Parents' talk about conceptual categories with infants: stability, variability, and implications for expressive language development.

Reading to children has been advocated as a way to enhance language and literacy skills (A. G. Bus, M. H. van IJzendoorn, & A. D. Pellegrini, 1995). However, little is known about reading with children under age 3 (K. L. Fletcher & E. Reese, 2005), particularly in at-risk samples (A. van Kleeck, 2003). In the current study of 87 primary caregivers and their 24-month-old children enrolled in an early intervention program, we tested a theoretical model of the relations among 24-month-old children's language, caregivers' reported frequency of reading with children, and caregivers' reading strategies on children's language and attention using path models. Path models indicated that caregivers' use of expansions and questions with their 24-month-old children during reading was related to children's expressive language at 30 months. Caregivers' use of labeling, expansions, and questions was related to 24-month-old children's attention during reading. Although children's language skills at 24 months were associated with the reported frequency of caregiver reading in the home, only caregivers' use of questions had a relationship with frequency of reading. Reading practices that promote language development and engagement during reading observed in this at- risk sample have implications for reading intervention efforts with young children.

Parent-child reading is a valuable activity that is widely recognized for its positive impact on children's language development. This paper aims to explore the impact of parent-child reading on children's language development and offers practical strategies for parents to help them promote their children's language skills.The research found that parent-child reading had a significant positive impact on children's language development, particularly in areas such as vocabulary, syntax, and communication skills. Reading with children from an early age can help them develop a strong foundation in language and literacy, which can have long-term benefits in their academic and social lives.The paper also provides several practical strategies for parents to promote their children's language development through reading. These strategies include involving children in the reading process by allowing them to select books and encouraging them to ask questions and share their thoughts about the story. Additionally, parents should select age-appropriate books that match their child's interests and reading level.Overall, this paper highlights the importance of parent-child reading in promoting children's language development and offers practical strategies for parents to help them support their children's language skills. By incorporating these strategies into their daily routine, parents can help their children develop strong language skills, setting them up for success in the future.

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show differences in their communication development when compared to children who are typically developing and other clinical populations. In addition, children with ASD show divergence and delays in their expressive language when compared to each other, and a reported 30% do not develop spoken language even with access to early intervention. In order to support children with ASD in their communication development, there is a critical need for (a) detailed accounts of the emergence of expressive language for children receiving early intervention, (b) investigation of factors that might explain differences in expressive language abilities, and (c) investigation of sensitive predictors of expressive language change for children receiving early intervention. Children with ASD are often recommended augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) as part of early intervention to augment existing communication abilities, thus providing a complementary communication system while supporting early language development. Augmentative and alternative communication can be introduced as a focused intervention to target communication specifically, or it can be introduced as part of a comprehensive intervention program targeting multiple domains of learning. When used as part of a comprehensive intervention program, AAC is believed to support communication development broadly, including children’s use of spoken language. Despite emerging evidence for its effectiveness as a focused intervention and potential to support spoken language development within the context of comprehensive interventions, little research exists examining the mechanisms underpinning outcomes of AAC interventions. The current project aimed to address this gap by investigating both the emergence of expressive language in children with ASD, and factors underpinning concurrent and longitudinal expressive language abilities for children receiving an AAC-infused comprehensive intervention program. This research was conducted as a series of three studies: Study 1 investigated the communication profiles of 246 children with ASD upon entry and exit to a comprehensive early intervention program; Study 2 investigated mechanisms underpinning concurrent expressive language abilities, and Study 3 investigated predictors of longitudinal expressive language abilities, in 48 children with ASD receiving an AAC-infused comprehensive intervention program. The findings from Study 1 documented that 58.7% of children who started early intervention as minimally verbal remained minimally verbal after approximately 12 months of intervention, while 41.3% went on to develop phrase speech (using two-word phrases), highlighting an as yet unmet clinical need, as well as research need to understand these differences. The findings from Study 2 challenged previously held beliefs regarding word learning abilities in children with ASD, and extended on previous research by investigating the relationship between symbolic word learning and expressive language level. By focusing on processes that might be relevant to children’s development within interventions incorporating AAC, the findings from Study 3 provided preliminary data on the characteristics of children who might experience the largest gains in spoken language within AAC-infused comprehensive interventions. This research demonstrated a novel approach to investigating variability in expressive language development in children with ASD. The findings from this research demonstrate potential to explain some of the variability through analysis of social-cognitive learning processes that might help predict change within intervention. Finally, the findings of this research have potential to inform how researchers and clinicians approach individual differences in all children who present with complex developmental profiles.

