The different time course of phonotactic constraint learning in children and adults : evidence from speech errors

Speech errors typically respect the speaker’s implicit knowledge of language-wide phonotactics (e.g., /ŋ/ cannot be a syllable onset in the English language). Previous work demonstrated that adults can learn novel experimentally-induced phonotactic constraints by producing syllable strings in which the allowable position of a phoneme depends on another phoneme within the sequence (e.g., /t/ can only be an onset if the medial vowel is /i/), but not earlier than the second day of training. Thus far, no work has been done with children. In the current 4-day experiment, a group of Dutch-speaking adults and nine-year-old children were asked to rapidly recite sequences of novel word-forms (e.g., kieng nief siet hiem) that were consistent with phonotactics of the spoken Dutch language. Within the procedure of the experiment, some consonants (i.e., /t/ and /k/) were restricted to onset or coda position depending on the medial vowel (i.e., /i/ or “ie” versus /øː/ or “eu”). Speech errors in adults revealed a learning effect for the novel constraints on the second day of learning, consistent with earlier findings. A post-hoc analysis at trial-level showed that learning was statistically reliable after an exposure of 120 sequence-trials (including a consolidation period). In contrast, cChildren, however, started learning the constraints already on the first day. More precisely, the effect appeared significantly after an exposure of 24 sequences. These findings indicate that children are rapid implicit learners of novel phonotactics, which bears important implications for theorizing about developmental sensitivities in language learning

Efektywność terapii integracji sensorycznej u dzieci z trudnościami w uczeniu się

In the article, conclusions from different research projects carried out by scientists over several decades are presented. They concern the co-occurrence of different sensory dysfunctions, including even genetic ones, as well as learning difficulties. The efficiency of therapeutic measures taken within sensory integration therapy has also been described.W artykule przedstawiono wnioski z projektów badawczych przeprowadzonych w ciągu kilku dekad. Dotyczą one współwystępowania różnych dysfunkcji sensorycznych (w tym genetycznych) oraz trudności w uczeniu się. Opisano pomiary efektywności podjętych działań terapeutycznych z zakresu terapii integracji sensorycznej

Doskonalenie dziecka z zespołem Downa metodami terapeutycznymi (w tym masażem Shantala Special Care, integracją sensoryczną). Studium przypadku

The article indicates the most common genetic causes of Down’s syndrom, as well as typical differences in physical structure and motor, intellectual and communication limitations occurring in people with Down’s syndrome compared to non-disabled people (children). On the example of a girl with the syndrome mentioned above, the therapeutic measures taken in the field of physiotherapy, sensory integration and speech therapy, which led to the improvement of her functioning and the quality of her life, were described. The need to involve the girl’s parents in therapeutic activities by involving the child in self-service and home activities in order to increase the effectiveness of therapy and give it a practical dimension was emphasized.W artykule wskazano najczęstsze genetyczne przyczyny występowania zespołu Downa, a także typowe różnice w budowie fizycznej oraz ograniczenia motoryczne, intelektualne i komunikacyjne występujące u osób z zespołem Downa w porównaniu z osobami (dziećmi) pełnosprawnymi. Na przykładzie dziewczynki ze wspomnianym syndromem, po uprzednim przedstawieniu epikryzy, opisano podjęte działania terapeutyczne z zakresu fizjoterapii, integracji sensorycznej i logopedii, które doprowadziły do poprawy jej funkcjonowania i jakości jej życia. Zwrócono uwagę na konieczność włączenia rodziców dziewczynki do działań terapeutycznych poprzez angażowanie dziecka do wykonywania czynności samoobsługowych i domowych w celu podniesienia skuteczności terapii i nadania jej praktycznego wymiaru

