Vocabulary development in closely-related languages

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 587-622 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josefin Lindgren ◽  
Ute Bohnacker
Keyword(s):  
Vocabulary Development ◽  
Minority Language ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Home Language ◽  
Growing Up ◽  
Expressive Vocabulary ◽  
Test Items ◽  
Vocabulary Comprehension ◽  
German Children ◽  
Noun Advantage

Abstract This paper investigates vocabulary comprehension and production in 46 bilingual Swedish-German children age 4–6 growing up in Sweden. Using a newly developed tool, the Cross-linguistic Lexical Task (CLT, Haman, Łuniewska & Pomiechowska 2015), the children’s receptive and expressive vocabulary knowledge of nouns and verbs is assessed in both their languages, compared to each other and over age. Performance on test items of different word types (nouns/verbs; cognates/non-cognates) is also explored. There are clear vocabulary gains with age for the majority language Swedish, but not for the minority (home) language German. Overall vocabulary scores are higher in Swedish than in German, but this difference only concerns verbs, not nouns. Cognate facilitation occurs both ways in these closely-related languages, but is stronger in the minority language German. We suggest that what at first sight looks like a noun advantage on the German CLT is largely an effect of Swedish/German cognate status.

scholarly journals Home Language Activities and Expressive Vocabulary of Toddlers from Low-SES Monolingual Families and Bilingual Immigrant Families

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 296
Author(s):  
Elena Florit ◽  
Chiara Barachetti ◽  
Marinella Majorano ◽  
Manuela Lavelli
Keyword(s):  
Vocabulary Acquisition ◽  
Immigrant Families ◽  
Minority Language ◽  
Home Language ◽  
Low Ses ◽  
Additional Risk Factor ◽  
Expressive Vocabulary ◽  
Additional Risk ◽  
Teacher Reports ◽  
Language Context

Children from low-SES (socioeconomic status) and minority language immigrant families are at risk of vocabulary difficulties due to the less varied and complex language in the home environment. Children are less likely to be involved in home language activities (HLA) in interaction with adults in low-SES than in higher-SES families. However, few studies have investigated the HLA variability among low-SES, minority language bilingual immigrant families. This longitudinal study analyzes the frequency and duration of HLA and their predictive roles for expressive vocabulary acquisition in 70 equivalent low-SES monolingual and bilingual toddlers from minority contexts. HLA and vocabulary were assessed at 24 and 30 months in the majority language (Italian) and in total (majority+minority language) using parent and teacher reports. The frequency and duration of HLA in interaction with adults in total, but not in the majority language, at 24 months were similar for the two groups. These activities uniquely accounted for expressive vocabulary at 30 months, after accounting for total vocabulary at 24 months, in both groups. In conclusion, a minority-majority language context is not an additional risk factor for vocabulary acquisition if HLA is considered in interaction with adults in both languages. HLA are proximal environmental protective factors for vocabulary acquisition.

Is There a Cognate Effect in Bilingual Children With Developmental Language Disorder?

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Bita Payesteh ◽  
Giang T. Pham
Keyword(s):  
Performance Test ◽  
English Proficiency ◽  
Language Disorder ◽  
Vocabulary Development ◽  
Difficulty Level ◽  
Bilingual Children ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Developmental Language Disorder ◽  
Expressive Vocabulary ◽  
Test Items

Purpose: Cognates, words in two languages that share form and meaning, can be used to support vocabulary development in bilingual children. Typically developing bilinguals have shown better performance on cognates versus noncognates. Of key interest is whether bilinguals with developmental language disorder (DLD) also show a cognate effect and, if so, which factors are related to their cognate performance. Method: Thirty-five Spanish–English bilingual children (5–11 years old) with DLD completed the Expressive and Receptive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Tests, third edition, in English (EOW, ROW) to measure cognate performance. Test items were divided by difficulty level (easy, medium, and hard) and classified as cognates or noncognates using the Cross-Linguistic Overlap Scale for Phonology. Results: On average, children showed clear and robust cognate effects on EOW across difficulty levels with medium-to-large effect sizes. Results on the ROW showed minimal effects that varied by difficulty. Individually, 80% of participants (28 of 35) demonstrated a cognate effect in EOW, whereas only 31% (11 of 35) showed an effect in ROW. A cognate effect in ROW was positively correlated with age and English proficiency, whereas no factors correlated with the EOW cognate effect. Conclusions: Bilingual children with DLD show higher performance on cognates than noncognates, at least in expressive vocabulary. Participants who did show a receptive cognate effect tended to be older and have higher English proficiency. Further investigation is needed to identify factors underlying cognate performance in order to tailor intervention strategies that promote bilingual vocabulary development.

