Word Learning and Story Comprehension From Digital Storybooks

2016 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 410-428 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth S. Kelley ◽  
Kara Kinney
Keyword(s):  
Preschool Children ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Word Learning ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Story Comprehension ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
New Words ◽  
Incidental Exposure ◽  
Learning Instruction ◽  
Incidental Word Learning

An emerging body of research examines language learning of young children from experiences with digital storybooks, but little is known about the ways in which specific components of digital storybooks, including interactive elements, may influence language learning. The purpose of the study was to examine the incidental word learning and story comprehension of preschool children after interactions with interactive and noninteractive versions of a digital storybook. Thirty preschool children were randomly assigned to one of two experimental conditions: interactive in which the story text was presented aloud and interactive features were present and not interactive in which the story text was presented aloud with no interactive features. After three sessions with the digital storybook, no group differences were observed between conditions on measures of word learning or story comprehension. Children in both groups demonstrated some learning of new words; however, gains were minimal, approximately one new word per child. This study contributes preliminary data to indicate that interactive components of digital storybooks may not be sufficient to facilitate language learning. Instruction, rather than incidental exposure, is likely necessary for meaningful language learning from digital storybooks.

The interactive animated e-book as a word learning device for kindergartners

2014 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 899-920 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. J. H. SMEETS ◽  
A. G. BUS
Keyword(s):  
Word Learning ◽  
Computer Games ◽  
Kindergarten Children ◽  
Background Music ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Story Comprehension ◽  
Intervention Period ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Electronic Storybooks ◽  
Static Pictures

ABSTRACTElectronic picture storybooks often include motion pictures, sounds, and background music instead of static pictures, and hotspots that label/define words when clicked on. The current study was designed to examine whether these additional elements aid word learning and story comprehension and whether effects accumulate making the animated e-book that also includes hotspots the most promising device. A sample group of 136 4- and 5-year-old kindergarten children were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: static e-books, animated e-books, interactive animated e-books, and a control group. In experimental conditions, four on-screen stories were each presented four times during a 4-week intervention period. Children in the control condition played nonliteracy related computer games during the same time. In all conditions, children worked independently with the computer programs. Strong treatment effects were found on target vocabulary originating from the story. Pupils gained most in vocabulary after reading interactive animated e-books, followed by (noninteractive) animated e-books and then static e-books. E-books including animations and interactivity were neither beneficial nor detrimental for story comprehension. Findings suggest that electronic storybooks are valuable additions in support of the classroom curriculum with interactive animated e-books being the best alternative.

scholarly journals Exemplar Variability Facilitates Retention of Word Learning by Children With Specific Language Impairment

2018 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 72-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica M. Aguilar ◽  
Elena Plante ◽  
Michelle Sandoval
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Word Learning ◽  
Language Impairment ◽  
Specific Language Impairment ◽  
Training Session ◽  
High Variability ◽  
Specific Language ◽  
New Words ◽  
Experimental Training

Purpose Variability in the input plays an important role in language learning. The current study examined the role of object variability for new word learning by preschoolers with specific language impairment (SLI). Method Eighteen 4- and 5-year-old children with SLI were taught 8 new words in 3 short activities over the course of 3 sessions. Half of the children saw 3 identical objects corresponding to each new word during training (No Variability group); the other half of the children saw 3 different objects corresponding to each new word during training (High Variability group). Children completed vocabulary learning tests for objects seen during training and for new within-category objects that were never seen during training as a test of category generalization. Learning was assessed the day after each training activity, and retention was assessed 3 weeks after the last training session. Results There were no group differences on trained or generalization items immediately following training sessions. However, children in the High Variability group demonstrated significantly better retention 3 weeks after experimental training. Conclusion These findings demonstrate that object variability facilitates retention of new word learning by children with SLI. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.5583979

Teaching Language to the Truly Naive Learner — An Analog Study Using a Tactual Vocoder

1979 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 5-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Williams ◽  
Alex Granzin ◽  
Siegfried Engelmann ◽  
Wesley C. Becker
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
College Level ◽  
Criterion Group ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
New Words ◽  
Teaching Language ◽  
Unfamiliar Word ◽  
Learning Tasks ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Analog Study

