Receptive Vocabulary Growth Research Articles

What else will I do when I start school? Preschoolers’ wh-questions in dinnertime conversations and their language development

While it is established that parental wh-questions, as a high-quality language input, are associated with child language outcome, less is known about the role of children’s wh-questions in their language development. This study examines whether children’s wh-questions during a dinnertime conversation are associated with their receptive and expressive language skills. The sample consists of a unique group of bilingual children: 32 Chinese preschoolers (aged 3–5 years) in Norway. At the onset of the study, parents self-recorded a dinnertime conversation with the target child and other family members present. Over the following year, we assessed children’s receptive vocabulary, expressive vocabulary, and narrative skills in Chinese three times. Individual growth modeling revealed that concurrently, the density of children’s wh-questions was associated with children’s expressive vocabulary and narrative skills, but the association faded when controlling for family demographics. Significantly, even when accounting for all control variables, children’s wh-questions predicted their receptive vocabulary growth across one year. These findings underline children’s active role in shaping their language learning and development. This study also contributes to our understanding of bilingual children’s home language development. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Sustained benefits of early childhood education and care (ECEC) for young children’s development during COVID-19

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings faced significant disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic, compromising the continuity, stability and quality of provision. Three years on from the first UK lockdown as pandemic-era preschoolers enter formal schooling, stakeholders are concerned about the impact of the disruption on children’s cognitive and socioemotional development, especially those from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. Using parent-report data from 171 children aged 5 to 23 months ( M = 15 months) in March to June 2020 living in the UK, we investigate whether previously attested positive associations between ECEC attendance and the development of language and executive functions was maintained as early years settings navigated operational challenges over the first full year of the pandemic. In response to concerns about ‘school readiness’, we analyse the relationship between ECEC attendance and children’s communication, problem-solving and personal-social development. ECEC was associated with greater growth in receptive vocabulary over the 12-month period. In children from less advantaged backgrounds, ECEC was also associated with greater growth in expressive vocabulary. Our data suggest a similarly positive association between ECEC attendance and the communication and problem-solving skills of children from less advantaged backgrounds and between ECEC and the personal-social development of all children. Overall, results suggest that ECEC had sustained learning benefits for children growing up during the pandemic despite ongoing disruption to settings, with specific benefits for children from less affluent home environments. As pandemic-era children progress to primary school, we discuss the importance of adapting their learning conditions and adjusting the expectations placed on them.

Caregiver sensitivity supported young children's vocabulary development during the Covid-19 UK lockdowns.

Previous studies have shown that caregivers' sensitive, responsive interactions with young children can boost language development. We explored the association between caregivers' sensitivity and the vocabulary development of their 8-to-36-month-olds during COVID-19 when family routines were unexpectedly disrupted. Measuring caregivers' sensitivity from home interaction videos at three timepoints, we found that children who experienced more-sensitive concurrent interactions had higher receptive and expressive vocabularies (N=100). Children whose caregivers showed more-sensitive interactions at the beginning of the pandemic showed greater expressive vocabulary growth six (but not 12) months later (n=58). Significant associations with receptive vocabulary growth were not observed. Our findings highlight the importance of sensitivity at a time when other positive influences on language development were compromised.

The effect of CLIL context on the primary education EFL receptive and productive lexical growth

This cross-sectional study aimed to explore the nature and the patterns of lexical growth in content and language integrated learning (CLIL) and non-CLIL learners across three successive academic years. To pursue the purpose of the study a total of 110 female students of six classes in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades in both bilingual and monolingual schools in Tehran, Iran, were selected. The experimental group included 50 students, while the control group included 60 students. Receptive and productive vocabulary sizes of three grades from both environments were compared using the Vocabulary Levels Test (VLT) and the Productive Vocabulary Levels Test (PVLT). The results indicated that learners’ receptive and productive vocabulary sizes in both CLIL and non-CLIL groups are below 1,000 words, according to the results of the 2k VLT and 2k PVLT tests. In addition, both CLIL and non-CLIL groups showed a gradual increase in their receptive and productive vocabulary growth from third grade to fourth and fifth grades. Finally, across all three grades, the CLIL group showed a higher increase in their receptive and productive vocabulary growth than the non-CLIL group. The results of the study have implications for bilingual schools, language institutes, and language teachers and learners.

