Kover ST. Distributional Cues to Language Learning in Children With Intellectual Disabilities.
Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch 2018;
49:653-667. [PMID:
30120444 PMCID:
PMC6198915 DOI:
10.1044/2018_lshss-stlt1-17-0128]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2017] [Revised: 01/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/11/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose
In typical development, distributional cues-patterns in input-are related to language acquisition processes. Statistical and implicit learning refer to the utilization of such cues. In children with intellectual disability, much less is known about the extent to which distributional cues are harnessed in mechanisms of language learning.
Method
This tutorial presents what is known about the process of language learning in children with language impairments associated with different sources of intellectual disability: Williams syndrome, autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, and fragile X syndrome.
Results
A broad view is taken on distributional cues relevant to language learning, including statistical learning (e.g., transitional probabilities) and other patterns that support lexical acquisition (e.g., sensitivities to sound patterns, cross-situational word learning) or relate to syntactic development (e.g., nonadjacent dependencies).
Conclusions
Critical gaps in the literature are highlighted. Research in this area is especially limited for Down syndrome and fragile X syndrome. Future directions for taking learning theories into account in interventions for children with intellectual disability are discussed, with a focus on the importance of language input.
Collapse