From the little research that exists on the onset of word learning in infants under the age of 1 year, the evidence suggests an idiosyncratic comprehensive vocabulary is developing. To further this field, we tested 49 nine‐month‐old infants by pre‐assessing their vocabularies using a UK version of the MacArthur‐Bates Communicative Developmental Inventory. Intermodal preferential looking (IPL) was then used to examine word comprehension including: (a) words parents reported as understood, (b) words infants are expected to understand according to age‐related frequency data, and (c) words parents had reported infants not to understand. Assuming parents are good assessors of their infant's early word knowledge, we expected a naming effect with IPL in condition (a), but not condition (c). As language research uses standard samples of words, we expected a discernible naming effect in condition (b). Results show clear IPL evidence of word comprehension for those words that parents reported their infants to understand (condition a). This agreement between methods demonstrates the usefulness of parental communicative developmental inventory in conjunction with IPL to assess infant's individual word knowledge. No naming effects were found for condition (c) and the lack of naming effects in (b) shows that pre‐established word lists may not give a sufficiently clear picture of infant's true vocabulary – an important insight for researchers and practitioners alike. What is already known on this subject? Most word comprehension research is mainly based on older infants (12, 15, or 18 months of age to 2–3 years and older). Some evidence of word comprehension for common and novel nouns in 6‐ to 10‐month‐olds. Existing evidence uses either only specific word groups or nouns combined with specific training and/or repetition procedures. What does this study add? Nine‐month‐olds display word knowledge independent of context and without repetitions of words. First words encompass not only nouns, but a range of other word classes. Parents are good at indicating which words their infants do and do not understand.

Animal-assisted interventions (AAI) have been found to benefit human emotional state and cognitive performance. Recent applications of AAI have extended to classrooms with a range of intentions including to improve literacy. This Canadian study sought to examine differences in reading performance and behaviour in early readers identified as requiring extra supports following exposure to a canine-assisted and adult-assisted reading support. Twenty-four 7- to 8-year-olds experienced both supports in random order. At the start of the study and after completion of either support learners’ oral reading, reading comprehension, social functioning, and reading affect were assessed. Parents, teachers, and children were also asked a range of closed- and open-ended questions. Findings showed evidence of improvement in reading performance, particularly after reading to a dog. There was also evidence of improved social competence overall and decreased problematic behaviour, although this was dependent on order of exposure. Teacher and parent reports showed they believed both supports to improve learner skills and affect for reading, and that teachers made more distinctions here. Implications for the practical application and relevance of methodological detail for future work are discussed.

The nurture approach is a form of educational intervention for children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD). Utilising a unique example of a state-run, special 'nurturing' primary school, Corinne Syrnyk, of St Mary's University College, Calgary, presents a case study of the experience of being a 'nurture teacher' in this distinctive environment. Findings suggest that nurture teachers value their role and are fulfilled by the challenge it presents. Nurture teachers tended to define their role according to personal qualities and described experiential learning as tantamount to the training process. This study illustrates the holistic approach adopted by nurture teachers and sheds light on the distinguishing features and experiences of nurture teachers. Implications for best practice concerning the support and training of existing and potential nurture teachers are discussed.

This is the first study to demonstrate that stimuli used for assessing early language development in the RDLS-III are not judged to be typical by children or adults. It highlights the differences in stimuli and discusses the potential consequences of stimulus choice in the assessment early language.

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