How sensory cues help infants learn language
Official title: Touch to learn: How sensory cues impact word segmentation and learning
Funded at Purdue University · NIH-10758251 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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 start | January 1, 2023 |
| Project end | December 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $153,450 |
| NIH project number | 5R21HD108730-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10758251 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for participation are infants and young children aged 0-11 years, particularly those who may be experiencing language delays or difficulties.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are older than 11 years or those without any language acquisition challenges may not benefit from this research.
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.
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 gone: 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
-
Purdue University
West Lafayette, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Borovsky, Arielle — Purdue University
- Study coordinator: Borovsky, Arielle
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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.