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Perry LK, Meibohm SA, Drye M, Viggiano A, Romero C, Londoño J, Tao Y, Messinger DS, Elbaum B. Putting the child in the driver's seat: Insights into language development from children's interactions in preschool classrooms. ADVANCES IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND BEHAVIOR 2024; 66:109-136. [PMID: 39074919 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acdb.2024.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/31/2024]
Abstract
Children's own language production has a role in structuring the language of their conversation partners and influences their own development. Children's active participation in their own language development is most apparent in the rich body of work investigating language in natural environments. The advent of automated measures of vocalizations and movement have made such in situ research increasingly feasible. In this chapter, we review recent research on children's language development in context with a particular focus on research employing automated methods in preschool classrooms for children between ages 2 and 5 years. These automated methods indicate that the speech directed to preschool children from specific peers predicts the child's speech to those peers on a subsequent observation occasion. Similar patterns are seen in the influence of peer and teacher phonemic diversity on the phonemic diversity of children's speech to those partners. In both cases, children's own speech to partners was the best predictor of their language abilities, suggesting their active role in their own development. Finally, new research suggests the potential of machine learning to predict children's speech in group contexts, and to transcribe classroom speech to better understand the content of children's conversations and how they change with development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynn K Perry
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, United States.
| | - Sophia A Meibohm
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, United States
| | - Madison Drye
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, United States
| | - Alyssa Viggiano
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, United States
| | - Celia Romero
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, United States
| | - Juan Londoño
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, United States
| | - Yudong Tao
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, United States
| | - Daniel S Messinger
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, United States; Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, United States; Departments of Pediatrics, Music Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, United States
| | - Batya Elbaum
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, United States; Department of Teaching and Learning, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, United States
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Trembath D, Sutherland R, Caithness T, Dissanayake C, Eapen V, Fordyce K, Frost G, Iacono T, Mahler N, Masi A, Paynter J, Pye K, Reilly S, Rose V, Sievers S, Thirumanickam A, Westerveld M, Tucker M. Clinician Proposed Predictors of Spoken Language Outcomes for Minimally Verbal Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 51:564-575. [PMID: 32556833 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-020-04550-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Our aim was to explore insights from clinical practice that may inform efforts to understand and account for factors that predict spoken language outcomes for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder who use minimal verbal language. We used a qualitative design involving three focus groups with 14 speech pathologists to explore their views and experiences. Using the Framework Method of analysis, we identified 9 themes accounting for 183 different participant references to potential factors. Participants highlighted the relevance of clusters of fine-grained social, communication, and learning behaviours, including novel insights into prelinguistic vocal behaviours. The participants suggested the potential value of dynamic assessment in predicting spoken language outcomes. The findings can inform efforts to developing clinically relevant methods for predicting children's communication outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Trembath
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia. .,Griffith University, Parklands Dr., Southport, QLD, 4222, Australia.
| | - Rebecca Sutherland
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia.,Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT, Australia
| | - Teena Caithness
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia
| | - Cheryl Dissanayake
- Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| | - Valsamma Eapen
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Academic Unit of Child Psychiatry South West Sydney & Ingham Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Grace Frost
- Autism Specific Early Learning and Care Centre, Prospect, SA, Australia
| | - Teresa Iacono
- La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| | - Nicole Mahler
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia
| | - Anne Masi
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Academic Unit of Child Psychiatry South West Sydney & Ingham Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Jessica Paynter
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia
| | - Katherine Pye
- Autism Specific Early Learning and Care Centre, Bundoora, VIC, Australia.,School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| | - Sheena Reilly
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia
| | - Veronica Rose
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Stephanie Sievers
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia
| | - Abirami Thirumanickam
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia.,School of Allied Health Science and Practice, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Marleen Westerveld
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia
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