The relationships between early maternal social support, maternal psychological well‐being, the home learning environment, and children's language skills at age 3 in Korean families were examined. We hypothesized that maternal social support would predict children's language development through its effect on maternal psychological well‐being and the home learning environment. Structural equation modeling was employed to analyze the conceptual model, using data collected from 1,725 Korean families who participated in the Panel Study of Korean Children. Mothers' early social support predicted children's language skills via 2 indirect paths. First, greater social support predicted more positively adjusted psychological well‐being; maternal psychological well‐being was significantly associated with the quality of the home learning environment, which in turn predicted the positive development of language skills in children. Second, greater social support predicted a better home learning environment; again, the home learning environment positively predicted children's linguistic development. The direct paths from social support to language development were not significant. Social support during the child's infancy was observed to be beneficial for stimulating the home learning environment later. A comparison between working mothers versus nonworking mothers yielded no significant differences in the relationships between the variables. The results shed light on the importance of sensitive measures of social support in order to better understand its beneficial effects on mothers and young children.Highlights The relationships between early maternal social support, maternal psychological well‐being, the home learning environment, and children's language skills at age 3 in Korean families were examined. Structural equation modeling was employed to analyze the conceptual model, using data collected from 1,725 Korean families who participated in the Panel Study of Korean Children. Greater social support predicted more positively adjusted psychological well‐being; maternal psychological well‐being was significantly associated with the quality of the home learning environment, which in turn predicted the positive development of language skills in children.

The family is the first and foremost environment that provides children with social and linguistic experiences. Parents and other family members serve as the child's first language model, significantly influencing their language development in the future. This literature study aims to analyze the impact of the family environment on the language skills of elementary school students. The study employs a literature review method by referencing previous research journals relevant to the topic.Through journal searches, five relevant studies were identified. The majority of these studies applied a descriptive method design with a qualitative approach, while some also incorporated ex-post facto quantitative methods. Despite variations in research findings, all studies consistently indicate that the family environment plays a crucial role in shaping children's language skills. Factors such as parental involvement, the frequency of verbal interactions at home, and the availability of reading materials contribute significantly to children's linguistic development. Additionally, supportive family environments, where parents actively engage in conversations and storytelling, positively impact children's vocabulary acquisition and reading abilities.Based on the literature review results, it can be concluded that the family environment influences children's language skills. While the findings of each study may differ, they share a common conclusion regarding the significance of family interactions in shaping children's reading and communication abilities. These findings highlight the importance of fostering a language-rich home environment to support children's linguistic growth. Future research is suggested to further explore strategies that enhance parental involvement in children's language development.

Advances in information and communication technology, including the use of gadgets, have affected various aspects of life, including language development in early childhood. This study aims to analyze the effect of gadget use on children's language development, especially early childhood who experience speech delays. The research method used is qualitative with a descriptive approach, using in-depth interviews with parents and children as a data collection technique. The results showed that excessive use of gadgets without supervision can inhibit children's verbal interaction, reduce stimulation from the social environment, and have an impact on speech delay. Other factors, such as lack of direct interaction with parents and excessive sugar consumption, also worsen children's language development. However, with learning strategies based on direct interaction and controlled utilization of devices as learning media, children's language development can be improved. This study emphasizes the importance of parents' role in providing assistance and limiting the use of devices. The results of this study provide insights for parents, educators, and researchers to better understand the impact of technology on children's development and the importance of appropriate stimulation in supporting children's language skills.

The purposes of this study were to investigate (a) whether children in families with a positive history of dyslexia were more likely to show delays in language development than children without family risk and (b) whether a delayed onset of expressive language (late talking) predicted later language development. We analyzed the language development of 200 children longitudinally at 14, 24, 30, and 42 months and assessed their symbolic play at 14 months. Half of the children (N = 106) were from families with a history of dyslexia (the Dyslexia Risk [DR] group), and other children served as age-matched controls. Parental reports and structured tests were used to assess children's receptive and expressive language and symbolic play. No differences emerged between the two groups in receptive language, symbolic play, or on the Bayley MDI. The groups, however, diverged in expressive language measures. The maximum sentence length at 2 years and object naming and inflectional morphology skills at 3.5 years were higher for the control group than for the DR group. Reynell receptive score at 2.5 years provided the greatest unique contribution to the prediction of the children's receptive and expressive language. Children's risk status did not contribute to receptive language, but provided a significant contribution to their expressive language at 3.5 years, even after the variance associated with parental education and children's previous language skills was controlled. Late talkers in the DR group differed from the other members of the DR group in both receptive and expressive language at 3.5 years, although in the control group children with a late-talking history performed at age-level expectations. The findings suggest that children with a familial risk for dyslexia and with a history of late talking are at higher risk for delays in language acquisition than children without the familial risk for dyslexia.

