SPELL or Toddler Word Learning Study

What is this study about?

When we learn a word, we are not only learning the label itself but the properties of the thing it refers to as well. These common properties, or features, can be grouped into a few broad categories. In this study, we are interested in seeing if teaching a child new words that share certain kinds of features with words they already know affects how they learn the words as well as their subsequent vocabulary growth.

Why participate?

This is a completely virtual study that asks parents to report the words their child knows and teach them new words at home. We’ll meet with you briefly on Zoom to talk about some words we think your child is ready to learn and some teaching strategies for encouraging vocabulary growth. You’ll teach these words for two weeks, then let us know if your child was able to learn them as well as any other words they learned over a one month period.

Who can participate?

We are looking for children between the ages of 18 and 27 months who are typically developing and hear mostly English at home.

How can I get involved?

If you’re interested in participating in this study or hearing more about it, please reach out to ayuile@purdue.edu.