Phonological networks and novel word learning by children with Developmental Language Disorder

项目总结/摘要 患有发育性语言障碍（DLD）的儿童很难学习新单词， 他们的词汇量比同龄人的典型语言发展（英语：typical language development）。最近的研究表明， 儿童词汇的语义结构影响他们学习新单词的能力， DLD和DLD儿童在语义结构上存在差异。虽然患有DLD的儿童在许多方面都很挣扎， 单词学习，包括语义学，他们发现语音信息的编码-新词形式-是 特别困难。本研究将比较两种语言词汇的音系结构， DLD和DLD的儿童，并调查语音结构的差异如何影响儿童的能力， 学习新单词的形式。拟议的工作将使用行为方法的组合来量化 7- 9岁DLD儿童的词汇结构和单词学习成功率，年龄匹配的同龄人 而（年轻的）词汇量匹配的同龄人则有1000个单词。总之，这些方法将解决三个 具体目标。目的1是量化语音结构中的内部连接差异的程度 - 用聚类系数量化，C -影响新词学习。预计儿童将更多 成功地学习他们的词汇区域中的单词形式，与较低的inter- 连接（高C >低C），这种相互连接的影响对DLD儿童更强 与他们的同龄人相比，目的2是比较儿童现存词汇中的C水平， DLD和DLD。DLD儿童词汇中C的平均水平可能会更高 比他们的同龄人有更大的进步。目的3是确定儿童语音结构中的重复性是否存在于儿童的语音结构中， 词汇量影响词汇学习。预计每个儿童计算的个体C值的差异 将解释儿童在单词学习中的成功差异。这些成果将为未来奠定基础。 研究通过定制哪些单词是DLD儿童的词汇干预措施，以最大限度地发挥其功效。 根据个人和群体层面词汇结构的差异进行教学。如果获得资助，该项目 将协助申请人建立一个独立的研究计划，调查发展 词汇学习的差异将为幼儿干预提供信息。本项目的具体培训目标 是1）获得参与者招募的专业知识，2）发展网络科学的计算技能，3）学习 新的行为方法，以及4）促进专业发展。的研究和指导经验， 共同赞助机构以及赞助机构的广泛资源将有助于成功举办 完成了拟议的研究和培训目标。

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Children with developmental language disorder (DLD) struggle to learn new words and have smaller, shallower vocabularies than their peers with typical language development (TLD). Recent research indicates that the semantic structure of children’s vocabularies affects their ability to learn new words and the vocabularies of children with DLD and TLD differ in semantic structure. While children with DLD struggle in many aspects of word learning, including semantics, they find the encoding of phonological information–new word forms–to be especially difficult. The proposed research will compare the phonological structure of vocabularies between children with DLD and TLD and investigate how differences in phonological structure affect children’s ability to learn the forms of new words. The proposed work will use a combination of behavioral methods to quantify vocabulary structure and success in word learning for 7- to 9-year-old children with DLD, age-matched peers with TLD, and (younger) vocabulary-matched peers with TLD. Together, these methods will address three specific aims. Aim 1 is to quantify the extent to which differences in inter-connectivity in phonological structure – quantified using clustering coefficient, C – affects novel word learning. It is expected that children will be more successful in learning the forms of words in regions of their vocabulary with higher compared to lower inter- connectivity (high C > low C) and that this effect of inter-connectivity will be stronger for children with DLD compared to their peers with TLD. Aim 2 is to compare levels of C in the extant vocabularies of children with DLD and TLD. It is expected that the average levels of C will be higher in the vocabularies of children with DLD than their peers with TLD. Aim 3 is to determine whether atypicality in the phonological structure of children’s vocabularies affects word learning. It is expected that differences in individual C values calculated for each child will account for variability in children’s success in word learning. These outcomes will lay the foundation for future research to maximize the efficacy of vocabulary interventions for children with DLD by tailoring which words are taught based on differences in vocabulary structure at both the individual and group level. If funded, the project will assist the applicant in establishing an independent program of research investigating developmental differences in word learning that will inform early childhood interventions. The specific training goals of this project are to 1) gain expertise in participant recruitment, 2) develop computational skills in network science, 3) learn new behavioral methods, and 4) advance professional development. The research and mentoring experience of the co-sponsors as well as the extensive resources of the sponsoring institution will contribute to the successful completion of both the proposed research and training goals.