Licensure Tests for Special Education Teachers

2009 ◽  
Vol 42 (5) ◽  
pp. 464-474 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Stotsky
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Reading Instruction ◽  
Phonemic Awareness ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Evaluation Systems ◽  
Test Items ◽  
Licensure Tests

To determine the extent to which knowledge of evidence-based reading instruction and mathematics is assessed on licensure tests for prospective special education teachers, this study drew on information provided by Educational Testing Service (ETS), the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence, and National Evaluation Systems (now Evaluation Systems group of Pearson). It estimated the percentage of test items on phonemic awareness, phonics, and vocabulary knowledge and on mathematics content. It also analyzed descriptions of ETS’s tests of “principles of teaching and learning.” Findings imply that prospective special education teachers should be required to take both a dedicated test of evidence-based reading instructional knowledge, as in California, Massachusetts, and Virginia, and a test of mathematical knowledge, as in Massachusetts. States must design their own tests of teaching principles to assess knowledge of evidence-based educational theories.

scholarly journals Infant-directed speech from seven to nineteen months has similar acoustic properties but different functions

2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (5) ◽  
pp. 1035-1053 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina KALASHNIKOVA ◽  
Denis BURNHAM
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Vocabulary Development ◽  
Speech Quality ◽  
Acoustic Properties ◽  
Expressive Vocabulary ◽  
Vocabulary Size ◽  
Communicative Development ◽  
Three Components

AbstractThis longitudinal study assessed three acoustic components of maternal infant-directed speech (IDS) – pitch, affect, and vowel hyperarticulation – in relation to infants’ age and their expressive vocabulary size. These three individual components were measured in IDS addressed to infants at 7, 9, 11, 15, and 19 months (N = 18). All three components were exaggerated at all ages in mothers’ IDS compared to their adult-directed speech. Importantly, the only significant predictor of infants’ expressive vocabulary size at 15 and 19 months was vowel hyperarticulation, but only at 9 months and beyond, not at 7 months, and not pitch or affect at any age. These results set apart vowel hyperarticulation in IDS to infants as the critical IDS component for vocabulary development. Thus IDS, specifically the degree of vowel hyperarticulation therein, is a vehicle by which parents can provide the most optimal speech quality for their infants’ linguistic and communicative development.

The Impact of Home Language and Literacy Support on English-Chinese Biliteracy Acquisition among Chinese Heritage Language Learners

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 199-235
Author(s):  
Chan Lü ◽  
Keiko Koda
Keyword(s):  
Heritage Language ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Home Language ◽  
Language And Literacy ◽  
Literacy Support ◽  
Oral Vocabulary ◽  
Chinese Heritage Language ◽  
The Impact ◽  
At Home

Studies on monolingual children have shown that home language and literacy support is crucial in children's early literacy acquisition. However, such support has not been examined as thoroughly among bilingual children, including heritage speakers. This study investigated the effect of home language and literacy support on important precursors of literacy skills including oral vocabulary knowledge, phonological awareness, and decoding skill in English and Chinese, among a group of 37 Chinese heritage language (CHL) learners. Our results suggest that the use of Chinese at home supported children's language and literacy skills in Chinese, especially their oral vocabulary knowledge; support of learning Chinese at home did not hinder children's acquisition of literacy skills in English. Implications for parents and teachers of CHL learners in relation to their biliteracy learning are discussed.

Predictors of reading comprehension in deaf and hearing bilinguals

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-43
Author(s):  
Deborah M. Cates ◽  
Matthew J. Traxler ◽  
David P. Corina
Keyword(s):  
Native American ◽  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Phonological Awareness ◽  
American Sign Language ◽  
English Language ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Language Experience ◽  
Sensory Experiences ◽  
Vocabulary Comprehension ◽  
Reading Volume

Abstract This study investigates reading comprehension in adult deaf and hearing readers. Using correlational analysis and stepwise regression, we assess the contribution of English language variables (e.g., vocabulary comprehension, reading volume, and phonological awareness), cognitive variables (e.g., working memory (WM), nonverbal intelligence, and executive function), and language experience (e.g., language acquisition and orthographic experience) in predicting reading comprehension in deaf and hearing adult bilinguals (native American Sign Language (ASL) signers, non-native ASL signers, and Chinese–English bilinguals (CEB)), and monolingual (ML) controls. For all four groups, vocabulary knowledge was a strong contributor to reading comprehension. Monolingual English speakers and non-native deaf signers also showed contributions from WM and spoken language phonological awareness. In contrast, CEB showed contributions of lexical strategies in English reading comprehension. These cross-group comparisons demonstrate how the inclusion of multiple participant groups helps us to further refine our understanding of how language and sensory experiences influence reading comprehension.

