Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous condition associated with differences in functional neural connectivity relative to neurotypical (NT) peers. Language-based functional connectivity represents an ideal context in which to characterize connectivity because language is heterogeneous and linked to core features in ASD, and NT language…

Background: The implicit learning deficit hypothesis claims that impaired implicit learning underlies deficits in social-communicative abilities associated with developmental language disorder (DLD). However, previous research testing this hypothesis revealed inconsistent results and largely used process-impure sequential learning tasks. Aims:…

From the second year of life, children with typical development (TD) demonstrate the ability to form word-word relations. However, this ability has received little attention in children with Down syndrome (DS). We investigated their ability to establish associative relationships between words that tend to occur in the same context. Two groups of…

Audio-visual associative learning -- at least when linguistic stimuli are employed -- is known to rely on core linguistic skills such as phonological awareness. Here we ask whether this would also be the case in a task that does not manipulate linguistic information. Another question of interest is whether executive skills, often found to support…

The ability to map similar sounding words to different meanings alone is far from enough for successful speech processing. To overcome variability in the speech signal, young learners must also recognize words across surface variations. Previous studies have shown that infants at 14 months are able to use variations in word-internal cues (i.e.,…

The development of beginning decoding and encoding skills is influenced by linguistic skills as well as executive functions (EFs). These higher-level cognitive processes include working memory, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility, and individual differences in these EFs have been shown to contribute to early academic learning. The present study…

When toddlers hear a novel word, they quickly and independently link it with a novel object rather than known-name objects. However, they are less proficient in retaining multiple novel words. Sleep and even short naps can enhance declarative memory in adults and children and this study investigates the effect of napping on children's memory for…

The development of beginning decoding and encoding skills is influenced by linguistic skills as well as executive functions (EFs). These higher-level cognitive processes include working memory, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility, and individual differences in these EFs have been shown to contribute to early academic learning. The present study…

The genetic factor structure of a range of learning measures was explored in twin children, recruited in preschool and followed to Grade 2 ("N"?=?2,084). Measures of orthographic learning and word reading were included in the analyses to determine how these patterned with the learning processes. An exploratory factor analysis of the…

Recent data suggest recovery of language systems but persistent structural abnormalities in the prematurely born. We tested the hypothesis that subjects who were born prematurely develop alternative networks for processing language. Subjects who were born prematurely (n = 22; 600-1250 g birth weight), without neonatal brain injury on neonatal…

Scored responses of 100 subjects to 30 neutral and 30 emotional words. Unique responses were prone to perseverations and reproduction faults on retest. Maudsley Personality Inventory Extraversion scores correlated with number of unique responses and perseverations elicited by neutral words. Reasons considered and it is argued that emotional…

Studies conducted among the Kpelle of north central Liberia whose present cultural milieu offers unique possibilities for studying the role of particular experiential factors, particularly education, on the development of paradigmatic response. (Authors)

LANGUAGE LEARNING EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF AUDITORY FACTORS IN READING WAS SURVEYED. THE AUDITORY-TO-VISUAL SYMBOL SYSTEM ASSOCIATION IS DEFINED AS THE ABILITY TO ASSOCIATE SOUND LABELS WITH VISUAL LABELS (AND VICE VERSA) ON A GESTALT WHOLE-WORD BASIS AND ON A PHONEME-GRAPHEME ANALYTIC-SYNTHETIC BASIS. THE DECODING (READING) AND ENCODING…

Forty-eight boys and girls, from ages 4 to 8 and with wide differences in intelligence, were subjects in a study which examined the role of visual perception in the oral language production of young children. Five tests were administered: one to sample visual perception, the others to measure selected skills of oral language--syntactical,…

A study of the extent to which relationships exist between pupils' verbal associative learning ability and seven indices of pupil ability to verbalize utilized 32 third-grade and 34 fifth-grade pupils randomly selected from six Las Cruces schools. Raw data were collected from transcribed language samples, the Verbal Paired-Associate Test, the…