Comparing the Language Development of Native and Foreign Born Children

Julie Endvick, Stacy Heath, Jennifer Mick, Student ResearchersMarie Stadler Ph.D, Faculty Advisor

Communication Sciences and Disorders University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

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Mean Length of Utterance

Ivy

Luke

Evan

27.5 months 32 months 36.5 months

27.5 months 32 months 36.5 months 27.5 months 32 months 36.5 months

Type Token Ratio

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Total Number of Words

Ivy

Luke

Evan

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Num

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sTotal Number of Different Words

Ivy

Luke

Evan

ParticipantsIvy: Born to English speaking parents

•Lives with mother and fatherLuke: Born to English speaking parents

•Lives with mother and fatherEvan: Adopted from Ethiopia at 22 months

•No exposure to English pre-adoption•Started speech therapy at 29 months•Lives with mother, father, & older sister

The researchers would like to thank the participants and their families for taking part in this study.

Methods•Pre-tested at 26 months•Post-tested at 36 months

•The Rossetti Infant-Toddler Language Scale•MacArthur-Bates Communicative Inventories

•Language samples collected at 27.5, 29, 32, 33, 35, 36.5 months of age

•Semantics TTR and semantic roles

•SyntaxMean Length of Utterance

•PragmaticsPrimitive and Conversational Acts

27.5 m 32 m. 36.5 m. 27.5 m. 32 m. 36.5 m.

27.5 m. 32 m. 36.5 m.

Percent of Semantically Coded UtterancesSingle-term vs. Multi-term

18%23%

60%

81%76%

40%

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

Evan

Multi

Single

50%

79%

92%

50%

21%

8%

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70%

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100%

Ivy

Multi

Single

21%

61%

75%79%

39%

25%

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100%

Luke

Multi

Single

Retherford, K. S. (2000). Guide to Analysis of Language Transcripts (3rd ed.). Eau Claire, Wisconsin: Thinking Publications.

26 mo. 36 mo.10

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Mea

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The RossettiInfant-Toddler Language Scale

Ivy

Luke

Evan

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Perc

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MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development

Inventories

Ivy

Luke

Evan

26 mo. 36 mo.

Pre- and Post-Testing

Fenson, L., Marchman, V. A., Thal, D. J., Dale, P. S., Reznick, J. S. & Bates, E. (2007). MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories(2nd ed.). Baltimore, Maryland: Brookes Publishing Co.

Rossetti, L. (2005). The Rossetti Infant-Toddler Language Scale. East Moline, Illinois: LinguiSystems, Inc.

Research Questions•What are the differences and/or similarities in the development of semantics for native and foreign born toddlers?•What are the differences and similarities in the development of syntax for native and foreign born toddlers?•What are the differences and/or similarities in the development of pragmatics for native and foreign born toddlers?

Conclusions

•Although delayed compared to Ivy and Luke, Evan’s semantic and syntactic development increased at a similar rate.

•Ivy and Luke explored a variety of pragmatic speech acts early on, while Evan increased his variety of pragmatic acts with age.

Developmental data is limited and contingent on contextual variables such as people and toys in the environment.

•Ivy: consistent use of pragmatic acts •Luke: consistent use of pragmatic acts with an increase in initiations •Evan: expanded use of a greater variety of pragmatic acts

Pragmatics