scholarly journals Language Dominance, Verbal Fluency, and Language Control in two Groups of Russian–English Bilinguals

Languages ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Shishkin ◽  
Peter Ecke
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Verbal Fluency ◽  
Color Naming ◽  
Lexical Retrieval ◽  
Time Of Arrival ◽  
Language Dominance ◽  
Semantic Cues ◽  
Usage Patterns ◽  
Self Assessments ◽  
Language Control

This study explored language dominance, verbal fluency, and language control abilities of two groups of younger and older Russian–English bilinguals who had spent similar amounts of time as immigrants in the U.S. Verbal fluency tasks (based on letter and semantic cues, including a new method to elicit parallel letter-fluency data for Russian and English) were used to measure the bilinguals’ current lexical retrieval skills in addition to self-assessments of language proficiencies at time of study and time of arrival. Stroop tasks (naming colors with incongruent cues) were used to measure younger and older bilinguals’ ability to control interference during color-naming. Findings demonstrate that the older immigrants were less fluent in L2 naming tasks and that they remained dominant (more proficient) in their L1 whereas the younger immigrants had become relatively balanced bilinguals in terms of proficiency, fluent in both the L1 and L2. Younger and older bilinguals were equally capable of controlling interference across and within the two languages. We propose that it is not balance in bilingual proficiency that positively affects language control abilities, but balance as stability of language systems. Stability of language systems can be achieved if bilingual usage patterns remain relatively constant over several years and if no radical changes in language learning and maintenance efforts are required.

scholarly journals Clustering and switching in verbal fluency across varying degrees of cognitive control demands: Evidence from healthy bilinguals and bilingual patients with aphasia

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-66
Author(s):  
Erin Carpenter ◽  
Claudia Peñaloza ◽  
Leela Rao ◽  
Swathi Kiran
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Control ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Verbal Fluency ◽  
Dual Language ◽  
Word Production ◽  
Lexical Retrieval ◽  
Generation Task ◽  
Language Control ◽  
Language Condition

Abstract Background. Different linguistic contexts place varying amounts of cognitive control on lexical retrieval in bilingual speakers, an issue that is complicated in bilingual people with aphasia (BPWA) due to subsequent language and cognitive deficits. Verbal fluency tasks may offer insight into the interaction between executive and language control in healthy bilinguals and BPWA, by examining conditions with varying cognitive control demands. Aims. The present study examined switching and clustering in verbal fluency tasks in BPWA and healthy bilinguals across single- and dual-language conditions. We also examined the influence of language processing and language proficiency on switching and clustering performance across the dual-language conditions. Materials and Methods. Thirty-five Spanish-English BPWA and twenty-two Spanish-English healthy bilinguals completed a language use questionnaire, tests of language processing, and two verbal fluency tasks. The semantic category generation task included four conditions, two single-language conditions (No-Switch L1 and No-Switch L2) which required word production in each language separately, one dual-language condition which allowed switching between languages as desired (Self-Switch), and one dual-language condition which required switching between languages after each response (Forced-Switch). The letter fluency task required word production in single-language contexts. Outcomes and Results. Overall, healthy bilinguals outperformed BPWA across all measures. Results indicate that switching is more sensitive to increased control demands than clustering, with this effect being more pronounced in BPWA, underscoring the interaction between semantic executive processes and language control in this group. Additionally, for BPWA switching performance relies on a combination of language abilities and language experience measures.

Vocal Communications of a Developmentally Delayed Child

1987 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 112-130
Author(s):  
Mary Ann Romski ◽  
Sharon Ellis Joyner ◽  
Rose A. Sevcik
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Developmental Delays ◽  
Developmentally Delayed ◽  
Language Impaired ◽  
Diary Data ◽  
Word Acquisition ◽  
Diary Studies ◽  
Usage Patterns ◽  
Vocal Communications ◽  
Impaired Children

