Word knowledge and lexical access in monolingual and bilingual migrant children: Impact of word properties

A study that investigated the relationship between vocabulary instruction and reading comprehension was replicated and extended. The original study showed substantial gains in accuracy of word knowledge and speed of lexical access, but only marginal gains in comprehension. This latter result was attributable to methodological problems, and thus the comprehension measure was revised. In the present study, fourth graders were taught 104 words over a five-month period. Following instruction, these children and a group of uninstructed children matched on pre-instruction vocabulary and comprehension ability performed tasks to measure accuracy of word knowledge, speed of lexical access, and comprehension of stories containing taught words. Instructed children showed substantial advantage in all tasks. Reasons for these results, in contrast to studies that have failed to improve comprehension through vocabulary instruction, are discussed.

Download Full-text

The Predictive Validity of the Ravens Progressive Matrices Test with Migrant Children

Australian Journal of Education ◽

10.1177/000494417702100207 ◽

1977 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

pp. 187-188

Author(s):

E. G. Johnson ◽

S. Hilton ◽

I. MacDonald ◽

P. Sheaffe ◽

J. Stark ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Predictive Validity ◽

Migrant Children ◽

Chronological Age ◽

Word Knowledge ◽

Predictive Capacity ◽

Intelligence Level ◽

English Speaking ◽

Better Than

The attainments of ninth year migrant pupils whose sixth year assessment had been based on performance on the Ravens Progressive Matrices Test were found to be significantly lower than those of Australians of similar chronological age and intelligence level. Additionally, girls performed better than boys in both groups. The differences, however, were able to be accounted for in terms of performance on a test of Word Knowledge. Implications for the predictive capacity of the Ravens Progressive Matrices Test as well as for the education of non-English speaking migrant children are discussed.

Download Full-text

Measuring Word Learning Ability in Sequential Bilingual Children

Perspectives on Communication Disorders and Sciences in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations ◽

10.1044/cds17.1.25 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

pp. 25-32 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Pui Fong Kan

Keyword(s):

Word Learning ◽

Learning Ability ◽

Bilingual Children ◽

Word Knowledge ◽

Typically Developing ◽

Learning Skills ◽

Word Forms ◽

The Individual ◽

Novel Word Learning ◽

L1 And L2

Abstract The purpose of this article is to look at the word learning skills in sequential bilingual children—children who learn two languages (L1 and L2) at different times in their childhood. Learning a new word is a process of learning a word form and relating this form to a concept. For bilingual children, each concept might need to map onto two word forms (in L1 and in L2). In case studies, I present 3 typically developing Hmong-English bilingual preschoolers' word learning skills in Hmong (L1) and in English (L2) during an 8-week period (4 weeks for each language). The results showed gains in novel-word knowledge in L1 and in L2 when the amount of input is equal for both languages. The individual differences in novel word learning are discussed.

Download Full-text

Associations and Dissociations: An Investigation of Lexical Access Deficits in Agrammatism and Anomia

Perspectives on Neurophysiology and Neurogenic Speech and Language Disorders ◽

10.1044/nnsld15.4.19 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 15 (4) ◽

pp. 19-23 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jean K. Gordon

Keyword(s):

Lexical Access

Download Full-text

Lexical Access Problems Lead to Disfluencies in Speech

Experimental Psychology (formerly Zeitschrift für Experimentelle Psychologie) ◽

10.1027/1618-3169/a000021 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 57 (3) ◽

pp. 169-177 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

Robert J. Hartsuiker ◽

Lies Notebaert

Keyword(s):

Lexical Access ◽

Picture Naming ◽

Language Production ◽

Line Drawings ◽

Name Agreement ◽

Access Problems ◽

Agreement Condition

A picture naming experiment in Dutch tested whether disfluencies in speech can arise from difficulties in lexical access. Speakers described networks consisting of line drawings and paths connecting these drawings, and we manipulated picture name agreement. Consistent with our hypothesis, there were more pauses and more self-corrections in the low name agreement condition than the high name agreement condition, but there was no effect on repetitions. We also considered determiner frequency. There were more self-corrections and more repetitions when the picture name required the less frequent (neuter-gender) determiner “het” than the more frequent (common-gender) determiner “de”. These data suggest that difficulties in distinct stages of language production result in distinct patterns of disfluencies.

Download Full-text