Sentence repetition tasks are widely used in the diagnosis and assessment of children with language difficulties. This paper seeks to clarify the nature of sentence repetition tasks and their relationship to other language skills. We present the results from a 2-year longitudinal study of 216 children. Children were assessed on measures of sentence repetition, vocabulary knowledge and grammatical skills three times at approximately yearly intervals starting at age 4. Sentence repetition was not a unique longitudinal predictor of the growth of language skills. A unidimensional language latent factor (defined by sentence repetition, vocabulary knowledge and grammatical skills) provided an excellent fit to the data, and language abilities showed a high degree of longitudinal stability. Sentence repetition is best seen as a reflection of an underlying language ability factor rather than as a measure of a separate construct with a specific role in language processing. Sentence repetition appears to be a valuable tool for language assessment because it draws upon a wide range of language processing skills.

In the study reported here, we assessed the theory that vocabulary learning in children depends critically on the capacity of a "phonological loop" that is indexed by nonword-repetition ability. A 3-year longitudinal study of 219 children assessed nonword-repetition ability and vocabulary knowledge at yearly intervals between the ages of 4 and 7 years. There was a considerable degree of longitudinal stability in children's vocabulary and nonword-repetition skills, but there was no evidence of any influence of nonword-repetition ability on later vocabulary knowledge. These results seriously call into question the claim that vocabulary learning in children is constrained by nonword-repetition ability, and they cast doubt on the broader theory that the phonological loop functions as a language-learning device.

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Through cultural aspects-­-Effect of language on arithme4c skills (Pica, Lemer, Izard, & Dehaene, 2004) and effect of schooling on es4ma4on acuity (Piazza, Pica, Izard, Spelke, & Dehaene, 2013) in the Munduruku popula4on-­-Effect of math educa4on on the precision of approximate number skills in unschooled adults (Nys et al., 2013) In dyslexia-­-Phonological processing deficits of individuals with dyslexia are associated with aspects of arithme4c relying on the manipula4on of the verbal code (Simmons & Singleton, 2007)-­-Role of phonological awareness as link between weak phonological processing and less arithme4c fact retrieval in individuals with dyslexia (De Smedt & Boets, 2010) In Specific Language Impairment (SLI)-­-Iden4fica4on of poor phonological skills as an important factor in the rela4on between SLI and poor arithme4c (Nys, Leybaert, & Content, 2012) Recent studies with pathological popula5ons suggest a link between poor phonology and low arithme5c performance. The aim of the present project is to gain a beEer, developmental understanding of the rela5on between language and numerical skills in non-­-pathological children. + Introduc5on Method Tasks and design: Results Discussion à These observa5ons in a general popula5on of young primary school pupils suggest that language-­-related skills are related to arithme5c performance, poin5ng out that phonology, metaphonology, morphosyntax and vocabulary account in explaining arithme5c performance. As such, knowing whether a language-­-related training can improve arithme5c achievement appears as an interes5ng ques5on.