Finding the best ways to help young children catch up on language
Identification of treatment parameters that maximize language treatment efficacy for children.
Seeing if language activities based on how children naturally learn words help toddlers and preschoolers with delayed language catch up.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Arizona NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tucson, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11178337 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This research uses what we know about how children implicitly learn words and grammar to design speech activities for kids. Researchers will run several linked studies with two groups—“late talkers” aged about 2–3 years and preschool children with developmental language disorder aged about 4–5 years—to compare different treatment features like the timing and pattern of language input. Families will bring children to therapy sessions and follow-up tests so the team can measure gains in vocabulary and grammar over time. The goal is to create therapy methods that help children gain language skills more quickly and in a way that fits how they learn naturally.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are children roughly 2–5 years old who have delayed spoken language, including late talkers and preschoolers diagnosed with developmental language disorder.
Not a fit: Children without language delays, those outside the 2–5 age range, or children whose language issues are primarily caused by severe hearing loss, intellectual disability, or other complex medical conditions may not benefit from these specific approaches.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could make speech therapy faster and more effective for young children with language delays.
How similar studies have performed: Basic research strongly supports statistical learning as important for language, and early clinical efforts have shown promise, but applying these principles widely in therapy is still relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Tucson, United States
- University of Arizona — Tucson, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Plante, Elena M — University of Arizona
- Study coordinator: Plante, Elena M
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 below.