Semantic Features in Fast-Mapping: Performance of Preschoolers with Specific Language Impairment Versus Preschoolers with Normal Language

Mary Alt, Elena Plante, Marlena Creusere

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

139 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study examined the receptive language skills of young children (4-6 years old) with specific language impairment (SLI). Specifically, the authors looked at their ability to fast-map semantic features of objects and actions and compared it to the performance of age-matched peers with normally developing language (NL). Children completed a computer task during which they were exposed to novel objects and actions with novel names. The children then were asked questions about the semantic features of these novel objects and actions. Overall, the questions about actions were more difficult for children than objects. The children with SLI were able to recognize fewer semantic features than were their peers with NL. They also performed poorly relative to their peers on a lexical label recognition task. These results lend support to the idea that children with SLI have broader difficulties with receptive vocabulary than simply a reduced ability to acquire labels.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)407-420
Number of pages14
JournalJournal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research
Volume47
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2004

Keywords

  • Children
  • Receptive language
  • Semantics
  • Specific language impairment (SLI)
  • Word learning

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Language and Linguistics
  • Linguistics and Language
  • Speech and Hearing

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Semantic Features in Fast-Mapping: Performance of Preschoolers with Specific Language Impairment Versus Preschoolers with Normal Language'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this