Exploring Early Childhood Language Environments: A Comparison of Language Use, Exposure, and Interactions in the Home and Childcare Settings

2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 706-719 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne L. Larson ◽  
Tyson S. Barrett ◽  
Scott R. McConnell
Keyword(s):  
Young Children ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Child Language ◽  
Time Of Day ◽  
Language Outcomes ◽  
Environment Analysis ◽  
Home Setting ◽  
Language Environment Analysis ◽  
Language Environment ◽  
Conversational Turns

Purpose This study was conducted in a large Midwestern metropolitan area to examine the language environments at home and in center-based childcare for young children who are living in poverty. We compared child language use and exposure in the home and childcare settings using extended observations with automated Language Environment Analysis to gain a deeper understanding of the environmental factors that may affect change in language outcomes for young children. Method Thirty-eight children, along with parents ( n = 38) and childcare providers ( n = 14) across five childcare centers, participated in this study. Each child completed a standardized language assessment and two daylong recordings with Language Environment Analysis to determine the number of adult words, conversational turns, and child vocalizations that occurred in each setting. Data were analyzed at 5-min intervals across each recording. Results Comparisons between home recordings in this sample and a comparison group showed reliably higher rates of adult words and conversational turns in the home setting. Linear mixed-effects regression models showed significant differences in the child language environments, with the home setting providing higher levels of language input and use. These effects were still meaningful after accounting for the time of day, participant demographic characteristics, and child language ability. Conclusions Practical implications for supporting child language development across settings are discussed, and suggestions for further research are provided. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.12042678

scholarly journals Validation of the Language ENvironment Analysis (LENA) system for Dutch

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-27
Author(s):  
Eva BRUYNEEL ◽  
Ellen DEMURIE ◽  
Sofie BOTERBERG ◽  
Petra WARREYN ◽  
Herbert ROEYERS
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Typically Developing Children ◽  
Risk Status ◽  
Environment Analysis ◽  
Language Environment Analysis ◽  
Language Environment ◽  
Conversational Turns

Abstract The validity of the Language ENvironment Analysis (LENA) System was evaluated for Dutch. 216 5-min samples (six samples per age per child) were selected from daylong recordings at 5, 10 and 14 months of age of native Dutch-speaking younger siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder (N = 6) and of typically developing children (N = 6). Two native Dutch-speaking coders counted the amount of adult words (AWC), child vocalisations (CVC) and conversational turns (CT). Consequently, correlations between LENA and human estimates were explored. Correlations were high for AWC at all ages (r = .73 to .81). Regarding CVC, estimates were moderately correlated at 5 months (r = .57) but the correlation decreased at 10 (r = .37) and 14 months (r = .14). Correlations for CT were low at all ages (r = .19 to .28). Lastly, correlations were not influenced by the risk status of the children.

A Concise Protocol for the Validation of Language ENvironment Analysis (LENA) Conversational Turn Counts in Vietnamese

2017 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 371-380 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hillary V. Ganek ◽  
Alice Eriks-Brophy
Keyword(s):  
Native Speakers ◽  
Rank Correlation ◽  
Accurate Estimate ◽  
Environment Analysis ◽  
Language Environment Analysis ◽  
Language Environment ◽  
Conversational Turns ◽  
Full Day ◽  
Vietnamese Speakers ◽  
Spearman Rank Correlation Test

The aim of this study was to present a protocol for the validation of the Language ENvironment Analysis (LENA) System’s conversational turn count (CTC) for Vietnamese speakers. Ten families of children aged between 22 and 42 months, recruited near Ho Chi Minh City, participated in this project. Each child wore the LENA audio recorder for a full day. Two native speakers listened to 10-min extracts of the recordings from each family and labeled conversational turns according to the coding protocol. Their results were compared with the findings from the LENA software. A Spearman rank correlation test indicated a strong level of correlation between the LENA software and the human coders, rs(18) = .70, p < .001. The LENA System’s CTC provides a reasonably accurate estimate of conversational turns in Vietnamese recordings, showing that this protocol can yield significant results. Discrepancies between the coders and the software are discussed, and the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed protocol are highlighted.

