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Related Concept Videos

Language Development01:22

Language Development

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Children master language quickly and with relative ease, supported by both biological predisposition and reinforcement. B. F. Skinner (1957) proposed that language is learned through reinforcement, while Noam Chomsky (1965) argued that language acquisition mechanisms are biologically determined.
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...
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Language and Cognition01:27

Language and Cognition

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Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.
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Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language01:10

Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language

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Language is a system of communication that allows the expression of thoughts, ideas, and feelings. The brain processes language in both hemispheres.
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
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Learning Disabilities01:25

Learning Disabilities

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Learning disabilities are cognitive disorders caused by neurological impairments that affect cognitive functions like language and reading, without indicating overall intellectual or developmental challenges. These disabilities differ from global intellectual or developmental disabilities as they are limited to distinct cognitive functions. Common learning disabilities include dysgraphia, dyslexia, and dyscalculia, each of which impacts unique aspects of learning.
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a...
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Language01:16

Language

258
Language is a unique communication system that uses words and systematic rules to organize and transmit information. Unlike other forms of communication, which may involve postures, movements, odors, or vocalizations, language relies on symbols and grammar. This makes human communication distinct from that of other species, who also communicate but do not use language in the same way humans do.
Corballis and Suddendorf (2007) and Tomasello and Rakoczy (2003) highlight the role of language in...
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Components of Language01:24

Components of Language

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Language, whether spoken, signed, or written, consists of specific components: lexicon and grammar. The lexicon is the vocabulary of a language, comprising its words. Grammar is the set of rules used to convey meaning through the lexicon. For example, English grammar adds “-ed” to most verbs to indicate past tense. Words are formed by combining phonemes, which are the basic sound units of a language. Different languages have different sets of phonemes (e.g., “ah” vs.
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Exploring Infant Sensitivity to Visual Language using Eye Tracking and the Preferential Looking Paradigm
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Learning a Sign Language Does Not Hinder Acquisition of a Spoken Language.

Elana Pontecorvo1, Michael Higgins1, Joshua Mora1

  • 1Boston University, MA.

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Learning American Sign Language (ASL) alongside spoken English benefits deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) children. Early ASL exposure supports age-appropriate vocabulary development in both languages, challenging prior concerns about potential harm to spoken language skills.

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Area of Science:

  • Linguistics
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Audiology

Background:

  • Deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) children with hearing parents often face challenges in spoken language acquisition.
  • Bilingualism in DHH children, particularly ASL-English, is an area of ongoing research regarding its impact on overall language development.
  • Previous literature has sometimes suggested potential negative impacts of sign language acquisition on spoken language skills.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between American Sign Language (ASL) acquisition and spoken English skills in DHH children.
  • To determine if learning ASL influences the development of spoken English vocabulary in DHH children.
  • To examine the overall language proficiency of ASL-English bilingual DHH children.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 56 DHH children aged 8–60 months with hearing parents learning both ASL and spoken English.
  • Independent assessment of English and ASL vocabulary size using parent-report checklists.
  • Correlational analysis to examine the relationship between ASL and spoken English vocabulary.

Main Results:

  • A positive correlation was found between ASL vocabulary size and spoken English vocabulary size.
  • Spoken English vocabulary in ASL-English bilingual DHH children was comparable to monolingual DHH children learning only English.
  • Total vocabulary (ASL + English) in bilingual DHH children was equivalent to same-age hearing monolingual children.
  • Children with larger ASL vocabularies tended to have average-range spoken English vocabularies.

Conclusions:

  • Learning ASL does not negatively impact spoken vocabulary acquisition in DHH children; evidence suggests a potentially positive effect.
  • ASL-English bilingual DHH children demonstrate age-expected total vocabulary when both languages are considered.
  • Findings do not support recommendations against sign language use; early ASL exposure facilitates age-appropriate vocabulary in both ASL and spoken English.