Development of spoken word recognition during early childhood

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Understanding language happens so naturally and easily that it often feels as if words are provided to us in perfect condition. This sensation is a testament to the power of how our brains process language. In actuality, understanding language is a very complex task. Language is multidimensional, variable, and takes years to learn. Remarkable accomplishments take place early in infancy. In the first year of life, infants can recognize familiar words like `hands'. The rapid development of these early abilities gives the impression that language is entirely learned by the onset of schooling. However, language skills continue to develop throughout childhood. Many aspects of language are challenging our brains behind the scenes. One challenge faced by learners are the many subtle variations in speech. Say the words `teek' and `took'. Notice how your mouth is in different positions. These positioning changes cause variations in the speech signal. Adults can exploit these subtle sound differences as short as 15 milliseconds during processing. These cues are also a fundamental aspect of how children process speech; however, children are slower and show different patterns. Our understanding of how this works is limited to a small number of studies, looking at narrow contexts. Many questions remain unanswered as to how these skills develop over childhood. At the core of these fundamental issues are answers to questions about what is language and how is language learned. This research will examine the development of spoken word recognition by focusing on how children develop, organize and process mental representations of language. It uses eye-tracking, given the method's high reliability and sensitivity, enabling us to identify differences across ages, subtle sound cues and contexts. The specific goals are to: 1) Enrich our understanding of how learners represent and process sound cues during spoken word recognition, 2) Explore how children integrate and process these cues within a larger environment, and 3) Identify developmental patterns and mechanisms in spoken word recognition. These empirical studies will bring answers to questions about the fundamental task of spoken word recognition during language development, and they address basic processes of the brain and mind during information learning and processing. They will deepen our understanding of the flexible learning mechanisms and basic cognitive capacities that lead to complex and skilled behaviours. These findings will be of interest to researchers in cognitive and neuroscience, and related clinical fields such as pediatric cochlear implants. This research will be conducted at the uOttawa Living Lab, and the public is invited to experience `science-in-action', in a socially innovative space. Thus, this program will also increase equity in access to outcomes, increase Canadians' scientific literacy, and enrich public discourse on language development.