the FLI-P in typically hearing children, allowing for comparison with individual children with hearing loss. FLI-P scores were obtained from parents/caregivers of 561 typically hearing children aged 0-72 months. Each child's FLI-P score was categorised into a 6-month age block, with a minimum of 36 data points per block. Quantile regression was employed to establish percentiles of FLI-P scores by age. FLI-P scores were successfully recorded for all 561 children. Regression analysis determined that the 16th and 84th percentiles of FLI-P scores corresponded to approximately ±1 standard deviation from the median score for each age group. A graphical representation of these percentile trajectories was created to facilitate comparison between children with hearing loss and the normative data. A normative dataset of FLI-P scores from typically hearing children has been established, allowing for comparisons with the scores and developmental trajectories of individual children with hearing loss. The study demonstrates how FLI-P can guide early intervention decisions and effectively monitor progress.

First Language Development on Children: The Literature Review Analysis

This article aims to observe about how children was acquiring and developing their first language. Most of the theorist agreed that mostly children acquire their language through several steps. They are Prelinguistic stage, babbling stage, one-word stage, two-word stage, telegraphic stage and multi-word stage. This research used literature review analysis to explore the detail explanation about first language development on children. It based on the theory of behaviorist, nativist, and interactionist. Behaviorist explained that language is learned through environmental conditioning and imitation of adult’s model. Nativist said that language is native, natural, and innate to human beings. Every child is born with a ‘built in’ device for acquiring language. In other explanation, iinteractionist said that language is a product of both genetic and environmental factors. This research contributed to the understanding of first language development and implicated to the understanding of second language development for children. It can be used to overviewed the second language learning.

Exploring the effect of dialogic reading on children with autism spectrum disorder: Do siblings promote their language development?

Most educators engaged in dialogic reading (DR) are adults, whilst less attention is paid to the teaching effect of siblings on the language development of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study, which included 1007 Chinese kindergarteners with ASD, aimed to examine the possible effects of siblings' DR involvement on the language development of ASD children in terms of receptive vocabulary, expressive vocabulary, character reading, listening comprehension and reading interest. After a 12-week intervention period, results revealed that, except listening comprehension, ASD children who read with their older siblings demonstrated greater improvements than when they read with their parents in terms of expressive vocabulary, character reading skills and reading interest. These findings demonstrated the positive effects of DR on the language development of ASD children and highlight the importance of involving siblings in home literacy activities to facilitate the language development of ASD children. The effects of gender dyads and age differences between educators and ASD children have also been discussed.

Fostering Play in the COVID Crisis: Insights from Infant-Toddler Teachers

AbstractPlay is pivotal in supporting young children’s holistic development. The COVID-19 crisis further highlighted the importance of play in supporting children’s well-being and in providing a sense of normalcy. Guided by the phenomenographic method, this study aimed to examine Korean in-service infant-toddler teachers’ experiences in fostering play in early childhood educational classrooms during the COVID-19 crisis. The study involved 10 infant-toddler teachers working with children under the age of three years at a large university-based childcare center. They participated in drawing tasks and in-person focus group interviews. The findings revealed that the pandemic caused and exacerbated barriers to everyday play. However, despite challenges, the participants demonstrated their strong commitment to play in the classroom, exhibiting resilience, adaptability, creativity, and resourcefulness. They continued to create a playful environment, support play in various forms, and prioritize play-based learning, demonstrating their strong commitment to play. One notable change expressed by the participants was limited social interaction during mealtime. This study found that the much-needed, unavoidable public health interventions during the COVID-19 crisis may have resulted in unintended consequences for infants’ and toddlers’ social-emotional and language development. Such findings reinforce the idea that play should remain at the forefront of education during the pandemic and beyond.

Exploring word-referent mapping in Mandarin-speaking late-talkers at 33 months and its language predictors at 27 months: An eye-tracking study.

