Helping children with language disorders understand complex sentences
Official title: Treating Complex Sentences in Children with DLD
Funded at Ohio University Athens · NIH-11141884 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how to help kids with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) understand and use complex sentences better, by trying out two different teaching methods to see which one works best for improving their language skills and school performance.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ohio University Athens NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Athens, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $612,095 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DC021429-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11141884 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are children aged 0-11 years diagnosed with Developmental Language Disorder.
✕Less likely to help
Children without language disorders or those outside the age range of 0-11 years may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) can better comprehend and use complex sentences, which are increasingly present in their academic environments. The study will compare two innovative treatment approaches: one that teaches explicit syntactic rules and another that promotes implicit learning of these structures. By conducting randomized clinical trials, the research aims to determine which method is more effective in improving children's language skills and academic performance. The focus is on children aged 0-11 years who struggle with language comprehension due to DLD.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly enhance the language skills and academic outcomes of children with Developmental Language Disorder.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in using varied treatment approaches for language disorders, suggesting potential success for this novel comparison.
Where this research is happening
-
Ohio University Athens
Athens, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Montgomery, James W — Ohio University Athens
- Study coordinator: Montgomery, James W
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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.