The Effects of Virtual Assessment on Capturing Skill Growth in Children With Hearing Loss.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of switching from in-person assessment to virtual assessment during the COVID-19 pandemic on the growth trajectories of children with hearing loss who are learning spoken language. Sixty-eight children with typical hearing, 44 children with cochlear implants, and 47 children with hearing aids were assessed with a norm-referenced measure of receptive vocabulary, a criterion-referenced measure of phonological awareness, and a criterion-referenced measure of conceptual print knowledge at least 4 times, at 6-month intervals, between the ages of 4 and 6 years. Of those participants, 26 children with typical hearing, 13 children with cochlear implants, and 13 children with hearing aids entered virtual testing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The slopes of growth for children who entered virtual testing were compared to their own slopes prepandemic and to the growth slopes of children who completed all testing in-person, prepandemic. Within-subject comparisons across all measures did not show a change in growth slopes prepandemic to postpandemic. For the measure of conceptual print knowledge, children who were tested during the pandemic showed slower overall growth than children who were tested prepandemic. No effects of hearing status were found across growth on any measure. These preliminary data support the use of virtual assessment to measure growth in receptive vocabulary, phonological awareness, and conceptual print knowledge in children with hearing loss learning spoken language.

Do Acoustic Environment Characteristics Affect the Lexical Development of Children With Cochlear Implants? A Longitudinal Study Before and After Cochlear Implant Activation

Purpose This study investigates the acoustic environment of children with cochlear implants (CIs) and the relationship between exposure to speech, in noise and in quiet, and the children's lexical production up to 1 year after CI activation, while controlling for the effect of early individual differences in receptive vocabulary growth. Method Eighteen children with CIs were observed at 3, 6, and 12 months after CI activation. Children's spontaneous word production during interaction with their mothers (types and tokens) and their expressive and receptive vocabulary size were considered. The characteristics of the acoustic environments in terms of acoustic scenes (speech in noise or in quiet, quiet, noise, music, and other) and of loudness ranges were assessed using data logging of the children's devices. Results Data analysis showed that both the number of tokens and the number of types produced 1 year after CI activation were affected by the children's exposure to speech in quiet with a loudness range between 40 and 69 dB. Expressive vocabulary size and types were affected by the receptive vocabulary knowledge that the children achieved over the first 3 months after CI activation. Conclusions Our data support the role of speech environment and individual differences in early comprehension on lexical production. The importance of exposure to speech with particular characteristics for the lexical development of children with CIs and the implications for clinical practice are discussed.

Home and school factors in early English language development

ABSTRACT The current study explored the home and school factors that are important for Singaporean pre-schoolers’ (N = 1440) early English development from K1 to P1. Language input quantity and quality factors at home (e.g., number of English books,) and at school (e.g., instructional support in class) were used to predict children’s English vocabulary and word reading development using linear mixed-effects models. Children’s internal factors (e.g., non-verbal reasoning) were controlled. The results revealed that children who had more English input and higher input quality at home demonstrated faster receptive vocabulary growth. Children’s word reading skill was more influenced by the English input quality at home. Children who were frequently read to in English demonstrated faster development in word reading competence. Mother’s educational level also mattered: higher maternal education was associated with faster growth in reading skill. The length of time children stayed at school and teachers’ qualification also significantly and positively associated with children’s English learning. These findings indicate the substantial contribution of the home literacy environment to Singaporean children’s early English language development, compared to the quality of teacher-child interactions in preschool. The necessity of more parental involvement in early English language learning at home is discussed under the realm of usage-based theory.

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) during COVID-19 boosts growth in language and executive function.

High‐quality, centre‐based education and care during the early years benefit cognitive development, especially in children from disadvantaged backgrounds. During the COVID‐19 pandemic and its associated lockdowns, access to early childhood education and care (ECEC) was disrupted. We investigate how this period affected the developmental advantages typically offered by ECEC. Using parent‐report data from 189 families living in the UK, we explore associations between time spent in ECEC by 8‐to‐36‐month‐olds, their socioeconomic background, and their growth in language and executive functions between Spring and Winter 2020. Receptive vocabulary growth was greater in children who continued to attend ECEC during the period, with a stronger positive effect for children from less advantaged backgrounds. The growth of cognitive executive functions (CEFs) was boosted by ECEC attendance during the period, regardless of socioeconomic background. Our findings highlight the importance of high‐quality ECEC for the development of key skills and for levelling socioeconomic inequalities.