This longitudinal study investigated the language skills, phonological working memory and lexical-tone perception of Mandarin-speaking late-talkers (LTs) and those with typical language development (TLD) at 27 months, while also examining their connections with novel word-referent mapping (W-R mapping) through eye-tracking at 33 months. Participants included 22 Mandarin-speaking 27-month-old LTs and 22 toddlers with TLD. Data on expressive and receptive language abilities, as well as phonological working memory and lexical-tone perception, were collected when participants were 27 months old. An eye-tracking paradigm was further employed during the word-learning tasks, which included W-R mapping and word-identification test (W-I test) phases at 33 months. Multilevel models were used to analyse participants' gaze pattern trajectories. At 27 months, LT toddlers exhibited poorer language skills (receptive: p = 0.015, expressive: p < 0.001), lexical-tone perception (p < 0.001) and phonological working memory (p < 0.001) compared to those with TLD, even after considering maternal educational level and participants' fine motor ability. During the W-I test phase, we observed that LT toddlers showed a slower increase in fixations on the novel target image while listening to the corresponding novel word over time, compared to TLD toddlers (linear: p = 0.011, quadratic: p = 0.007) after adding confounders. Further, expressive language ability at 27 months old was a predictor of their newly established W-R mappings at 33 months old (p = 0.016). Additionally, the toddler's phonological working memory and lexical-tone perception were associated with their expressive language ability (p = 0.001 and < 0.001). These findings indicate that the novel W-R mapping is not as robust in LTs as in TLDs, and the skills necessary for word learning share similarities with a wide range of expressive language abilities. Moreover, poor expressive language abilities were associated with deficits in lexical processing abilities; that is, phonological working memory and lexical-tone perception. These findings suggest the need for interventions aimed at improving LTs' lexical processing abilities to strengthen their lagging word-learning skills at toddlerhood. What is already known on this subject Late-talkers (LTs) exhibit delays in expressive vocabulary development. Furthermore, they also perform poorly in word learning. What this paper adds to existing knowledge The eye-tracking paradigm was employed and found that novel word-referent mapping (W-R mapping) is not as robust in LTs as in those with typical language development. Toddlers' early expressive language ability could predict their ability to establish novel W-R mappings. Furthermore, the better the phonological working memory and lexical-tone perception of LTs are, the better their early expressive language ability is. What are the clinical implications of this work? Interventions might consider incorporating strategies to improve phonological working memory and lexical-tone perception to help Mandarin-speaking LTs enhance linguistic capacities and build robust novel W-R mapping.

Intermodal Bilinguals: Acquisition of Sign Language as L1 and Written Language as L2

Based on a bibliographical review and re-readings of different authors, we aim to bring visibility to the discussion regarding inter modal bilingualism and, consequently, to present a reflection on the acquisition of the first and second languages (L1 and L2) by deaf children. We aim to highlight the importance of the first language, in this case, sign language, as a means for developing competence in the second language, the oral language, in its written modality. We divided the article into an explanation of the contact of deaf children with sign language (SL) as their first language. It discusses the development of oral language (OL) as the second language: first addressing writing and then moving on to issues related to reading. Finally, it reflects on using visual resources and how these visual modes can enhance the second language teaching and learning process for deaf children.

Reimagining Students’ and Student Development and Support Practitioners’ Experiences in a Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) Programme at a University in South Africa

This mixed methods study explored the experiences and views of information and communication technology (ICT) students and student development and support (SDS) practitioners who facilitated the English Word Power (EWP) programme, which was used as an intervention to address the students’ poor English proficiency skills at a university of technology (UoT) in South Africa. There is current research on the experiences and views of students and lecturers on computer-assisted language learning (CALL) programmes; however, no studies have been published on the experiences of SDS practitioners on similar programmes in South Africa. This study addresses this gap by providing the voices of SDS practitioners regarding their experiences with a CALL programme. A descriptive and interpretive research design was adopted. Self-report questionnaires and in-depth interviews were used to collect data. The findings from the student questionnaires (n = 99) indicated that the students were enthusiastic about the programme and enjoyed it. The SDS practitioners (n = 4), however, found it problematic to integrate the EWP programme into their regular teaching activities. It is recommended that a CALL programme, which teaches listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, be integrated with regular teaching. Future research should focus on how to integrate CALL programmes into language development interventions that address students’ poor English proficiency.

