Treatment of Lexical Deficits in Young Children with SLI

描述（由申请人提供）：在美国大约有8%的儿童被诊断为特殊语言障碍（SLI）。除了习得词法和句法方面的问题外，相当数量的儿童在习得词汇方面也表现出困难。词汇不足对幼儿来说尤其具有破坏性，因为词汇习得与以后的语言和读写能力发展密切相关。目前，我们缺乏对个别儿童具体单词学习问题的诊断方法，也没有多少治疗效果数据来指导干预。本研究的主要目的是发展识别特殊语言障碍儿童个体单词学习缺陷的方法，并评估针对这些缺陷的处方治疗方法。该研究计划的前提是，单词学习可能会受到一个或多个词汇水平（包括概念、词汇语义或语音）的加工缺陷的影响。四项横断面研究和一项纵向研究将检验语音和/或语义编码或检索线索的假设，这些线索旨在提高单词的词汇-语义或语音水平表征的存储或检索，从而提高学龄前特殊语言障碍儿童的单词学习。具体目的：(1)研究语音或语义编码线索对快速映射的影响；(2)单词学习率。(3)研究语音和语义编码线索排序对单词生成的影响。(4)记录语音或语义检索线索对单词生成的影响。(5)纵向记录研究1-4中对学龄前儿童在上幼儿园前一学年接受小组教学的规定性治疗的效果。意义：本研究项目将增加我们对特殊语言障碍潜在缺陷的理论认识，并将开发新的治疗方法，通过促进语言发育，积极影响儿童的生活质量，显著提高他们在学校成功的可能性，帮助儿童充分发挥其潜力。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Approximately 8% of children in the United States are diagnosed with Specific Language Impairment (SLI). In addition to problems acquiring morphology and syntax, a significant number of children also demonstrate difficulty acquiring vocabulary. Vocabulary deficits are particularly devastating in young children because lexical acquisition is strongly associated with later language and literacy development. Currently we lack methods for diagnosing specific word learning problems in individual children and have little treatment efficacy data to guide intervention. The primary goals of this research are to develop methods for identifying the individual word-learning deficits of young children with SLI and to evaluate prescriptive treatments targeting those deficits. The research plan is based on the premise that word learning may be compromised by processing deficits in one or more lexical levels including the conceptual, lexical-semantic, or phonological. A series of four cross-sectional and one longitudinal study will test the hypothesis that phonological and/or semantic encoding or retrieval cues designed to improve the storage or retrieval of lexical-semantic or phonological level representations of words improves word learning in preschoolers with SLI. Specific Aims: (1) Document the effect that phonological or semantic encoding cues have on fast mapping and (2) word learning rate. (3) Document the effect that sequencing phonological then semantic encoding cues have on word production. (4) Document the effect that phonological or semantic retrieval cues have on word production. (5) Document, longitudinally, the efficacy of prescriptive treatments derived from studies 1-4 for preschoolers receiving small-group instruction during the academic year preceding kindergarten. Significance: This research program that will increase our theoretical understanding of the underlying deficits of specific language impairment and will develop new treatments to help children reach their full potential by improving language growth, positively impacting children's qualify of life and significantly increasing their likelihood of school success.