ERIC Number: EJ1109145
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016-Sep
Pages: 18
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0305-0009
EISSN: N/A
Attention and Word Learning in Toddlers Who Are Late Talkers
MacRoy-Higgins, Michelle; Montemarano, Elizabeth A.
Journal of Child Language, v43 n5 p1020-1037 Sep 2016
The purpose of this study was to examine attention allocation in toddlers who were late talkers and toddlers with typical language development while they were engaged in a word-learning task in order to determine if differences exist. Two-year-olds who were late talkers (11) and typically developing toddlers (11) were taught twelve novel pseudo-words for unfamiliar objects over ten training sessions. The toddlers' attention allocation during the wordlearning sessions was measured as well as their comprehension of the newly learned words. Late talkers showed reduced attention allocation to objects during word-training sessions, and also comprehended fewer of the novel words than toddlers with typical language development. Attention allocation was found to be a stronger predictor of word learning as compared to cognition and auditory comprehension. Reduced attention allocation may contribute to the early lexical delay characteristic in late talkers.
Descriptors: Child Language, Toddlers, Attention, Delayed Speech, Language Acquisition, Comprehension, Predictor Variables, Lexicology
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A