Interactive roles of preterm-birth and socioeconomic status in cortical thickness of language-related brain structures: Findings from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study

Preterm-born (PTB) children are at an elevated risk for neurocognitive difficulties in general and language difficulties more specifically. Environmental factors such as socio-economic status (SES) play a key role for Term children's language development. SES has been shown to predict PTB children's behavioral developmental trajectories, sometimes surpassing its role for Term children. However, the role of SES in the neurocognitive basis of PTB children's language development remains uncharted. Here, we aimed to evaluate the role of SES in the neural basis of PTB children's language performance. Leveraging the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, the largest longitudinal study of adolescent brain development and behavior to date, we showed that prematurity status (PTB versus Term) and multiple aspects of SES additively predict variability in cortical thickness, which is in turn related to children's receptive vocabulary performance. We did not find evidence to support the differential role of environmental factors for PTB versus Term children, underscoring that environmental factors are significant contributors to development of both Term and PTB children. Taken together, our results suggest that the environmental factors influencing language development might exhibit similarities across the full spectrum of gestational age.

The effect of unconditional cash transfers on maternal assessments of children's early language and socioemotional development: Experimental evidence from U.S. families residing in poverty.

Economic disadvantage has often been associated with poorer performance on measures of early childhood development. However, the causal impacts of income on child development remain unclear. The present study uses data from the Baby's First Years randomized control trial to identify the causal impact of unconditional cash transfers on maternal reports of early childhood development. One thousand racially and ethnically diverse mothers residing in poverty were recruited from four U.S. metropolitan areas shortly after giving birth. Mothers were randomized to receive either a $333/month or $20/month unconditional cash transfer for the first several years of their child's life. Maternal reports of language and socioemotional development, concerns for developmental delay, and enrollment in early intervention services were collected annually at the time of the child's first, second, and third birthdays. In this registered report, we document no statistically detectable impacts of the high-cash gift on maternal reports of child development. We discuss the significance and implications of these findings. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Cohort profile: The Aboriginal Families Study – a prospective cohort of Aboriginal children and their mothers and caregivers in South Australia

PurposeThe Aboriginal Families Study is a prospective, intergenerational cohort study with well-established Aboriginal governance arrangements and community partnerships to support all research processes including data collection, interpretation and knowledge translation.Participants344...

How Turkish supplementary schools in the UK boost vocabulary in bilingual children (ages 4–8)

ABSTRACT This study investigates the heritage language development of Turkish-English bilingual children in the UK, focusing on the effects of Turkish supplementary schools and home language environments. A mixed-methods approach was used to compare 4–8-year-old children attending Turkish supplementary schools with those who do not, using vocabulary and narrative tasks and questionnaires. Participants included children from Turkish supplementary schools (attendees, n = 19) and Turkish communities (non-attendees, n = 22) in Doncaster, London, Manchester, Nottingham and York, along with their parents (n = 39). Data were collected in two phases. Initial results indicated that attendees underperformed in Turkish vocabulary production and comprehension, as well as narrative skills, compared to non-attendees, although their English proficiency was comparable. Cross-sectional analysis showed significant lexical growth for both groups from time 1 (t1) to time 2 (t2). Despite these gains, attendees continued to lag in Turkish language knowledge. Attendance at supplementary schools did not significantly affect English vocabulary knowledge. The underperformance of attendees in Turkish language tasks is attributed to greater Turkish exposure and use at home among non-attendees. These findings highlight the critical role of home language practice in bilingual development, suggesting that future studies should consider home language use in their assessments.