A theoretical model for the analysis of sets of unfamiliar language stimuli is presented and some implications for the programming of language learning are discussed. An experiment is described illustrating research questions raised by the model In the experiment highly unfamiliar word discriminations were taught to 20 subjects distributed in four groups. Each group learned to discriminate the same 12 words presented through a tactual vocoder. The experimental conditions were: (1) low and high criteria of performance before new words were cumulatively added to the known set, and (2) “easy” and “hard” sequences. The hard sequence required more difficult discriminations to be made during learning of the first six words. The results show that difficult tactual discriminations could be learned by most subjects in the time limits allowed. The best performance was shown by the Hard Sequence-Easy Criterion group. This finding is consistent with the expectation that the “Hard Sequence” would produce faster learning by requiring a focus on critical discriminations early in the training, and the likelihood that lower criterion facilitated faster introduction of the larger set and avoided over learning of false discriminations. On a location transfer test (the vibrators were moved from the arms to the legs), the group was correct 72.1 percent of the time, demonstrating a central integrative explanation for the learning going on. The study also showed that unfamiliar problems are difficult learning tasks, even for college level adults.

scholarly journals Does narrator variability facilitate incidental word learning in the classroom?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Luis Tapia ◽  
Eva Rosa ◽  
Francisco Rocabado ◽  
Marta Vergara-Martínez ◽  
Manuel Perea
Keyword(s):  
Word Learning ◽  
Incidental Learning ◽  
Semantic Integration ◽  
Contextual Diversity ◽  
New Words ◽  
Low Diversity ◽  
Adults And Children ◽  
Incidental Word Learning ◽  
High Diversity ◽  
Better Than

AbstractRecent studies have revealed that presenting novel words across various contexts (i.e., contextual diversity) helps to consolidate the meaning of these words both in adults and children. This effect has been typically explained in terms of semantic distinctiveness (e.g., Semantic Distinctiveness Model, Jones et al., Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology, 66(2), 115, 2012). However, the relative influence of other, non-semantic, elements of the context is still unclear. In this study, we examined whether incidental learning of new words in children was facilitated when the words were uttered by several individuals rather than when they were uttered by the same individual. In the learning phase, the to-be-learned words were presented through audible fables recorded either by the same voice (low diversity) or by different voices (high diversity). Subsequently, word learning was assessed through two orthographic and semantic integration tasks. Results showed that words uttered by different voices were learned better than those uttered by the same voice. Thus, the benefits of contextual diversity in word learning extend beyond semantic differences among contexts; they also benefit from perceptual differences among contexts.

Pairing New Words With Unfamiliar Objects: Comparing Children With and Without Cochlear Implants

2018 ◽  
Vol 61 (9) ◽  
pp. 2325-2336
Author(s):  
Emily Lund
Keyword(s):  
Preschool Children ◽  
Cochlear Implants ◽  
Word Learning ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Normal Hearing ◽  
Expressive Vocabulary ◽  
New Words ◽  
Initial Stage ◽  
Novel Words

PurposeThis study investigates differences between preschool children with cochlear implants and age-matched children with normal hearing during an initial stage in word learning to evaluate whether they (a) match novel words to unfamiliar objects and (b) solicit information about unfamiliar objects during play.MethodTwelve preschool children with cochlear implants and 12 children with normal hearing matched for age completed 2 experimental tasks. In the 1st task, children were asked to point to a picture that matched either a known word or a novel word. In the 2nd task, children were presented with unfamiliar objects during play and were given the opportunity to ask questions about those objects.ResultsIn Task 1, children with cochlear implants paired novel words with unfamiliar pictures in fewer trials than children with normal hearing. In Task 2, children with cochlear implants were less likely to solicit information about new objects than children with normal hearing. Performance on the 1st task, but not the 2nd, significantly correlated with expressive vocabulary standard scores of children with cochlear implants.ConclusionThis study provides preliminary evidence that children with cochlear implants approach mapping novel words to and soliciting information about unfamiliar objects differently than children with normal hearing.

