Attention and word learning in toddlers who are late talkers. Issue 5 (28th July 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: MACROY-HIGGINS, MICHELLE; MONTEMARANO, ELIZABETH A.
• Is Part Of: Journal of child language. Volume 43:Issue 5(2016)
• Page Start: 1020
• Page End: 1037
• Publication Date: 2015-07-28
• Subjects: Children -- Language -- Periodicals; 401.9305
• DOI: 10.1017/S0305000915000379
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0305-0009

Abstract

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine attention allocation in toddlers who were late talkers and toddlers with typical language development while they were engaged in a word-learning task in order to determine if differences exist. Two-year-olds who were late talkers (11) and typically developing toddlers (11) were taught twelve novel pseudo-words for unfamiliar objects over ten training sessions. The toddlers' attention allocation during the word-learning sessions was measured as well as their comprehension of the newly learned words. Late talkers showed reduced attention allocation to objects during word-training sessions, and also comprehended fewer of the novel words than toddlers with typical language development. Attention allocation was found to be a stronger predictor of word learning as compared to cognition and auditory comprehension. Reduced attention allocation may contribute to the early lexical delay characteristic in late talkers.