Studies of first-word acquisition in typical language-learning children frequently take the form of diary studies. Comparable diary data from language-impaired children with developmental delays, however, are not currently available. This report describes the spontaneous vocalizations of a child with a developmental delay for 14 months, from the time he was age 6:5 to age 7:7. From a corpus of 285 utterances, 47 phonetic forms were identified and categorized. Analysis focused on semantic, communicative, and phonological usage patterns.

scholarly journals EXPRESS: Trajectories of verbal fluency and executive functions in multilingual and monolingual children and adults: A cross-sectional study

2021 ◽  
pp. 174702182110267
Author(s):  
Roberto Filippi ◽  
Andrea Ceccolini ◽  
Peter Bright
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Verbal Fluency ◽  
Fluid Intelligence ◽  
Response Times ◽  
Developmental Trajectories ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Human Cognition ◽  
Lexical Retrieval ◽  
Cross Sectional

The development of verbal fluency is associated with the maturation of executive function skills, such as the ability to inhibit irrelevant information, shift between tasks and hold information in working memory. Some evidence suggests that multilinguistic upbringing may underpin disadvantages in verbal fluency and lexical retrieval, but can also afford executive function advantages beyond the language system including possible beneficial effects in older age. This study examined the relationship between verbal fluency and executive function in 324 individuals across the lifespan by assessing the developmental trajectories of English monolingual and multilingual children aged 7 to 15 years (N=154) and adults from 18 to 80 years old (N=170). The childhood data indicated patterns of improvement in verbal fluency and executive function skills as a function of age. Multilingual and monolingual children had comparable developmental trajectories in all linguistic and non-linguistic measures used in the study with the exception of planning, for which monolingual children showed a steeper improvement over the studied age range relative to multilingual children. For adults, monolinguals and multilingual participants had comparable performance on all measures with the exception of non-verbal inhibitory control and response times on the Tower of London task: monolinguals showed a steeper decline associated with age. Exploratory factor analysis indicated that verbal fluency was associated with working memory and fluid intelligence in monolingual participants but not in multilinguals. These findings raise the possibility that early acquisition of an additional language may impact on the development of the functional architecture serving high-level human cognition.

scholarly journals Children’s sensitivity to phonological and semantic cues during noun class learning: evidence for a phonological bias

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Culbertson ◽  
Hanna Jarvinen ◽  
Frances Haggarty ◽  
Kenny Smith
Keyword(s):  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Classification Systems ◽  
Developmental Changes ◽  
Artificial Language ◽  
Phonological Information ◽  
Semantic Cues ◽  
Artificial Language Learning ◽  
Cue Use ◽  
Noun Class

Previous research on the acquisition of noun classification systems (e.g., grammatical gender) has found that child learners rely disproportionately on phonological cues to determine the class of a new noun, even when competing semantic cues are more reliable in their language. Culbertson, Gagliardi, and Smith (2017) argue that this likely results from the early availability of phonological information during acquisition; learners base their initial representations on formal features of nouns, only later integrating semantic cues from noun meanings . Here, we use artificial language learning experiments to show that early availability drives cue use in children (67 year-olds). However, we also find evidence of developmental changes in sensitivity to semantics; when both cues types are simultaneously available, children are more likely to rely on phonology than adults. Our results suggest that early availability and a bias favoring phonological cues both contribute to children’s over-reliance on phonology in natural language acquisition.

Using a Virtual Learning Environment to Promote Autonomous Language Learning for Chinese Students

2013 ◽  
pp. 140-158
Author(s):  
Eoin Jordan ◽  
Mark Coyle
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Study Skills ◽  
English Language ◽  
Chinese Students ◽  
Virtual Learning Environment ◽  
First Year ◽  
Participation Rates ◽  
Self Study ◽  
Usage Patterns ◽  
Students Attitudes

This chapter examines a semester-long Moodle-based programme of monitored quizzes designed to encourage first-year Chinese students at an English medium university in China to engage in English language self-study and autonomous learning. Usage statistics and questionnaire data were collected and analysed in order to investigate overall quiz participation rates, usage patterns across the semester, and the extent to which the programme affected students’ attitudes towards self-study. The results indicated that participation rates in the quizzes were high, although activity on the programme pages did decline as the semester progressed. Students also reported via the questionnaire that the programme had helped them learn how to organise their own self-study. However, statistics from Moodle revealed that many participants were not taking the quizzes on a regular, weekly basis, as had been intended, suggesting that the programme may have only been partially successful in fostering autonomous study skills.

