Context and repetition in word learning

Young children learn words from a variety of situations, including shared storybook reading. A recent study by Horst et al. (2011a) demonstrates that children learned more new words during shared storybook reading if they were read the same stories repeatedly than if they were read different stories that had the same number of target words. The current paper reviews this study and further examines the effect of contextual repetition on children's word learning in both shared storybook reading and other situations, including fast mapping by mutual exclusivity. The studies reviewed here suggest that the same cognitive mechanisms support word learning in a variety of situations. Both practical considerations for experimental design and directions for future research are discussed

Theory of Single Charge Exchange Heavy Ion Reactions

The theory of heavy ion single charge exchange reactions is reformulated. In momentum space the reaction amplitude factorizes into a product of projectile and target transition form factors, folded with the nucleon-nucleon isovector interaction and a distortion coefficient which accounts for initial and final state ion-ion elastic interactions. The multipole structure of the transition form factors is studied in detail for Fermi-type non-spin flip and Gamow-Teller-type spin flip transitions, also serving to establish the connection to nuclear beta decay. The reaction kernel is evaluated for central and rank-2 tensor interactions. Initial and final state elastic ion-ion interaction are shown to be dominated by the imaginary part of the optical potential allowing to evaluate the reaction coefficients in the strong absorption limit, realized by the black disk approximation. In that limit the distortion coefficient is evaluated in closed form, revealing the relation to the total reaction cross section and the geometry of the transition form factors. It is shown that at small momentum transfer distortion effects reduce to a simple scaling factor, allowing to define reduced forward-angle cross section which is given by nuclear matrix elements of beta decay-type. The response function formalism is used to describe nuclear charge changing transitions. Spectral distributions obtained by a self-consistent HFB and QRPA approach are discussed for $\tau_\pm$ excitations of $^{18}O$ and $^{40}Ca$, respectively, and compared to spectroscopic data. The interplay of nuclear structure and reaction dynamics is illustrated for the single charge exchange reaction $^{18}O+^{40}Ca \to ^{18}F+^{40}K$ at $T_{lab}=270$ MeV

All things considered:Dynamic Field Theory captures effect of categories on children’s word learning

Recent research demonstrates that both real-time variability in perceptual input and task demands influence young children’s word learning and categorisation. The current study extends these findings by testing both children and a dynamic field theory (DFT) computational model in a category labelling task. Specifically, children and the model were introduced to multiple category members that were either moderately or highly variable. Both children and the model were better able to learn category labels when the individual category members were moderately variable. Overall, these findings have implications for both our understanding of children’s categorisation and the use of computational models to investigate cognition more generally

Testing a Dynamic Neural Field model of children's category labeling

Recently, Dynamic Neural Field models have shed light on the flexible and dynamic processes underlying young children’s emergent categorisation and word learning (DNF; e.g., Spencer & Schöner [1]). DNF models are a distinct class of neural network in which perceptual features can be represented topologically and time continuously, complementing existing connectionist models of cognitive development by building category representations that are available for inspection at any given stage in learning. Recent research in infant categorization and word learning has demonstrated that young children’s ability to learn and generalise labels for novel object categories is profoundly affected by the perceptual variability of the to-be-learned category. We have captured these data in a DNF model of children’s category label learning. Given a known vocabulary, our model exploits mutual exclusivity via simple associative processes to map novel labels to novel categories, and is able to retain and generalize these newly-formed mappings. The model was used to generate the testable prediction that children’s generalizations of novel category labels should be contingent on the number and closeness of objects’ perceptual neighbours. We present a replication of this prediction, via an empirical study with 30-month-old children. In line with the model, children were only able to generalize novel words to completely novel objects when those objects were central to the just-encountered category, rather than peripheral. This empirical replication demonstrates the predictive validity of DNF models when applied to cognitive development. Further, the data suggest that children’s ability to categorise and learn labels is not a conceptually-based, stepwise phenomenon, but rather a graded, emergent process. As such, these data add weight to associative, dynamic systems approaches to understanding language learning, categorisation, and cognition more generally

Why do little kids ask to hear the same story over and over?

One way people learn new words is through reading books and stories. Little kids love hearing their favorite stories over and over and are also very good at learning new words. We wondered if reading the same stories could be helping preschool kids learn new words. Our research tested if it was better to read the same stories over and over or to read a few different stories. Here we tell you about three studies that show preschool kids learn more words from the same stories over and over. Our research suggests that it’s easier to learn new words from stories when you have heard the story before and know what is going to happen

The right thing at the right time: why ostensive naming facilitates word learning

The current study examines how focusing children's attention immediately after fast mapping improves their ability to retain novel names. Previous research suggests that young children can only retain novel names presented via referent selection if ostensive naming is provided and that such explicit naming works by increasing children's attention to the target and decreasing their attention to the competitor objects (Horst and Samuelson, 2008).This explanation of the function of ostensive naming after referent selection trials was tested by drawing 24-month-old children's attention to the target either by illuminating the target, covering the competitors, or both. A control group was given a social pragmatic cue (pointing). Children given social pragmatic cue support did not demonstrate retention. However, children demonstrated retention if the target object was illuminated, and also when it was illuminated and the competitors simultaneously dampened. This suggests that drawing children's attention to the target object in a manner that helps focus children's attention is critical for word learning via referent selection. Directing attention away from competitors while also directing attention toward a target also aids in the retention of novel words

The Right Thing at the Right Time: Why Ostensive Naming Facilitates Word Learning

The current study examines how focusing children’s attention immediately after fast mapping improves their ability to retain novel names. Previous research suggests that young children can only retain novel names presented via referent selection if ostensive naming is provided and that such explicit naming works by increasing children’s attention to the target and decreasing their attention to the competitor objects (Horst and Samuelson, 2008). This explanation of the function of ostensive naming after referent selection trials was tested by drawing 24-month-old children’s attention to the target either by illuminating the target, covering the competitors, or both. A control group was given a social pragmatic cue (pointing). Children given social pragmatic cue support did not demonstrate retention. However, children demonstrated retention if the target object was illuminated, and also when it was illuminated and the competitors simultaneously dampened. This suggests that drawing children’s attention to the target object in a manner that helps focus children’s attention is critical for word learning via referent selection. Directing attention away from competitors while also directing attention toward a target also aids in the retention of novel words

IDEAS Guide: Innovating, Designing, Evaluating and Applying to Small-scale Projects: A Guide for Media and Communication Projects

The IDEAS Facilitators’ Guide provides briefing notes on how you, as a facilitator, can support small-grant recipients to use the IDEAS Guide to clarify their project design, and to plan and manage their evaluation. The Facilitators’ Guide is best used in conjunction with the IDEAS Guide. These guides are designed to be used together in the planning and implementation of a workshop. Facilitators can also adapt the steps to suit the mode and length of delivery

IDEAS Facilitators' Guide: Innovating, Designing, Evaluating and Applying to Small-scale Media and Communication Projects

The IDEAS Facilitators’ Guide provides briefing notes on how you, as a facilitator, can support small-grant recipients to use the IDEAS Guide to clarify their project design, and to plan and manage their evaluation. The Facilitators’ Guide is best used in conjunction with the IDEAS Guide. These guides are designed to be used together in the planning and implementation of a workshop. Facilitators can also adapt the steps to suit the mode and length of delivery