Meningkatkan Kemampuan Bahasa Anak Melalui Pembelajaran Kooperatif Type Picture and Picture di Kelompok B TK Hanan Al-Fazza

This research was motivated by the lack of language development in children aged 5-6 years in group B of Hanan Al-Fazza Kindergarten. This research aims to determine: 1) Children's language development before using the picture and picture type learning model in group B of Hanan Al-Fazza Kindergarten. 2) How does the child's language develop after using the picture and picture type learning model in group B of Hanan Al-Fazza Kindergarten. 3) What obstacles do children encounter through the picture and picture type learning model? This research was carried out at Hanan Al-Fazza Kindergarten, Percut Sei Tuan subdistrict on February 16 2024 with 15 children studied. This research was carried out with a pre-cycle, followed by cycle I and finally cycle II. Each cycle is held 5 times. Based on the results of research that has been carried out, there is an increase in children's language improvement through the picture and picture type learning model, which was obtained from pre-cycle to cycle II. Where the results obtained pre-cycle showed that the classical percentage of children's language improvement through the typ e-picture and picture learning model was 27%, then in cycle I there was 53% and finally in cycle II there was 80%. With the final results obtained by researchers in the last cycle with a total of 80%, it can be categorized as improving children's language at Hanan Al-Fazza Kindergarten as developing very well.

Connecting the tots: Strong looking-pointing correlations in preschoolers' word learning and implications for continuity in language development.

How does one assess developmental change when the measures themselves change with development? Most developmental studies of word learning use either looking (infants) or pointing (preschoolers and older). With little empirical evidence of the relationship between the two measures, developmental change is difficult to assess. This paper analyzes 914 pointing, looking children (451 female, varied ethnicities, 2.5-6.5 years, dates: 2009-2019) in 36 word- or sound-learning experiments with two-alternative test trials. Looking proportions and pointing accuracy correlated strongly (r = .7). Counter to the "looks first" hypothesis, looks were not sensitive to incipient knowledge that pointing missed: when pointing is at chance, looking proportions are also. Results suggest one possible path forward for assessing continuous developmental change. Methodological best practices are discussed.

Language science outreach through schools and social media: critical considerations

Abstract As researchers who rely on federal funding and community participation, we have an obligation to return scientific knowledge to the community. Our outreach goals are to share information about language development and sensory impairments, introduce language science to future scientists, distribute scientific results accessibly, and illuminate the breadth of what science and scientists look like. We seek to achieve this in two ways: by sharing about language science beyond the ivory tower through short videos on social media and easy-to-read articles on our blog, and through educational outreach. For the latter, in recent efforts we designed and implemented after-school programming for young public schoolchildren, targeting early negative attitudes about STEM abilities. We presented profiles of underrepresented scientists in a range of fields, including language science, and discussed language modalities using observation games to help children appreciate science as a creative process of questions and failure – something they could do, not just “others” who do not look like them. We used the Draw-a-Scientist Task to assess our impact: children’s drawings were more representative after our program. In this article, we explore our missteps, difficulties, and successes.

A tutorial: self-created film as a semiotic resource in AAC

Sharing personal stories with others is essential to human interaction and language development. To communicate, individuals use a variety of semiotic resources, including images, symbols, and written and spoken language. These modes are deployed in the co-construction of a daily face-to-face conversation. A self-created film can serve as a valuable resource to facilitate a deeper understanding of a personal experience, especially where spoken or written language may present a challenge, for example, for people who rely on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Although the AAC literature indicates that using videos delivers benefits for aided communicators, guidelines on how to self-create, use, and transcribe them are rare. The present paper, a tutorial, describes how people who use AAC can develop a personal-video-scene (PVS) via the Film as Observable Communication (FaOC) method to utilize self-created films in sharing their stories. The first part of this paper, the theoretical framework, describes theories, methods, and practices from the fields of AAC, social semiotics, and visual anthropology, on which the FaOC method is based. The second part provides a step-by-step tutorial delivering practical guidance on how to create, use, and transcribe the PVS as a resource in conversations.