This study examined associations among parenting style, home literacy practices, and children's language skills. A total of 181 ethnically diverse parents, primarily African American, and their preschool‐aged child participated. Results suggest that an authoritative parenting style was positively associated with informal home literacy (book reading) practices and formal literacy (parental teaching) practices whereas an authoritarian parenting style was negatively associated with informal home literacy practices. Informal home literacy experience was positively and parents' teaching literacy was negatively related to children's oral language scores. In a mediational model, parents who were more likely to have authoritative parenting style provided their children with informal (reading) home literacy experiences, which in turn, was associated with children's oral language skill. Parent education was positively related to home literacy experiences and directly related to children's oral language skill. Findings suggest that researchers should acknowledge multiple aspects of parenting when considering relations among home literacy practices and children's language and literacy development.Highlights Parenting style is associated with parents' engagement in home literacy activities with children. The relation between parenting style and children's oral language skills is mediated by the home literacy environment. Parent education has a strong and direct impact on children's oral language skills.

Techniques of magnetic recording: by Joel Tall. 472 pages, illustrations, [formula omitted] × [formula omitted] in. New York, The Macmillan Company, 1958. Price, $7.95

Preschool-age children show rapid development in various aspects of their development, including numeracy and language development. Various and appropriate stimulations are expected to optimize their development. Parents as the closest support system for preschool children have a very significant role, especially in helping children optimize their numeracy and language skills. Parents can play an optimal role if they understand children's numeracy and language development. In this community service program, parents are given training on "Optimizing the Learning Environment for Numeracy and Language in Preschool Children" which aims to increase parents' understanding of children's numeracy and language development and efforts to optimize it. The participants were 31 parents and Posyandu cadres in Jatimukti, Sumedang, West Java. Parents' understanding was measured through a pre-test questionnaire administered at the beginning of the training and a post-test questionnaire at the end of the training. The results showed a positive effect of the training on parents' understanding of children's numeracy and language development. Therefore, the results of this training recommend further trainings aimed at improving parents' understanding of language and numeracy development in preschool childrens.

Although traditional assessments of day care environments have been linked to children's development, understanding of the specific characteristics of the environment that enhance language, literacy, and cognitive development is sketchy. The purpose of this study was to explore the lenvironment for iteracy in day care centers, its relationship with traditional measures of day care quality and its influence on children's cognitive and language development. Observation of the environments in the 30 community-based day care classrooms sampled revealed relatively impoverished environments. Correlation and multiple regression analyses indicated that settings of higher day care quality also had higher quality environments. In separate hierarchical regression analyses, controlling for variance due to family factors, both day care quality and the environment predicted a significant portion of the variance in children's language development but not in children's cognitive development.

Parents and professionals can both play a role in improving children's expressive language development and a number of alternative models of delivery exist that involve different levels of input by these two groups. However, these alternative treatments have not been subject to rigorous comparative analysis in terms of both cost and clinical effectiveness. To compare, from the viewpoint of the healthcare provider, parent-based intervention (PBI) for preschool children presenting with expressive language delay with current practice observed in an actual healthcare setting where parents of the child follow a professional's advice on a review basis. Two groups of children were compared on a variety of expressive and receptive language assessment measures. One group (n=10) received standard individual general care. The comparison group (n=12) received PBI. After the 6-month study, the results indicated that children who received PBI made significantly greater language gains that children who received current practice. In addition, a cost-effective analysis was conducted. This showed that although the language gains delivered by PBI did incur some additional costs for the healthcare provider, there was no significant increase in cost per outcome gain over general care. Options in the implementation of PBI are discussed that could potentially save costs for the healthcare providers and increase the value of a PBI-based approach.

Do early care and education services improve language development for maltreated children? Evidence from a national child welfare sample

It is widely accepted that assessment plays a role in monitoring the development of young children with special needs in early intervention/early childhood settings. The process of assessing young children's language skills often looks for delays within a solid language foundation. However, many children who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) may not have a solid language foundation to assess, leading to inaccurate assessment. When we reframe how we assess language skills in children who are DHH, we ensure the assessment provides a comprehensive picture of the child's language development. It is important to modify language assessment tools where necessary while ensuring the assessment stays reliable and valid. It is critical to use multiple assessment tools to monitor the child's progress, including standardized assessments and assessment tools normed for DHH populations. Finally, it is crucial to monitor the child's skills in each language that they are using, regardless of which language is used most often. We explain why each of these factors needs to be considered in the assessment of young children who are DHH, will discuss the challenges of assessing this population, and will provide solutions to some of the challenges of assessing language skills in of young children who are DHH.

Read It Again (RIA) is a curriculum for pre-kindergarten (pre-K) classrooms that targets children's development of language and literacy skills. A cluster randomized trial was conducted in which 104 pre-K classrooms in the Appalachian region of the United States were randomly assigned to one of three study conditions: Control (n = 30), RIA only (n = 35), or RIA with expanded professional development components (n = 39). This study tested the impacts of RIA on six measures of children's (n = 506) language and literacy development. There was a significant positive impact of RIA on print concepts, and the impacts of RIA on print knowledge and alphabet knowledge were significantly stronger in classrooms with lower-quality literacy instruction. There were no impacts of RIA on children's language development and no impacts of the professional development components. Implications of the findings for implementing scalable, effective strategies to improve key school readiness outcomes for children from economically-disadvantaged backgrounds are discussed.