Assessing language skills in bilingual children
Official title: Reliability and Validity of Dynamic and Processing-based Assessments for Language in Diverse Bilingual School-age Children
Funded at University of Minnesota · NIH-11073088 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is exploring new ways to check how well bilingual kids, especially those who speak a different language at home and are learning English, understand and use language, using fun and helpful methods to get a clearer picture of their skills.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2023 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $390,873 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DC019895-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11073088 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are bilingual children aged 4 to 6 years who speak a non-English language at home.
✕Less likely to help
Children who are monolingual or do not have language learning difficulties may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates new ways to assess language skills in bilingual children, particularly those who speak a minority language at home and are learning English. It focuses on two innovative assessment methods: dynamic assessment, which includes teaching during the evaluation, and processing-based assessment, which looks at the underlying skills that support language learning. The study will involve 165 children aged 4 to 6 years who speak any non-English language at home, aiming to provide a more accurate understanding of their language abilities. By rigorously testing these methods, the research seeks to improve how language disorders are diagnosed and treated in bilingual children.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more accurate assessments and better support for bilingual children with language disorders.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in using dynamic and processing-based assessments for language evaluation, but this specific approach for bilingual children is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ebert, Kerry Danahy — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Ebert, Kerry Danahy
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.