ERIC Number: EJ1354348
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0271-8294
EISSN: EISSN-1550-3259
Available Date: N/A
Using Animated Action Scenes to Remotely Assess Sentence Diversity in Toddlers
Krok, Windi; Norton, Elizabeth S.; Buchheit, Mary Kate; Harriott, Emily M.; Wakschlag, Lauren; Hadley, Pamela A.
Topics in Language Disorders, v42 n2 p156-172 Apr-Jun 2022
Although language samples are child-friendly and well-suited for obtaining global measures of language production, structured protocols have the potential to elicit many different exemplars of language structures in a shorter amount of time. We created a structured elicitation protocol, the Sentence Diversity Priming Task (SDPT), to efficiently assess sentence diversity in toddlers via video chat platforms. Sentence diversity is operationalized as the number of different subject--verb combinations in active declarative sentences. The task is presented as an animated picture book, with parents serving as the child's primary partner during administration. In this article, we provide the rationale for assessing sentence diversity, describe the task, and present preliminary analyses of compliance and developmental associations for 32 typically developing toddlers, 30-35 months old, with average language abilities. The preliminary findings suggest that the SDPT is an engaging task that holds toddlers' attention, reveals robust individual differences in their ability to produce sentences, is positively correlated with parent-reported language measures, and has the potential for assessing children's language growth over time. Finally, recommendations and tips for developing and remotely administering the protocol are provided, with an emphasis on encouraging parent involvement and increasing toddler compliance.
Descriptors: Toddlers, Sentences, Language Skills, Picture Books, Animation, Videoconferencing, Program Effectiveness, Evaluation Methods, Parent Role, Individual Differences, Language Acquisition
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Available from: Wolters Kluwer. 351 West Camden Street, Baltimore, MD 21201. Tel: 800-638-3030; e-mail: MR-WKCustomerSupport@wolterskluwer.com; Web site: https://journals.lww.com/pages/default.aspx
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Institutes of Health (NIH) (DHHS)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: R01DC016273; R01MH107652
Author Affiliations: N/A