Correction to: Let’s Talk Play! Exploring the Possible Benefits of Play-Based Pedagogy on Language and Literacy Learning in Two Title I Kindergarten Classrooms

The research literature well establishes that adverse conditions, such as poverty, can affect children’s cognitive development and academic achievement. Educators are challenged to translate these understandings into instructional practices grounded in research that best meet the needs of students, especially students living in poverty who are at greater risk for underperforming compared to their more resourced peers. This study explored the effects of two teachers’ direct instruction learning environments to test the hypothesis that Title I kindergarten students from low socioeconomic backgrounds will show greater gains in receptive vocabulary and literacy learning when purposeful play is incorporated. The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test 4th Edition (PPVT-4) results were analyzed in relation to students’ literacy learning as measured by i-Ready Diagnostic Reading at pre/post-test. While receptive vocabulary growth was greater in the didactic classroom, the reading growth was greater in the play-based classroom. Students with higher levels of receptive vocabulary in both classrooms also tended to perform better on measures of literacy achievement. The findings from this study, while limited, conclude that infusing both a play-based approach and systematic direct instruction may be the best way to support the literacy learning needs for all students. This study supports the bourgeoning research of play-based developmentally appropriate practices as an effective intervention to increase educational equity for vulnerable students.

Deaf Children of Hearing Parents Have Age-Level Vocabulary Growth When Exposed to American Sign Language by 6 Months of Age

To examine whether children who are deaf or hard of hearing who have hearing parents can develop age-level vocabulary skills when they have early exposure to a sign language. This cross-sectional study of vocabulary size included 78 children who are deaf or hard of hearing between 8 and 68months of age who were learning American Sign Language (ASL) and had hearing parents. Children who were exposed to ASL before 6months of age or between 6 and 36months of age were compared with a reference sample of 104 deaf and hard of hearing children who have parents who are deaf and sign. Deaf and hard of hearing children with hearing parents who were exposed to ASL in the first 6months of life had age-expected receptive and expressive vocabulary growth. Children who had a short delay in ASL exposure had relatively smaller expressive but not receptive vocabulary sizes, and made rapid gains. Although hearing parents generally learn ASL alongside their children who are deaf, their children can develop age-expected vocabulary skills when exposed to ASL during infancy. Children who are deaf with hearing parents can predictably and consistently develop age-level vocabularies at rates similar to native signers; early vocabulary skills are robust predictors of development across domains.

Let’s Talk Play! Exploring the Possible Benefits of Play-Based Pedagogy on Language and Literacy Learning in Two Title I Kindergarten Classrooms

The research literature well establishes that adverse conditions, such as poverty, can affect children’s cognitive development and academic achievement. Educators are challenged to translate these understandings into instructional practices grounded in research that best meet the needs of students, especially students living in poverty who are at greater risk for underperforming compared to their more resourced peers. This study explored the effects of two teachers’ direct instruction learning environments to test the hypothesis that Title I kindergarten students from low socioeconomic backgrounds will show greater gains in receptive vocabulary and literacy learning when purposeful play is incorporated. The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test 4th Edition (PPVT-4) results were analyzed in relation to students’ literacy learning as measured by i-Ready Diagnostic Reading at pre/post-test. While receptive vocabulary growth was greater in the didactic classroom, the reading growth was greater in the play-based classroom. Students with higher levels of receptive vocabulary in both classrooms also tended to perform better on measures of literacy achievement. The findings from this study, while limited, conclude that infusing both a play-based approach and systematic direct instruction may be the best way to support the literacy learning needs for all students. This study supports the bourgeoning research of play-based developmentally appropriate practices as an effective intervention to increase educational equity for vulnerable students.

Peer effects on dual language learners’ English and Spanish receptive vocabulary development

Using a nationally representative sample of 3- and 4-year-old Spanish-speaking dual language learners (DLLs) attending Head Start (N = 654), this study examined whether mean levels of and variability in peers’ English receptive vocabulary skills were associated with DLLs’ English and Spanish receptive vocabulary skills in the spring. In addition, I tested whether these associations differed depending on the proportion of DLLs in the class. Results showed that DLLs had better English receptive vocabulary growth, but weaker Spanish receptive vocabulary growth when their classmates had higher English receptive vocabulary skills. Variability in peers’ English receptive vocabulary skills was not significantly associated with vocabulary growth in English or Spanish. These patterns did not depend on the proportion of DLLs in the class, pointing to the utility of understanding peer effects in terms of classmates’ skills and not only their characteristics. Findings demonstrate the importance of classmates’ English vocabulary skills for English vocabulary development. However, additional supports are needed to maintain DLLs’ vocabulary development in Spanish.

