Research
In the Child Language Learning Center (CLLC), we are trying to understand the language-learning process for first and second-language learners in infancy through adulthood. One phenomenon we are very interested in is the fact that young children pay attention to a variety of aspects of their language, even aspects that are not used in their native language. We believe this flexibility when paying attention to language is a crucial part of learning new language structure. We are interested in how this flexibility changes across development, how it differs for children and adults who have language-based learning disabilities, and how it differs in bilingual adults. Currently, the CLLC has six projects exploring these ideas.
Word Recognition in Mandarin-English Bilinguals
The bilingualism group is expanding upon previous research conducted by Dr. Quam and Dr. Sarah Creel at UC San Diego with Mandarin-English bilingual adult participants. The primary goal of the research is to learn about how experience with English for native speakers of Mandarin Chinese affects their sound processing in their native language. We are excited to use our new EyeLink eye-tracker to test our hypotheses, continuing this line of research right here at Portland State University! If you are a native speaker of Mandarin and are interested in participating, please check out our Participate page!
Heritage Language Literature Review
Qualitative Survey on Language Experiences
Preschool Study
The CLLC team travels to Portland area preschools and kindergartens to study language learning in children who are typically developing and children who have developmental language impairment. Currently, we are looking at children’s discrimination of different sounds and their ability to map those sounds to meanings. Previous research has revealed differences in the strategies used by children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and without DLD. Our research attempts to build off these findings by having children play short computer games with friendly monsters who make funny sounds. We look at how children learn and categorize these new sounds. One of our goals is to better understand the causes of developmental language impairment. If you are a preschool or kindergarten teacher, school principal, school speech-language pathologist, or parent of a child in kindergarten or younger, and are interested in supporting or participating in this research, please check out our Participate page!
Adult Language-impairment Study
This research project is examining how adults with and without a history of language-learning disabilities learn and categorize sounds. The focus of the study is similar to the preschool studies, in that we are interested in pinning down the cause of language-based learning disabilities. We teach adults sound categories in different kinds of learning environments, to see when language-impaired adults do well and when they struggle to learn. This study will build on our work with preschoolers and may reveal new information about the trajectory of language learning disabilities from childhood to adulthood. It may also provide insights that could ultimately help adults with language-based learning disabilities to develop adaptive learning strategies. If you are an adult with or without a history of language-learning disabilities and are interested in participating, please check out our Participate page!
Survey of WIC Staff on Child Language Development Study
The first phase of this study will focus on surveying the staff members of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children of Oregon (WIC). This will be a collaboration between WIC Senior Analyst, Dr. Julie Reeder and Dr. Quam. We want to collect information on staff knowledge and beliefs surrounding language development in children, as well as the staff’s experiences discussing language development concerns with WIC families.
As a trusted resource, the WIC staff regularly field questions from parents outside their area of expertise. This may include questions on bilingual language input, language delays, and language disorders. The survey will attempt to gain insight into the speech and language concerns brought forth by WIC families and to better understand the information given in response to these concerns. If the first phase of the study shows there are gaps in knowledge on the part of the WIC staff, the second phase may involve the creation of language development training modules.