The Number of Sessions Children With Developmental Language Disorder Retrieve Words Relates Positively to Retrieval...

Area of Science:

• Child Language Acquisition
• Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)
• Clinical Speech-Language Pathology

Background:

• Successful word retrieval during training typically predicts post-training recall in typically developing children.
• Understanding this relationship in children with developmental language disorder (DLD) is crucial for refining clinical interventions.
• Previous research highlights the importance of consistent word retrieval for learning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between training performance and post-training word retrieval in children with DLD.
• To analyze data from an interactive book reading intervention to determine factors influencing word learning in DLD.
• To inform clinical practices for DLD word learning interventions.

Main Methods:

• Secondary analysis of data from an interactive book reading intervention involving kindergarten children with DLD.
• Children participated in 15 biweekly sessions, with target words trained across 6 sessions.
• Assessed the relationship between correct production of word form/meaning during training and retrieval probability at post-training delays (0, 4, 8, 12 weeks).

Main Results:

• A positive correlation was found between the number of training sessions with successful word retrieval and the probability of post-training retrieval.
• This positive relationship held true for both word forms and meanings.
• Consistent successful retrieval during training significantly predicted later word recall.

Conclusions:

• Children with DLD require successful retrieval of word forms and meanings across multiple sessions to achieve lasting retention.
• Findings support the need for interventions that promote repeated successful word retrieval for children with DLD.
• Implications for clinical practice and future research directions are discussed.