Mandarin vocabulary growth, teacher qualifications and teacher talk in child heritage language learners

ABSTRACT Teacher talk has been found to significantly affect children’s early language development during shared book reading; however, the mechanism of such influence remains unclear. The current study has zoomed in on vocabulary development in Mandarin as a heritage language (HL) in Singapore kindergartens, 1) exploring the linguistic features (i.e. lexical diversity and syntactic complexity) of these teachers; and 2) investigating the mediation effects of the significant linguistic feature(s) in teachers’ qualifications (i.e. degree, experience, and language proficiency) and children’s Mandarin vocabulary growth. 31 Mandarin teachers and 441 English-Mandarin bilingual children (4–5 years old) were investigated during their shared book reading sessions. Teacher talkwas transcribed with CHAT and two indicators of language complexity (D and Mean Length of Utterance in word) were calculated with CLAN. The mediation effects of teachers’ language complexity were explored using a path model. Results showed that after controlling for the children’s initial vocabulary, maternal education, nonverbal intelligence, and gender, teachers who used more complex syntax were found to be associated with children’s higher growth in Mandarin receptive vocabulary over a school year. Teachers’ qualifications (i.e. experience and Mandarin proficiency) had no direct influence on children’s language growth, but demonstrate their impact via teachers’ syntactic complexity.

Does Otitis Media Affect Later Language Ability? A Prospective Birth Cohort Study.

Purpose The aim of the study was to examine whether otitis media (OM) in early childhood has an impact on language development in later childhood. Methods We analyzed data from 1,344 second-generation (Generation 2) participants in the Raine Study, a longitudinal pregnancy cohort established in Perth, Western Australia, between 1989 and 1991. OM was assessed clinically at 6 years of age. Language development was measured using the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R) at 6 and 10 years of age and the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals-Third Edition at 10 years of age. Logistic regression analysis accounted for a wide range of social and environmental covariates. Results There was no significant relationship between bilateral OM and language ability at 6 years of age (β = -0.56 [-3.78, 2.66], p = .732). However, while scores were within the normal range for the outcome measures at both time points, there was a significant reduction in the rate of receptive vocabulary growth at 10 years of age (PPVT-R) for children with bilateral OM at 6 years of age (β = -3.17 [-6.04, -0.31], p = .030), but not for the combined unilateral or bilateral OM group (β = -1.83 [-4.04, 0.39], p = .106). Conclusions Children with OM detected at 6 years of age in this cohort had average language development scores within the normal range at 6 and 10 years of age. However, there was a small but statistically significant reduction in the rate of receptive vocabulary growth at 10 years of age (on the PPVT-R measure only) in children who had bilateral OM at 6 years of age after adjusting for a range of sociodemographic factors.

Instructional strategies and linguistic features of kindergarten teachers’ shared book reading: The case of Singapore

AbstractTeachers’ language practice during shared book reading may significantly affect the rate and outcome of early language proficiency. The current study has focused on 37 kindergarten teachers and 440 4- to 5-year-old kindergartners during their shared book reading sessions in Singapore, exploring teachers’ variation in instructional strategies and linguistic features, and its relations with children’s language development and teacher’s background. Results demonstrated that teacher’s language strategies and linguistic features varied considerably. Instructional strategies with a medium level of cognitive load were found to be positively related to children’s growth in receptive vocabulary and word reading skills. Teacher’s lexical sophistication was found to be positively associated with children’s vocabulary size. Years of teaching experience was revealed to predict teacher’s variation in medium-level instructions.

An Investigation into Receptive Vocabulary Growth and Its Predictability for Reading Development of University Students in a Semester Course

An Investigation into Receptive Vocabulary Growth and Its Predictability for Reading Development of University Students in a Semester Course

Predictors and growth in receptive vocabulary from 4 to 8 years in children with and without autism spectrum disorder: A population-based study.

