How bilingual preschoolers perceive and produce speech sounds in Spanish and English
Official title: Speech Sound Perception and Production in Spanish/English Bilingual Preschoolers
Funded at California State University Los Angeles · NIH-10200570 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how young kids who speak both Spanish and English learn to make and understand speech sounds as they start using more English, helping us understand their language skills better and what helps them learn.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R15 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | California State University Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2021 |
| Project end | August 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2021 |
| Award (this year) | $438,000 |
| NIH project number | 1R15DC019493-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10200570 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are low-income preschoolers who are Spanish speakers and are beginning to learn English.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not bilingual or who have already achieved proficiency in both languages may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how Spanish/English bilingual preschoolers perceive and produce speech sounds as they transition from Spanish to English. The study focuses on children who start learning English after being exposed to Spanish, aiming to understand their speech sound abilities in both languages. By tracking the development of these skills over time, the research seeks to identify key factors that influence language learning and literacy. The project involves various tasks to assess speech perception, production, and vocabulary in both languages.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could enhance educational strategies for bilingual children, improving their language development and literacy outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown success in understanding speech perception in bilingual learners, but this specific focus on sequential bilinguals is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
California State University Los Angeles
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Montanari, Simona — California State University Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Montanari, Simona
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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.