Word Learning in Bilingual Toddlers: How Meaning and Parent Input Help Describe Early Vocabulary
Official title: Dual Language Input, Semantic Structure and Word Learning in Typically Developing and Late Talking Bilingual Children
Run by Boston University Charles River Campus · NCT07600242 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study tests how two word-learning categories (animals and clothing) and parent language input influence how bilingual toddlers pick up new words.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 24 Months to 30 Months |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 80 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Boston University Charles River Campus Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Boston, Massachusetts) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | December 16, 2025 |
| Main results expected | July 31, 2028 |
| Study ends | July 31, 2029 |
| Registry record updated | May 20, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07600242 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Children who are bilingual with exposure to English and another language, and who show typical development or language delay.
✕Probably not a fit
Children with significant hearing, vision, neurological, genetic, or other neurodevelopmental disabilities, or those with limited exposure to both languages, may not benefit.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
The study compares bilingual toddlers with typical development to those with language delay to see if they learn new words in similar ways. Researchers will use parent-reported checklists to measure current vocabulary and examine how different semantic categories support word learning in two languages. Children will experience two learning conditions that emphasize large and small semantic categories to see how category size affects acquisition. The goal is to understand how parental input and existing vocabulary shape bilingual word growth in early childhood.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Understanding how bilingual children learn words could inform strategies for supporting vocabulary development in two languages.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research in bilingual word learning has shown that parental input and semantic categorization can influence vocabulary growth, though this exact two-category approach is relatively novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * At least 10% exposure to both English and Spanish or at least 90% exposure to English and another language Exclusion Criteria: * Hearing impairment * Uncorrected visual impairment * Neurological impairment * Genetic syndromes * Neurodevelopmental disabilities (e.g. autism) * More than 10% exposure to a language other than English or Spanish
Where it's running
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Boston University
Boston, Massachusetts, United States Recruiting
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.