Few studies have examined growth and predictors of receptive vocabulary in children with autism spectrum disorder. Here we aimed to compare receptive vocabulary from 4 to 8 years and identify predictors of receptive vocabulary, at 8 years, in children with and without autism spectrum disorder. Participants were drawn from a nationally representative population-based study with two cohorts recruited at birth (N = 4983) and kindergarten (N = 5107). Receptive vocabulary growth was compared for children with and without autism spectrum disorder at 4 (n = 188, n = 7136), 6 (n = 215, n = 7297) and 8 (n = 216, n = 7408) years. Predictors of receptive vocabulary were analysed. Estimated mean receptive vocabulary scores for children without autism spectrum disorder were 2.3 units higher than the autism spectrum disorder group across three time points. This difference was significant (p = 0.004; 95% confidence interval 0.769-3.927). Children with and without autism spectrum disorder progressed at a similar pace. There was no significant difference between the proportions of children with and without autism spectrum disorder who had stable, improving and declining trajectories. Age was the only significant predictor of greater receptive vocabulary growth in children with autism spectrum disorder. Baseline receptive language and nonverbal IQ were significant predictors of receptive vocabulary ability at 8 years. These findings inform prognostic advice given to families on language outcomes.

Vocabulary growth in Armenian–English bilingual kindergarteners

Four-year-old ( n = 20) and five-year-old ( n = 22) bilingual children were tested twice in six months on Armenian (minority language) and English (majority language) picture identification and picture naming tasks to examine receptive and expressive vocabulary growth in both languages. Parental education, Armenian/English language exposure, and nonverbal cognitive ability were also measured as potential predictors of vocabulary. Children showed growth over time in all four vocabulary tasks. However, less growth was observed in Armenian expressive task than in others, which indicated a preference to use English. Armenian language exposure was the unique predictor of Armenian picture identification and picture naming, whereas English language exposure was the unique predictor of English picture identification.

Early vocabulary development in children with bilateral cochlear implants.

Children with unilateral cochlear implants (CIs) may have delayed vocabulary development for an extended period after implantation. Bilateral cochlear implantation is reported to be associated with improved sound localization and enhanced speech perception in noise. This study proposed that bilateral implantation might also promote early vocabulary development. Knowledge regarding vocabulary growth and composition in children with bilateral CIs and factors associated with it may lead to improvements in the content of early speech and language intervention and family counselling. To analyse the growth of early vocabulary and its composition during the first year after CI activation and to investigate factors associated with vocabulary growth. The participants were 20 children with bilateral CIs (12 boys; eight girls; mean age at CI activation = 12.9 months). Vocabulary size was assessed with the Finnish version of the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventories (CDI) Infant Form and compared with normative data. Vocabulary composition was analysed in relation to vocabulary size. Growth curve modelling was implemented using a linear mixed model to analyse the effects of the following variables on early vocabulary growth: time, gender, maternal education, residual hearing with hearing aids, age at first hearing aid fitting and age at CI activation. Despite clear vocabulary growth over time, children with bilateral CIs lagged behind their age norms in receptive vocabulary during the first 12 months after CI activation. In expressive vocabulary, 35% of the children were able to catch up with their age norms, but 55% of the children lagged behind them. In receptive and expressive vocabularies of 1-20 words, analysis of different semantic categories indicated that social terms constituted the highest proportion. Nouns constituted the highest proportion in vocabularies of 101-400 words. The proportion of verbs remained below 20% and the proportion of function words and adjectives remained below 10% in the vocabularies of 1-400 words. There was a significant main effect of time, gender, maternal education and residual hearing with hearing aids before implantation on early receptive vocabulary growth. Time and residual hearing with hearing aids had a significant main effect also on expressive vocabulary growth. Vocabulary development of children with bilateral CIs may be delayed. Thus, early vocabulary development needs to be assessed carefully in order to provide children and families with timely and targeted early intervention for vocabulary acquisition.

The development of a bilingual vocabulary measure for Armenian–English children

The purpose of this study was to develop a parallel bilingual vocabulary measure for the comparative study of receptive and expressive vocabulary growth in young Armenian–English bilinguals. The measure was comprised of four independent vocabulary lists equivalent on age of acquisition ratings. The lists were counterbalanced across four tasks, Armenian picture identification, Armenian picture naming, English picture identification, and English picture naming. This article includes a detailed description of the procedures employed to develop the measure and evidence regarding its reliability and validity. The procedures from this study may be valuable in developing parallel vocabulary measures for other minority–majority language combinations.