Order or Disorder? Impaired Hebb Learning in Dyslexia

'This article may not exactly replicate the final version published in the APA journal. It is not the copy of record.' Original article can be found at : http://psycnet.apa.org/ Copyright American Psychological AssociationThe present study offers an integrative account proposing that dyslexia and its various associated cognitive impairments reflect an underlying deficit in the long-term learning of serial-order information, here operationalized as Hebb repetition learning. In nondyslexic individuals, improved immediate serial recall is typically observed when one particular sequence of items is repeated across an experimental session, a phenomenon known as the Hebb repetition effect. Starting from the critical observation that individuals with dyslexia seem to be selectively impaired in cognitive tasks that involve processing of serial order, the present study is the first to test and confirm the hypothesis that the Hebb repetition effect is affected in dyslexia, even for nonverbal modalities. We present a theoretical framework in which the Hebb repetition effect is assumed to be a laboratory analogue of naturalistic word learning, on the basis of which we argue that dyslexia is characterized by an impairment of serial-order learning that affects language learning and processing.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Children retain implicitly learned phonological sequences better than adults: A longitudinal study

This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Eleonore H. M. Smalle, Mike P. A. Page, Wouter Duyck, Martin Edwards, and Arnaud Szmalec, 'Children retain implicitly learned phonological sequences better than adults: a longitudinal study', Developmental Science, December 2017, which has been published in final form at DOI: 10.1111/desc.12634. Under embargo until 17 December 2018. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.Whereas adults often rely on explicit memory, children appear to excel in implicit memory, which plays an important role in the acquisition of various cognitive skills, such as those involved in language. The current study aimed to test the assertion of an age-dependent shift in implicit versus explicit learning within a theoretical framework that explains the link between implicit sequence memory and word-form acquisition, using the Hebb repetition paradigm. We conducted a one-year, multiple-session longitudinal study in which we presented auditory sequences of syllables, co-presented with pictures of aliens, for immediate serial recall by a group of children (8–9 years) and by an adult group. The repetition of one Hebb sequence was explicitly announced, while the repetition of another Hebb sequence was unannounced and, therefore, implicit. Despite their overall inferior recall performance, the children showed better offline retention of the implicit Hebb sequence, compared with adults who showed a significant decrement across the delays. Adults had gained more explicit knowledge of the implicit sequence than children, but this could not explain the age-dependent decline in the delayed memory for it. There was no significant age-effect for delayed memory of the explicit Hebb sequence, with both age groups showing retention. Overall performance by adults was positively correlated with measures of post-learning awareness. Performance by children was positively correlated with vocabulary knowledge. We conclude that children outperform adults in the retention over time of implicitly learned phonological sequences that will gradually consolidate into novel word-forms. The findings are discussed in the light of maturational differences for implicit versus explicit memory systems that also play a role in language acquisition. A video abstract of this article can be viewed at: https://youtu.be/G5nOfJB72t4.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Does Extreme Language Control Training Improve Cognitive Control? A Comparison of Professional Interpreters, L2 Teachers and Monolinguals

There is currently a lively debate in the literature whether bilingualism leads to enhanced cognitive control or not. Recent evidence suggests that knowledge of more than one language does not always suffice for the manifestation of a bilingual cognitive control advantage. As a result, ongoing research has focused on modalities of bilingual language use that may interact with the bilingual advantage. In this study, we explored the cognitive control performance of simultaneous interpreters. These highly proficient bilinguals comprehend information in one language while producing in the other language, which is a complex skill requiring high levels of language control. In a first experiment, we compared professional interpreters to monolinguals. Data were collected on interference suppression (flanker task), prepotent response inhibition (Simon task), and short-term memory (digit span task). The results showed that the professional interpreters performed similarly to the monolinguals on all measures. In Experiment 2, we compared professional interpreters to monolinguals and second language teachers. Data were collected on interference suppression (advanced flanker task), prepotent response inhibition (advanced flanker task), attention (advanced flanker task), short-term memory (Hebb repetition paradigm), and updating (n-back task). We found converging evidence for our finding that experience in interpreting may not lead to superior interference suppression, prepotent response inhibition, and short-term memory. In fact, our results showed that the professional interpreters performed similarly to both the monolinguals and the second language teachers on all tested cognitive control measures. We did, however, find anecdotal evidence for a (small) advantage in short-term memory for interpreters relative to monolinguals when analyzing composite scores of both experiments together. Taken together, the results of the current study suggest that interpreter experience does not necessarily lead to general cognitive control advantages. However, there may be small interpreter advantages in short-term memory, suggesting that this might be an important cognitive control aspect of simultaneous interpreting. The results are discussed in the light of ongoing debates about bilingual cognitive control advantages