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Retrieval-Based Word Learning in Developmental Language Disorder During Book Reading
Sponsor: Purdue University
Summary
Children with developmental language disorder (DLD; also referred to as specific language impairment) experience a significant deficit in language ability that is longstanding and harmful to the children's academic, social, and eventual economic well-being. Word learning is one of the principal weaknesses in these children. This project focuses on the word learning abilities of four- and five-year-old children with DLD. The goal of the project is to build on the investigators' previous work to determine whether, as has been found thus far, special benefits accrue when these children must frequently recall newly introduced words during the course of learning. In this study, the investigators seek to replicate the advantage that repeated retrieval holds over simple exposure to the words and to demonstrate an increase in children's absolute levels of learning by implementing retrieval practice in the context of a story book.
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
48 Months - 71 Months
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
27
Start Date
2022-10-31
Completion Date
2024-09-17
Last Updated
2026-06-25
Healthy Volunteers
Yes
Interventions
Retrieval-based word learning: Repeated Spaced Retrieval condition
Each child will learn 8 novel nouns referring to unfamiliar plants and animals ("nepp") and a related "meaning" ("a nepp likes rain") in the context of a story book. Four of the nouns will be will be learned using repeated spaced retrieval. In this condition, they will initially hear the information and be asked to retrieve it. Thereafter, they will be asked to retrieve it after hearing 3 intervening words. After each retrieval attempt, they will hear the target information again. This procedure will occur on two consecutive days.
Retrieval-based word learning: Repeated Study condition
Each child will learn 8 novel nouns referring to unfamiliar plants and animals ("nepp") and a related "meaning" ("a nepp likes rain") in the context of a story book. Four of the nouns will be will be learned using repeated study trials only (with no retrieval practice). In this condition, they will simply hear the information (word \& meaning) as part of the story. This procedure will occur on two consecutive days.
Locations (2)
Purdue University's SLHS laboratories (8445 Keystone Crossing)
Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
Purdue University
West Lafayette, Indiana, United States