scholarly journals A-250 Evidence for Language and Memory Improvements Following Right Anterior Temporal Lobectomy in a Patient with Mixed Language Dominance

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 1045-1045
Author(s):  
Leonard S ◽  
Olsen E ◽  
Bradbury K
Keyword(s):  
Verbal Memory ◽  
Verbal Fluency ◽  
Verbal Learning ◽  
Temporal Lobectomy ◽  
Neuropsychological Evaluation ◽  
Language Abilities ◽  
Anterior Temporal Lobectomy ◽  
Language Dominance ◽  
Mixed Language ◽  
History Of

Abstract Objective Anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) surgery for epilepsy is commonly associated with post-surgical impairments in memory and language abilities, specifically episodic memory and confrontational naming. Less is known regarding outcomes of patients with atypical language dominance. Method Casey is a 19 year-old, ambidextrous, male with a history of remote symptomatic medically intractable focal epilepsy secondary to right inferior temporal encephalomalacia. Casey underwent right anterior temporal lobectomy and resection of mesial structures including part of the hippocampus. Results Casey’s pre-surgical neuropsychological evaluation revealed overall intellectual functioning in the average range with relative strengths in perceptual reasoning skills and weaknesses in attention, executive control, confrontational naming, and verbal fluency. Casey’s pre-surgical cognitive profile and functional MRI were suggestive of bilateral language organization. At post-surgical evaluation, Casey demonstrated strong overall cognitive abilities, basic reading, visual–spatial skills, and visual memory, as well as notable improvements in his processing speed and visual-motor integration. He demonstrated significant improvement in verbal working memory, verbal fluency, and contextual verbal memory. Casey continued to show significant weaknesses in word finding, phonetic verbal fluency, and rote verbal learning and memory, and milder weaknesses in aspects of executive functioning. Casey continued to demonstrate mood difficulties. Conclusions The current case provides evidence of continued mild deficits in traditional dominant hemisphere skills including rote verbal memory and focal language abilities, in a patient with a history of mixed language dominance, following right hemisphere ATL surgery. This case further highlights the importance of pre-surgical neuropsychological evaluation and fMRI in patients undergoing right ATL surgery.

scholarly journals Language control abilities of late bilinguals

2011 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 580-593 ◽  
Author(s):  
JULIA FESTMAN
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Verbal Fluency ◽  
Picture Naming ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Naming Task ◽  
The Other ◽  
Language Performance ◽  
Language Control ◽  
Cross Language ◽  
Late Bilinguals

Although all bilinguals encounter cross-language interference (CLI), some bilinguals are more susceptible to interference than others. Here, we report on language performance of late bilinguals (Russian/German) on two bilingual tasks (interview, verbal fluency), their language use and switching habits. The only between-group difference was CLI: one group consistently produced significantly more errors of CLI on both tasks than the other (thereby replicating our findings from a bilingual picture naming task). This striking group difference in language control ability can only be explained by differences in cognitive control, not in language proficiency or language mode.

Comprehensie van Vreemdtalige Input

1988 ◽  
Vol 30 ◽  
pp. 21-30
Author(s):  
Diana C. Issidorides
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Comprehension ◽  
Word Order ◽  
English Learners ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Theoretical Issue ◽  
Function Words ◽  
Semantic Cues ◽  
Processing Strategies