Nonword repetition and word learning: The nature of the relationship

2006 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 513-543 ◽  
Author(s):  
SUSAN E. GATHERCOLE
Keyword(s):  
Theoretical Analysis ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Life Span ◽  
Word Learning ◽  
Nonword Repetition ◽  
Learning Mechanism ◽  
New Words ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Speech Motor ◽  
Substantial Degree

This article presents a theoretical framework designed to accommodate core evidence that the abilities to repeat nonwords and to learn the phonological forms of new words are closely linked. Basic findings relating nonword repetition and word learning both in typical samples of children and adults and in individuals with disorders of language learning are described. The theoretical analysis of this evidence is organized around the following claims: first, that nonword repetition and word learning both rely on phonological storage; second, that they are both multiply determined, constrained also by auditory, phonological, and speech–motor output processes; third, that a phonological storage deficit alone may not be sufficient to impair language learning to a substantial degree. It is concluded that word learning mediated by temporary phonological storage is a primitive learning mechanism that is particularly important in the early stages of acquiring a language, but remains available to support word learning across the life span.

A growth curve analysis of novel word learning by sequential bilingual preschool children

2011 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 452-469 ◽  
Author(s):  
PUI FONG KAN ◽  
KATHRYN KOHNERT
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Word Learning ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Growth Curve Analysis ◽  
New Words ◽  
Weekly Training ◽  
Novel Word Learning ◽  
L1 And L2

Longitudinal word learning studies which control for experience can advance understanding of language learning and potential intra- and inter-language relationships in developing bilinguals. We examined novel word learning in both the first (L1) and the second (L2) languages of bilingual children. The rate and shape of change as well as the role of existing vocabulary in new word learning were of primary interest. Participants were 32 three-to-five-year old children. All participants had Hmong as their L1 and English as their L2. A novel word learning paradigm was used to measure children's acquisition of new form–meaning associations in L1 and L2 over eight weekly training sessions (four in each language). Two-level hierarchical linear models were used to analyze change in the comprehension and production of new words in Hmong and English over time. Results showed that there were comparable linear gains in novel word comprehension and production in both the L1 and the L2, despite different starting points. Success in novel word learning was predicted to some extent by existing vocabulary knowledge within each language. Between-language relationships were both positive and negative. These findings are consistent with highly interactive dynamic theories of sequential bilingual language learning.

Prologue to the Forum: Vocabulary Across the School Grades

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 461-465 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne M. Adlof
Keyword(s):  
Word Learning ◽  
Vocabulary Instruction ◽  
Elementary Grades ◽  
Reading Disorders ◽  
Vocabulary Intervention ◽  
New Words ◽  
School Grades ◽  
Grade Levels ◽  
Ability Levels ◽  
Instructional Settings

Purpose This prologue introduces the LSHSS Forum: Vocabulary Across the School Grades. The goals of the forum are to provide an overview of the importance of vocabulary to literacy and academic achievement, to review evidence regarding best practices for vocabulary instruction, and to highlight recent research related to word learning with students across different grade levels. Method The prologue provides a foundational overview of vocabulary's role in literacy and introduces the topics of the other ten articles in the forum. These include clinical focus articles, research reviews, and word-learning and vocabulary intervention studies involving students in elementary grades through college. Conclusion Children with language and reading disorders experience specific challenges learning new words, but all students can benefit from high-quality vocabulary instruction. The articles in this issue highlight the characteristics of evidence-based vocabulary interventions for children of different ages, ability levels, and language backgrounds and provide numerous examples of intervention activities that can be modified for use in individual, small-group, or large-group instructional settings.

An Examination of Language Samples Obtained under Three Experimental Conditions

1982 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 121-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louise D. Stalnaker ◽  
Nancy A. Creaghead
Keyword(s):  
Preschool Children ◽  
Head Start ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Semantic Relationships ◽  
Three Samples ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Mean Length Of Utterance ◽  
Language Sample

Language samples were obtained from 12 Head Start preschool children under the following three experimental conditions: Condition I, Retelling a Story with Toys; Condition II, Playing with Toys; Condition III, Toys with Questions. The quantity and quality of the three samples gathered from each child were compared by analyzing the total number of utterances, the proportion of the total utterances which were sentence fragments, the number of transformations and adverbial expansions, the number of different semantic relationships, and the mean length of utterance (MLU). Results indicated that retelling a story produced the largest MLU, but toys and questions produced more utterances. These findings indicated that questioning children does not inhibit their language and asking them to retell a story may be a fruitful approach to use when gathering a language sample.

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