Accuracy of the language environment analysis (LENA) speech processing system for detecting communicative vocalizations of young children

2019 ◽  
Vol 146 (4) ◽  
pp. 2956-2956 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaie C. Woodard ◽  
Nikaela Losievski ◽  
Meisam K. Arjmandi ◽  
Matthew Lehet ◽  
Yuanyuan Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young Children ◽  
Speech Processing ◽  
Processing System ◽  
Environment Analysis ◽  
Language Environment Analysis ◽  
Language Environment

Natural Language Input: Maternal Education, Socioeconomic Deprivation, and Language Outcomes in Typically Developing Children

2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
pp. 1049-1070
Author(s):  
Nuzhat Sultana ◽  
Lena L. N. Wong ◽  
Suzanne C. Purdy
Keyword(s):  
Maternal Education ◽  
Correlation Coefficients ◽  
Classification Systems ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Language Outcomes ◽  
Environment Analysis ◽  
Language Environment Analysis ◽  
Language Input ◽  
Language Strategies ◽  
Language Environment

Purpose The current study was designed to investigate the differences in language input related to family factors (maternal level of education [MLE] and socioeconomic level of deprivation [SLD]) and their association with language outcomes in preschoolers. Method This study used New Zealand SLD and MLE classification systems to examine differences in language input related to these factors among 20 typically developing preschool children aged 2–5 years. The quantity of children's language input (adult words [AWs], conversational turns [CTs]) was calculated using the Language ENvironment Analysis audiotaping technology for two typical weekend days. Four 5-min Language ENvironment Analysis recording segments were transcribed and coded, and parental language strategies were classified as optimal language strategy, moderate language strategy, or sub-optimal language strategy (S-OLS) for child language outcomes. The receptive and expressive language of each child was assessed using the Preschool Language Scales–Fifth Edition. Results Mann–Whitney U tests showed significant differences between the quantity of language input (AWs/hr, CTs/hr) for high and low MLE and high and low SLD groups. Consistent with the literature, the use of S-OLSs was significantly lower for families with high MLE ( Mdn = .25, IQR = .14) and low SLD ( Mdn = .22, IQR = .13) than for families with low MLE ( Mdn = .41, IQR = .24) and high SLD ( Mdn = .41, IQR = .26). Spearman correlation coefficients indicated significant associations between language input (AWs/hr, CTs/hr, S-OLSs) and language outcomes. Conclusions Reduced language input and the frequent use of S-OLSs associated with low maternal education and high deprivation and low language outcomes for these children highlight the importance for all parents/families to learn optimal language strategies to support the development of strong language skills in their children in young age.

Using the Language ENvironment Analysis (LENA) System to Investigate Cultural Differences in Conversational Turn Count

2018 ◽  
Vol 61 (9) ◽  
pp. 2246-2258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hillary Ganek ◽  
Ron Smyth ◽  
Stephanie Nixon ◽  
Alice Eriks-Brophy
Keyword(s):  
Environment Analysis ◽  
Hearing Status ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Language Environment Analysis ◽  
Children With Hearing Loss ◽  
Analysis System ◽  
Language Environment ◽  
Hearing Children ◽  
Digital Language ◽  
Conversational Turns

Purpose This study investigates how the variables of culture and hearing status might influence the amount of parent–child talk families engage in throughout an average day. Method Seventeen Vietnamese and 8 Canadian families of children with hearing loss and 17 Vietnamese and 13 Canadian families with typically hearing children between the ages of 18 and 48 months old participated in this cross-comparison design study. Each child wore a Language ENvironment Analysis system digital language processor for 3 days. An automated vocal analysis then calculated an average conversational turn count (CTC) for each participant as the variable of investigation. The CTCs for the 4 groups were compared using a Kruskal–Wallis test and a set of planned pairwise comparisons. Results The Canadian families participated in significantly more conversational turns than the Vietnamese families. No significant difference was found between the Vietnamese or the Canadian cohorts as a function of hearing status. Conclusions Culture, but not hearing status, influences CTCs as derived by the Language ENvironment Analysis system. Clinicians should consider how cultural communication practices might influence their suggestions for language stimulation.

