Frequency of Input Effects on Word Comprehension of Children With Specific Language Impairment

Abstract

Children with specific language impairment (SLI) are known to have limited lexicons. Previous studies implicate a possible processing problem, in the form of a limited ability to comprehend new words in settings that require Quick Incidental Learning (QUIL). This study investigates further the factors contributing to limited QUIL by examining the effects of input frequency and word type (nouns vs. verbs). In addition, immediate versus long-term memory was examined for possible problems with storage mechanisms. Subjects were 30 5-year-old SLI children with receptive and expressive language deficits and two comparison groups of normally developing children: 30 MLU-equivalent and 30 CA-equivalent. The subjects were randomly assigned to one of three experimental conditions in which they viewed video story presentations in which targeted words were embedded. The conditions varied by number of word presentations, 0, 3, or 10. The 0 condition was a control condition in which familiar words were presented. Children's word comprehension was tested immediately following viewing and again several days later. The findings confirm a strong frequency effect, but one that is influenced by group status, word type, and retention demands. There is evidence of a robust representational mapping ability for SLI, which is at the same time modulated by a minimum input constraint and apparent problems with storage into long-term memory.KEY WORDS: language acquisition, specific language Impairment, word acquisition, frequency of Input, noun and verb acquisition 106 0022-4685943701-0106$0 1.00/0

Semantic–Syntactic Partial Word Knowledge Growth Through Reading

“…There is evidence that even very young TD children demonstrate such retention after shared book reading experiences, as reported by Horst et al (2011). QUIL studies of young children with SLI, on the other hand, suggest that there may be particular problems with retention, especially with verbs (Oetting, 1999;Rice et al, 1994). In a silent reading context, Wagovich et al (2012) reported good retention of orthographic PWK among both lower and higher language groups after a delay of 2-3 days.…”

“…In contrast, Horohov and Oetting (2004) found that scores for verbs were significantly higher than for nouns among young children with SLI as well as both age-matched and language-matched controls. In a similar vein, Rice et al (1994) reported that after 10 repetitions, both TD and SLI groups learned more verbs than nouns. Clearly, it is not a simple case of nouns being easier to learn from oral exposures than verbs, either for TD children or those with SLI.…”

“…The QUIL paradigm involves presenting children with a brief video along with an oral narrative that introduces new (often novel) words incidentally. Results from several of these studies indicate that children with SLI do exhibit partial word learning in the QUIL context, but their performance lags behind that of their TD peers (e.g., Horohov & Oetting, 2004;Oetting, Rice, & Swank, 1995;Rice, Oetting, Marquis, Bode, & Pae, 1994).…”

“…Rice et al (1994), for example, found that TD 5-year-old children made significant gains in vocabulary with only three repetitions, whereas the SLI group required 10 exposures to achieve comparable scores. In an oral incidental learning paradigm, Nash and Donaldson (2005) found that for semantic PWK, 5-to 9-year-old children with SLI continued to perform more poorly after 12 exposures than their age-matched peers did after six exposures.…”

Spesifieke Taalgestremdheid en Taalwetenskaplike Teorie: 'N Evaluerende Oorsig

“…In terme van die aanleer van leksikale items het Rice en kollegas (Oetting, Rice, en Swank 1995;Rice, Buhr, en Nemeth 1990;Rice, Buhr, en Oetting 1992;Rice, Oetting, Marquis, Bode, en Pae 1994) gevind dat STG-kinders op sogenaamde "fast-mapping"-take swakker as ouderdomkontroles vaar, met werkwoorde wat die mees problematies vir STG-kinders is.…”