Investigating how bilingual toddlers learn words
Talking Late in Two Languages
This study is looking at how Spanish-English toddlers who are a bit slow to talk learn new words, and it wants to find out how different amounts of exposure to both languages can help them connect words with their meanings, so we can better support their language development.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11075779 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This research focuses on understanding how bilingual children, specifically Spanish-English toddlers who are late to talk, learn vocabulary. It aims to explore the impact of distributed exposure to two languages on their word-learning abilities. By using a unique experimental approach, the study will manipulate exposure parameters to see how they affect the children's ability to connect words with their meanings. The goal is to provide insights that could help improve language development strategies for bilingual children.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are Spanish-English bilingual toddlers aged 2 to 4 years who are experiencing delays in their speech development.
Not a fit: Patients who are not bilingual or those who do not have language delays may not benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could enhance vocabulary learning strategies for bilingual children, leading to better language outcomes.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown promising results in understanding language acquisition in bilingual children, but this specific experimental approach is novel.
Where this research is happening
Madison, United States
- University of Wisconsin-Madison — Madison, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kaushanskaya, Margarita — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Kaushanskaya, Margarita
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.