Neural correlates of lexical processing in child L2 learners

儿童二语学习者词汇处理的神经相关性

• 批准号: 7805472
• 负责人: Arturo E Hernandez
• 金额: $ 18.44万
• 依托单位: UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2009-04-15 至 2013-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/7805472
• 关键词: Accounting; Adult; Affect; Age; Anterior; Area; Auditory; Base of the Brain; Behavioral; Blood flow; Brain; Child; Childhood; Energy Metabolism; Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Goals; Knowledge; Laboratories; Language; Language Development; Language Disorders; Lead; Learning; Light; Measures; Memory; Modeling; Names; Nature; Pattern; Play; Prefrontal Cortex; Process; Research; Role; Scanning; Schools; Staging; System; Testing; Time; United States; base; bilingualism; cingulate gyrus; cognitive control; deoxyhemoglobin; design; early childhood; improved; language processing; lexical processing; public health relevance; relating to nervous system

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The proposed project is designed to uncover the neural correlates of processing two languages as bilinguals transition from novice to intermediate L2 speakers in early childhood. To achieve this, the proposed project will use functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), which measures neural activity indirectly via changes in deoxyhemoglobin which is correlated with blood flow and energy metabolism. Recent research has found that both age of second language acquisition (L2 AoA) and language proficiency play a role in bilingual language processing at the neural level. Research with early L2 child learners in the United States indicate that bilinguals transition from L1 to L2 dominance during the first five years of schooling and maintain a pattern of L2 dominance into adulthood. To elucidate the nature of the neural correlates of bilingualism in child L2 learners, the proposed project will test bilingual children at age 8, 10, and 12, which correspond to time points corresponding to early stages of L2 acquisition up to more advanced L2 knowledge. Children will be asked to repeat auditorily presented words while being scanned with fMRI. The results from the proposed studies will help to elucidate the neural substrates that differentiate first from second language acquisition during childhood. Finally, the proposed studies will compare predictions from two competing models which view L2 acquisition as involving differential use of procedural and declarative memory or involving changes in sensorimotor processing. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The proposed project is designed to uncover the neural correlates of processing two languages as bilinguals transition from novice to intermediate L2 speakers in early childhood. The results from these studies should help to provide background which will help clinicians in the assessment and treatment of young L2 learners with language disorders.

描述（由申请人提供）：拟议项目旨在揭示双语者在幼儿期从新手过渡到中级二语者时处理两种语言的神经关联。为了实现这一目标，拟议的项目将使用功能磁共振成像（fMRI），它通过与血流和能量代谢相关的脱氧血红蛋白的变化来间接测量神经活动。最近的研究发现，第二语言习得年龄（L2 AoA）和语言熟练程度在神经层面的双语语言处理中都发挥着作用。对美国早期二语儿童学习者的研究表明，双语者在上学的前五年内从母语过渡到二语主导地位，并在成年后保持二语主导模式。为了阐明儿童 L2 学习者双语神经关联的本质，拟议项目将测试 8 岁、10 岁和 12 岁的双语儿童，这些儿童对应于从 L2 习得早期阶段到更高级 L2 知识的时间点。在使用功能磁共振成像扫描时，儿童将被要求重复听觉呈现的单词。拟议研究的结果将有助于阐明童年时期第二语言习得的神经基础。最后，拟议的研究将比较两个竞争模型的预测，这两个模型将 L2 习得视为涉及程序性记忆和陈述性记忆的差异使用或涉及感觉运动处理的变化。公共健康相关性：拟议项目旨在揭示双语者在幼儿期从新手过渡到中级第二语言时处理两种语言的神经关联。这些研究的结果应该有助于提供背景知识，帮助临床医生评估和治疗患有语言障碍的年轻第二语言学习者。