Talking Late in Two Languages

项目摘要/摘要 儿童早期的词汇技能对他们后来的语言产生了强大的预测性咒语48，96，97和 教育成果36，83,143项。同时，双语儿童的特定语言词汇技能落后 与他们同龄的单语peers14，15，49，58，62，87，88，93，97,146,156,160,161,162,164.这一特定语言方面的滞后 词汇被认为是不可避免的和持久的，因为双语输入分布在两个 语言109,113。文献中的关键差距是分布式暴露对双语的影响 儿童的单词学习还没有经过实验测试。拟议工作的总体目标 因此，测试分布式暴露如何影响双语儿童的单词学习。为此，我们 将拟议研究置于跨情景统计单词学习(CSWL)框架内，其中 词与其所指之间的联系的形成依赖于汇总统计信息的能力 跨多个暴露于多个单词和所指对象之间的模糊映射46、142。而不是 我们用双语/单语比较来框定我们的调查，而不是利用CSWL范式， 并将重点放在实验上操纵双语参与者的暴露参数。我们的 参与者是西班牙语和英语双语的学步儿童，他们的语言很典型，说话也很晚 作为发展性语言障碍(DLD)的西班牙语-英语双语儿童。具体目标1是 分布暴露对2岁双语幼儿CSWL影响的研究 关于深夜的谈话。在一系列的四个实验中，我们将系统地操纵曝光参数，并测试 关于这些手法对儿童CSWL影响的具体机械性假设。特定的 目标2是测试双语者分布暴露效应和语言结果的发展轨迹 有说话晚的历史的孩子。根据特定目标1招募的相同儿童将在 4岁，使我们能够检查从分布式暴露中学习如何随着时间的推移而变化，并确定因素 预测双语晚期谈话者语言表达能力的恢复。具体目标3是测试 分布式暴露对4岁DLD双语儿童词汇学习的影响这一预测源于 双语/单语比较文献表明，分布式暴露会干扰学习(与单一语言相比-- 语言接触)。源于CSWL172、174理论和极限的替代预测 双语学习的实验研究73,119是分布式暴露的影响可能是有限的，甚至 为双语儿童提供便利。拟议的研究将推动双语和CSWL理论向前发展 确定分布式暴露影响(或不影响)单词学习的具体机制 双语儿童。实际上，拟议的研究将揭示是否存在一个最佳的 成功获得两种语言的暴露/干预策略，以及它是否同样适用于 具有典型语言技能的儿童和有语言障碍风险的儿童。

Project Summary/Abstract Children’s early vocabulary skills cast a powerful predictive spell over their subsequent language48,96,97 and educational36,83,143 outcomes. At the same time, bilingual children’s language-specific vocabulary skills lag behind those of their same-age monolingual peers14,15,49,58,62,87,88,93,97,146,156,160,161,162,164. This lag in language-specific vocabulary is seen as inevitable and persistent because of distributed exposure of bilingual input across two languages109,113. The crucial gap in the literature is that the effect of distributed exposure on bilingual children’s word-learning has not been tested experimentally. The overarching goal of the proposed work therefore is to test how distributed exposure affects word learning in bilingual children. To this end, we situate the proposed study within the Cross-Situational Statistical Word Learning (CSWL) framework, where the formation of links between words and their referents relies on the ability to aggregate statistical information across multiple exposures to ambiguous mappings between multiple words and referents46,142. Rather than framing our inquiry in terms of bilingual / monolingual comparisons, we instead harness the CSWL paradigm, and focus on experimentally manipulating the exposure parameters within the bilingual participants. Our participants are Spanish-English bilingual toddlers with typical language and who are late to talk, as well as Spanish-English bilingual children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). Specific Aim 1 is to test the effect of distributed exposure on CSWL in samples of 2-year-old bilingual toddlers enriched for history of late-talking. In a series of four experiments, we will systematically manipulate exposure parameters, and test specific, mechanistic hypotheses regarding the effects of these manipulations on children’s CSWL. Specific Aim 2 is to test the developmental trajectory of distributed-exposure effects and language outcomes in bilingual children with a history of late-talking. The same children recruited under Specific Aim 1 will be tested again at age 4, enabling us to examine how learning from distributed exposure changes over time, and identify factors that predict recovery of expressive language skills in bilingual late-talkers. Specific Aim 3 is to test the effect of distributed exposure on word learning in 4-year-old bilingual children with DLD. The prediction stemming from bilingual/monolingual comparisons literature is that distributed exposure will interfere with learning (vs. single- language exposure). The alternative prediction stemming from theories of CSWL172,174 and from the limited experimental studies of bilingual learning73,119 is that effects of distributed exposure may be limited, or even facilitative for bilingual children. Proposed studies will move theories of bilingualism and of CSWL forward by identifying the specific mechanisms by which distributed exposure does (or do not) impact word learning in bilingual children. In practical terms, the proposed studies will reveal whether there is an optimal exposure/intervention strategy for successful acquisition of two languages, and whether it works equally well for children with typical language skills and for children who are at risk for language impairment.