How sensory cues help infants learn language
Touch to learn: How sensory cues impact word segmentation and learning
This study is looking at how things like touch, sound, and sight help babies learn to understand words, and it’s for parents and caregivers who want to support their little ones' language development by discovering if using different senses together makes learning easier for them.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Purdue University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (West Lafayette, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-10758251 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This research investigates how different sensory experiences, such as touch, sound, and sight, influence how infants learn to understand and segment words from speech. By examining how infants respond to various combinations of sensory inputs, the study aims to determine if using multiple senses can enhance their ability to learn language. The researchers will conduct experiments to see if infants pay more attention to words when they are paired with sensory cues, which could lead to better language acquisition. The findings may provide insights into effective strategies for supporting language development in young children.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for participation are infants and young children aged 0-11 years, particularly those who may be experiencing language delays or difficulties.
Not a fit: Patients who are older than 11 years or those without any language acquisition challenges may not benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved methods for helping infants and young children with language delays or disorders learn to communicate more effectively.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown that multisensory approaches can enhance learning in various contexts, suggesting that this study's approach may yield promising results.
Where this research is happening
West Lafayette, United States
- Purdue University — West Lafayette, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Borovsky, Arielle — Purdue University
- Study coordinator: Borovsky, Arielle
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.