Breastfeeding, Cognitive and Noncognitive Development in Early Childhood: A Population Study

2018 ◽  
pp. 111-125
Author(s):  
Lisa-Christine Girard ◽  
Orla Doyle ◽  
Richard E. Tremblay
Keyword(s):  
Propensity Score ◽  
Propensity Score Matching ◽  
Problem Behaviors ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Multiple Testing ◽  
Standardized Assessments ◽  
Growing Up ◽  
Expressive Vocabulary ◽  
Maternal Report ◽  
Teacher Reports

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES There is mixed evidence from correlational studies that breastfeeding impacts children’s development. Propensity score matching with large samples can be an effective tool to remove potential bias from observed confounders in correlational studies. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of breastfeeding on children’s cognitive and noncognitive development at 3 and 5 years of age. METHODS Participants included ∼8000 families from the Growing Up in Ireland longitudinal infant cohort, who were identified from the Child Benefit Register and randomly selected to participate. Parent and teacher reports and standardized assessments were used to collect information on children’s problem behaviors, expressive vocabulary, and cognitive abilities at age 3 and 5 years. Breastfeeding information was collected via maternal report. Propensity score matching was used to compare the average treatment effects on those who were breastfed. RESULTS Before matching, breastfeeding was associated with better development on almost every outcome. After matching and adjustment for multiple testing, only 1 of the 13 outcomes remained statistically significant: children’s hyperactivity (difference score, –0.84; 95% confidence interval, –1.33 to –0.35) at age 3 years for children who were breastfed for at least 6 months. No statistically significant differences were observed postmatching on any outcome at age 5 years. CONCLUSIONS Although 1 positive benefit of breastfeeding was found by using propensity score matching, the effect size was modest in practical terms. No support was found for statistically significant gains at age 5 years, suggesting that the earlier observed benefit from breastfeeding may not be maintained once children enter school.

Speech perception and vocabulary growth

2014 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 323-332 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maarit Silvén ◽  
Marinus Voeten ◽  
Anna Kouvo ◽  
Maija Lundén
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Speech Perception ◽  
Word Learning ◽  
Growth Modeling ◽  
Minority Language ◽  
Home Language ◽  
Speech Sounds ◽  
New Words ◽  
Vocabulary Growth

Growth modeling was applied to monolingual ( N = 26) and bilingual ( N = 28) word learning from 14 to 36 months. Level and growth rate of vocabulary were lower for Finnish-Russian bilinguals than for Finnish monolinguals. Processing of Finnish speech sounds at 7 but not at 11 months predicted level, but not growth rate of vocabulary in both Finnish and Russian; this relationship was the same for monolinguals and bilinguals. The bilinguals’ two vocabularies developed differently, showing no acceleration in Russian, the minority language. Even though the bilinguals progressed more slowly in each home language, they were learning at least as many new words as the monolinguals when Finnish and Russian vocabularies were counted together.

A longitudinal study of vocabulary size and composition in low risk preterm children

2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 72-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel Pérez-Pereira ◽  
Raquel Cruz
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Cognitive Development ◽  
Growth Curve ◽  
Maternal Education ◽  
Vocabulary Development ◽  
Low Risk ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
Expressive Vocabulary ◽  
Vocabulary Size ◽  
Preterm Children

The vocabulary size and composition of one group of full-term and three groups of low risk preterm children with different gestational ages (GA) were longitudinally compared at 10, 22 and 30 months of age. Expressive vocabulary development was assessed through the CDI. Cognitive development was also assessed at 22 months (Batelle Developmental Inventory), and data concerning biological and environmental characteristics of the children were also obtained. Growth curve analyses indicated that there were no significant differences in vocabulary size or percentage of word categories among GA groups. Regression analyses showed that word production and cognitive scores measured at 22 months were the main predictors of total vocabulary and word categories at 30 months. Gender, maternal education and GA did not contribute in a significant way to the variance of use of the vocabulary categories or vocabulary size. Therefore, GA does not seem to affect vocabulary development and composition when biomedical complications associated to prematurity are excluded.

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