Executive function and verbal self-regulation in childhood: Developmental linkages between partially internalized private speech and cognitive flexibility

Going covert: Inner and private speech in language learning

“…Most of the current studies on PS among children provide support for Vygotsky's (1986) general hypothesis that vocalized PS emerges in early childhood, peaks right before school age, and fades off in the school years as children learn to regulate their mental processes through silent IS (Lidstone et al 2011;San Martín et al 2011;Damianova et al 2012;Alarcón-Rubio et al 2014). Lidstone et al 2011 investigated the occurrence of PS in middle childhood (7-10 years old), an age when children are typically transitioning from fully externalized PS to inaudible IS.…”

“…Recent research on child PS has been able to confirm its use for a variety of functions or purposes, such as problem-solving (Damianova, Lucas & Sullivan 2012;Alarcón-Rubio, Sánchez-Medina & Prieto-García 2014;McGonigle-Chalmers, Slater & Smith 2014), planning and numeracy tasks (Lidstone, Meins & Fernyhough 2010), referential communication (San Martín, Boada & Feigenbaum 2011, free play (Davis, Meins & Fernyhough 2013), and regulating emotions (Day & Smith 2013). Lately, interest has also gathered on social aspects of PS, such as its role in social interactive discourse (San Martín et al 2011) or the stimulating effect of potential listeners or interactants (Damianova et al 2012;McGonigle-Chalmers et al 2014).…”

“…It is essential in these studies to be able to document not only the gradual evolution in time towards covertness through levels (as mentioned above) but also to identify IS activity through reliable 'observable' indicators. In some longitudinal and cross-sectional studies in L1 (e.g., San Martín et al 2011;Alarcón-Rubio et al 2014) and L2 (Yi 2010), IS is presumed to take place when silence takes over and no audible and visible signs are produced during cognitive activity. In addition, San Martín et al have listed some 'rigorous' criteria to help infer IS from silence: (a) silence or pause persists for two seconds or longer, (b) silence is accompanied by inaudible mutterings or lip movements, (c) facial expression indicates concentration in task, and (d) there are no communicative gestures aimed at interlocutor (2011: 222).…”

When words lead to solutions: Executive function deficits in preschool children with specific language impairment

“…Problem-solving performance has been shown to be positively associated with self-directed speech usage in typically developing children (Alarcó n-Rubio et al, 2014;Fernyhough & Fradley, 2005). Specifically, children with typical development may use the language for 'reflective consciousness' and regulation of one's own behavior on goal-directed problem-solving tasks (Zelazo, 2004).…”

Indirect and Direct Relationships Between Self-Regulation and Academic Achievement During the Nursery/Elementary School Transition of French Students

“…In addition, the quality of caregiving influences the development of self-regulatory skills (Bernier, Carlson, & Whipple, 2010;Colman, Hardy, Albert, Raffaelli, & Crockett, 2006;Moilanen, Shaw, Dishion, Gardner, & Wilson, 2009;Moriguchi, 2014;Roskam, Stievenart, Meunier, & Noël, 2014). In conjunction with the quality of caregiving, children's use of behavioral strategies and private speech also enables them to gradually develop self-regulatory skills between ages 3 and 4 (Alarcόn-Rubio, Sanchez-Medina, & Prieto-Garcia, 2014;Hughes, 1998;Jones et al, 2003;Shing, Lindenberger, Diamond, Li, & Davidson, 2010;Willoughby, Blair, Wirth, Greenberg, & The Family Life Project Investigators, 2010).…”