Online measures of word recognition and learning in language-delayed toddlers

描述（由申请人提供）：本提案的主要目标是研究三种不同类型的句子信息(1)载体框架中的单词，2)信息性动词和3)信息性形容词，如何影响具有正常语言（NL）和晚说话（LT）的儿童（24-36岁）的言语理解和单词学习-这是一个有后期语言障碍（Ll）风险的群体。语音处理研究发现，儿童和成人利用句子信息来解释熟悉的单词和学习新单词。与此同时，对Ll儿童的研究发现，他们在快速解释句子中的单词方面存在一些困难。这项研究表明，至少有一些儿童的缺陷是由加工障碍造成的。然而，一个至关重要的问题是，这些因素是否以及如何影响有患后期认知障碍风险的幼儿的单词学习和识别。到目前为止，这是不可能的，因为测量大孩子语言处理的任务不适合用于蹒跚学步的孩子。语言理解的实时测量是检验这些问题的关键，因为它们测量语言过程是如何实时展开的。它们不仅揭示了学习者是否理解了已知和新单词，还揭示了他们如何理解和何时理解这些单词。因此，我将使用一种与年龄相适应的语言处理方法——“边听边看”（LWL）程序——来纵向研究三种类型的句子信息对NL和LT儿童熟悉单词识别和新单词学习的影响。此外，这些研究将首次探讨这些语言加工措施与第三年语言增长之间的关系。实验操作将检查对新单词和熟悉单词加工的影响，这些单词是：1)在孤立的上下文或句子中，2)前面有一个信息动词或3)有一个信息形容词。这些研究将检查所检查的条件对LTs的潜在益处，并阐明存在于该人群中的潜在处理缺陷的性质，并阐明这些因素如何与词汇增长相关。公共卫生相关性：这些研究调查了有后期诊断为ⅱ型糖尿病风险的人群，这是一种可能导致严重学术和社会后果的缺陷。本研究的一个主要目标是研究有助于提高这一群体的语言理解和学习的线索，这可能有助于减轻持续语言延迟的负面影响。因此，这些发现对于那些有兴趣帮助这个群体在进入学校之前赶上同龄人的父母、教育工作者和临床医生来说，将是高度相关和有益的。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal's broad objective is to examine how three different types of sentential information 1) words in carrier frames, 2) informative verbs and 3) informative adjectives, can influence speech comprehension and word learning in children (ages 24-36 mos) with normal language (NL) and who are late talking (LT) -a group at risk for later language impairment (Ll). Speech processing studies have found that children and adults make use of sentential information to interpret familiar words and learn new ones. Concurrently, research on children with Ll has uncovered a number of difficulties in rapidly interpreting words in sentences. This work indicates that at least some of the deficits exhibited by Ll children result from impairments in processing. However, a critically important question is if and how these factors influence word learning and recognition in younger children who are at risk for later Ll. Until now this has not been possible, because tasks that measure language processing in older children are not suitable to use with toddlers. Real-time measures of language comprehension are key to examining these questions, since they measure how language processes unfold in real-time. They reveal not only *if* LTs comprehend known and novel words, but *how* and *when* they are understood. I will therefore use an age-appropriate language processing measure- the "Looking while listening" (LWL) procedure - to longitudinally examine the impact of three types of sentential information on familiar word recognition and novel word learning in NL and LT children. In addition, these studies will be the first to probe the relation between these language processing measures and language growth across the 3rd year. Experimental manipulations will examine the influence on processing of novel and familiar words that are: 1) in isolated contexts or sentences, 2) preceded by an informative verb or 3) by an informative adjective. These studies will examine the potential benefit of the examined conditions to LTs, and shed light on the nature of potential processing deficits that exist in this population, and clarify how these factors relate to vocabulary growth. Public health relevance: These studies examine a population at risk for later diagnosis with Ll, which is a deficit that can lead to serious academic and social consequences. A main goal of this work is to examine cues that may help to improve language comprehension and learning in this group, which may help mitigate the negative effects of continued language delay. As such, the findings will be highly relevant and informative to parents, educators, and clinicians who have an interest in helping this group catch up with their peers before they enter school.