scholarly journals Variations in the Home Language Environment and Early Language Development in Rural China

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 2671
Author(s):  
Yue Ma ◽  
Laura Jonsson ◽  
Tianli Feng ◽  
Tyler Weisberg ◽  
Teresa Shao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Language Development ◽  
Child Language ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Rural China ◽  
Home Language ◽  
Early Language ◽  
Early Language Development ◽  
Language Environment ◽  
Conversational Turns ◽  
Home Language Environment

The home language environment is critical to early language development and subsequent skills. However, few studies have quantitatively measured the home language environment in low-income, developing settings. This study explores variations in the home language environment and child language skills among households in poor rural villages in northwestern China. Audio recordings were collected for 38 children aged 20–28 months and analyzed using Language Environment Analysis (LENA) software; language skills were measured using the MacArthur–Bates Mandarin Communicative Developmental Inventories expressive vocabulary scale. The results revealed large variability in both child language skills and home language environment measures (adult words, conversational turns, and child vocalizations) with 5- to 6-fold differences between the highest and lowest scores. Despite variation, however, the average number of adult words and conversational turns were lower than found among urban Chinese children. Correlation analyses did not identify significant correlations between demographic characteristics and the home language environment. However, the results do indicate significant correlations between the home language environment and child language skills, with conversational turns showing the strongest correlation. The results point to a need for further research on language engagement and ways to increase parent–child interactions to improve early language development among young children in rural China.

scholarly journals Socioeconomic status correlates with measures of Language Environment Analysis (LENA) system: a meta-analysis

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Leonardo PIOT ◽  
Naomi HAVRON ◽  
Alejandrina CRISTIA
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Final Analysis ◽  
Publication Type ◽  
Environment Analysis ◽  
System A ◽  
Language Environment Analysis ◽  
Language Environment ◽  
Strength Of Association ◽  
Important Evidence

Abstract Using a meta-analytic approach, we evaluate the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and children's experiences measured with the Language Environment Analysis (LENA) system. Our final analysis included 22 independent samples, representing data from 1583 children. A model controlling for LENATM measures, age and publication type revealed an effect size of r z = .186, indicating a small effect of SES on children's language experiences. The type of LENA metric measured emerged as a significant moderator, indicating stronger effects for adult word counts than child vocalization counts. These results provide important evidence for the strength of association between SES and children's everyday language experiences as measured with an unobtrusive recording analyzed automatically in a standardized fashion.

Evaluating the Language ENvironment Analysis System for Korean

2021 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 792-808
Author(s):  
Margarethe McDonald ◽  
Taeahn Kwon ◽  
Hyunji Kim ◽  
Youngki Lee ◽  
Eon-Suk Ko
Keyword(s):  
Error Rate ◽  
English Language ◽  
Word Count ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Environment Analysis ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Identification Error ◽  
Language Environment Analysis ◽  
Language Environment ◽  
Adult Word Count

Purpose The algorithm of the Language ENvironment Analysis (LENA) system for calculating language environment measures was trained on American English; thus, its validity with other languages cannot be assumed. This article evaluates the accuracy of the LENA system applied to Korean. Method We sampled sixty 5-min recording clips involving 38 key children aged 7–18 months from a larger data set. We establish the identification error rate, precision, and recall of LENA classification compared to human coders. We then examine the correlation between standard LENA measures of adult word count, child vocalization count, and conversational turn count and human counts of the same measures. Results Our identification error rate (64% or 67%), including false alarm, confusion, and misses, was similar to the rate found in Cristia, Lavechin, et al. (2020) . The correlation between LENA and human counts for adult word count ( r = .78 or .79) was similar to that found in the other studies, but the same measure for child vocalization count ( r = .34–.47) was lower than the value in Cristia, Lavechin, et al., though it fell within ranges found in other non-European languages. The correlation between LENA and human conversational turn count was not high ( r = .36–.47), similar to the findings in other studies. Conclusions LENA technology is similarly reliable for Korean language environments as it is for other non-English language environments. Factors affecting the accuracy of diarization include speakers' pitch, duration of utterances, age, and the presence of noise and electronic sounds.

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