Language input of Cypriot Children: Analysis with LENA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36505/ExLing-2023/14/0003/000597Keywords:
Language input, LENA, Language development, Language acquisitionAbstract
This study utilizes the Language Environment Analysis (LENA) system to examine language acquisition in Greek-speaking children. LENA, a “talk pedometer” combining a wearable audio recorder with automated vocal analysis, aims to understand the role of child-directed speech (CDS) in language development. The research recorded 214 hours of natural interaction from four Cypriot families with children aged 6-46 months, categorizing audio data into various classes like conversational turns and vocalization counts. Results highlight significant correlations between parental language and children’s speech production. Interestingly, electronic device usage negatively impacted child vocalizations. Despite limitations in classifying prelinguistic sounds, LENA proved effective in tracking and analyzing linguistic environments, offering valuable insights for optimizing language input for child development.
References
Adams, K. A., Marchman, V. A., Loi, E. C., Ashland, M. D., Fernald, A., Feldman, H. M. 2018. Caregiver talk and medical risk as predictors of language outcomes in full term and preterm toddlers. Child Development, 89(5), 1674-1690.
Ferjan Ramírez, N., Weiss, Y., Sheth, K. K., Kuhl, P. K. 2023. Parentese in infancy predicts 5-year language complexity and conversational turns. Journal of Child Language, 1-26.
Gilkerson, J., Richards, J. A. 2009. The Power of Talk, 2nd edition [Technical Report LTR-01-2]. Boulder, CO: LENA Foundation.
Gilkerson, J., Richards, J. A., Warren, S. F., Oller, D. K., Russo, R., Vohr, B. R. 2018. Language experience in the second year of life and language outcomes in late childhood. Pediatrics, 142(4), e20174276.
Keller, H., Abels, M., Borke, J., Lamm, B., Su, Y., Wang, Y., Lo, W. 2007. Socialization environments of Chinese and Euro-American middle-class babies: Parenting behaviors, verbal discourses and ethnotheories. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 31(3), 210-217.
Magimairaj, B., Nagaraj, N., Caballero, A., Munoz, K., White, K. 2022. A systematic review of the effects of LENA-based feedback on parent-child language interactions in families with young children. The Journal of Early Hearing Detection & Intervention, 7(3), 47-60.
Weisleder, A., Fernald, A. 2013. Talking to children matters: Early language experience strengthens processing and builds vocabulary. Psychological Science, 24(11), 2143-2152.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are properly credited.
