Longer-term effects of corrective input: an experimental approach

Abstract

There is growing evidence that corrective input for grammatical errors is widely available to children (Farrar, 1992; Morgan, Bonamo & Travis, 1995). However, controversy still exists concerning the extent to which children can identify and exploit available negative input. In particular, very little is yet known about the longer-term effects of negative input. Performing a time series analysis on observational data, Morgan et al. (1995) conclude that corrective recasts are not related to future improvements in grammaticality. It is argued here, though, that the data sets analysed in this study are inherently ill-suited to the demands of time series analyses. The present study adopts an experimental approach in order to compare the effects of negative evidence versus positive input on the acquisition of irregular past tense verb forms. Twenty-six children (mean age 3;10) participated in a within-subjects design over a period of five weeks. It was found that improvements in the grammaticality of child speech were considerably greater in cases where negative evidence had been provided. Moreover, children's intuitions concerning the status of irregular and overregularized forms more closely approximated adult intuitions when corrective input was available.

Children’s learning from contrast modelling

“…The representational improvement, as well as procedural change, found in many children this study is more likely to be indicative of lasting cognitive change (as found in although future studies could employ delayed post-tests to verify this. Saxton et al (1998) has carried out a study into the longer-term effects of this type of corrective modelling and found that improvements in children's linguistic output were sustained five weeks later.…”

Small Groups, Big Gains: Efficacy of a Tier 2 Phonological Awareness Intervention With Preschoolers With Early Literacy Deficits

“…All eight studies reported positive effects (Baker & Nelson, 1984;Hovell, Schumaker, & Sherman, 1978;McLean & Vincent, 1984;Nelson, 1977;Nelson, Carskaddon, & Bonvillian, 1973;Saxton, 1998;Scherer & Olswang, 1984;.…”

The Place of Universal Grammar in the Study of Language and Mind: A Response to Dabrowska (2015)

“…She also cites studies showing that corrections from adults can actually improve children's grammars (e.g. Chouinard & Clark, 2003;Demetras et al, 1986;Saxton, 2000;Saxton et al 1998). …”