Within a psycholinguistic approach to second language learning, an attempt is made to investigate the question of how morphology, syntax (word order phenomena), semantics and pragmatics affect the comprehension of Dutch sentences for normative learners of that language. When talking to nonnative language-learners, native spea-kers often tend to dehberately modify their speech -'simplify' it - in an attempt to make the target language more comprehensible. Omitting semantically redundant function words and copulas, or deliberate-ly modifying the word order in a sentence, are but a few characteris-tics of sucn 'simplifications'. In trying to determine whether, and what kinds of, linguistic simplifications promote comprehension, an important theoretical issue arises, namely, the relationship between linguistic (structural) and cognitive (ease of information processing) simplification. That one form of simplification is by no means a guarantee for the other form is an important assumption that forms the backbone to our approach. The results from research on morphological simplifications (omission of redundant function words in utterances) in two parallel experiments - an artificial and a natural language one (Dutch) - are discus-sed. They suggest that the presence of semantically redundant functi-on words is not experienced as bothersome "noise" in the successful inference of the meaning of unfamiliar utterances, as long as supra-segmental cues are present. The suprasegmental structure provides the listener/learner with cues for locating the potentially meaningful elements of such utterances. Research on syntactic simplifications is also discussed. Its aim was to examine the role and effect of syntactic and semantic cues on sen-tence interpretation. Two important questions were: (a) What are the processing strategies and cues responsible for the interpretation of Dutch sentences by native speakers, and how do they compare to those employed by nonnative speakers? (b) Are the processing stra-tegies and cues that are responsible and decisive for first language comprehension also those employed in second language comprehension? The performance of Dutch control subjects on a Dutch sentence interpretation task is presented, and hypotheses are put forward as to the locus and cause of eventual performance differences in a nonnative subject population (English learners of Dutch). Some relevant theoretical implications of our findings are also mentioned.

Student self-assessment of oral explanations: Use of language learning progressions

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 391-417 ◽  
Author(s):  
Despina P. Goral ◽  
Alison L. Bailey
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Elementary Students ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
The Self ◽  
Learning Progressions ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Assessment Protocol ◽  
Assessment Activity ◽  
Self Assessments ◽  
And Gender

Students’ self-assessment of language features in their oral explanations of a mathematics task was supported by language learning progressions. Learning progressions map a continuum of knowledge or skills development as they increase in sophistication over time. Learning progressions can be a framework to support formative assessment by both teachers and students. Fifty-eight predominantly English-speaking US elementary students used language learning progressions to complete their self-assessment of either discourse stamina or vocabulary usage in the elicited oral explanations. Students were guided through a four-step, highly scaffolded self-assessment protocol that was analyzed for (1) concordance with researcher placements of their explanations on the progressions, and (2) student commentary on their own placements. Overall, 50% of the students self-assessed in accordance with researchers’ independent placement of their explanations on the progressions. However, significant grade-level and gender differences in concordance were found. Results were consistent with prior research findings that upper-elementary students’ self-assessments are more aligned with external measures than are younger students’ self-assessments (e.g., Butler & Lee, 2006). However, even the youngest students in the current study were able to complete the self-assessment activity, if not always with the same degree of concordance. Successful participation may be attributable to the format, scaffolding, and contextualization of the self-assessment activity with its use of language learning progressions. Also consistent with prior research, girls were more likely to agree with researchers’ placements than boys. Student self-assessment differed by the two language features. Most students found the self-assessment activity to be a useful learning experience. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

scholarly journals Building a Picture of Usage Patterns in a Language Learning Space: Gathering Useful Quantitative and Qualitative Data

2016 ◽  
pp. 412-425
Author(s):  
Katherine Thornton ◽  
Nao Noguchi
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Design Evaluation ◽  
Learning Space ◽  
Counting System ◽  
Evaluation Instruments ◽  
Usage Patterns ◽  
Experience Survey ◽  
Numeric Data ◽  
Rich Data

While evaluation of a language learning space can be a difficult undertaking, it is possible to design evaluation instruments that both satisfy institutional demands for numeric data and also provide useful information that can be used to improve the space. This paper reports on the implementation, one quantitative and one qualitative, of two evaluation instruments at a small and relatively new self-access centre in Osaka, Japan. The area counting system gives rich data about how students are using the space, while the user experience survey provides much valued learner voices on different aspects of the space and its mission. Examples are given from the findings and how this data can be utilised to enhance the space itself.

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