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Success in learning similar-sounding words predicts vocabulary depth above and beyond vocabulary breadth

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 September 2018

Merel M. VAN GOCH ,
Ludo VERHOEVEN  and
James M. MCQUEEN
Merel M. VAN GOCH*
Affiliation:
Radboud University, Behavioural Science Institute, Nijmegen, the Netherlands Radboud University, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, the Netherlands Utrecht University, Institute for Cultural Inquiry, Utrecht, the Netherlands
Ludo VERHOEVEN
Affiliation:
Radboud University, Behavioural Science Institute, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
James M. MCQUEEN
Affiliation:
Radboud University, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, the Netherlands Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
*
*Corresponding author: Merel M. van Goch is now working at Liberal Arts and Sciences, Utrecht University. Merel M. van Goch, Utrecht University, Janskerkhof 13, 3512 BL Utrecht, the Netherlands; E-mail: m.m.vangoch@uu.nl; phone: 0031302538308
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Abstract

In lexical development, the specificity of phonological representations is important. The ability to build phonologically specific lexical representations predicts the number of words a child knows (vocabulary breadth), but it is not clear if it also fosters how well words are known (vocabulary depth). Sixty-six children were studied in kindergarten (age 5;7) and first grade (age 6;8). The predictive value of the ability to learn phonologically similar new words, phoneme discrimination ability, and phonological awareness on vocabulary breadth and depth were assessed using hierarchical regression. Word learning explained unique variance in kindergarten and first-grade vocabulary depth, over the other phonological factors. It did not explain unique variance in vocabulary breadth. Furthermore, even after controlling for kindergarten vocabulary breadth, kindergarten word learning still explained unique variance in first-grade vocabulary depth. Skill in learning phonologically similar words appears to predict knowledge children have about what words mean.

Keywords

word learningvocabulary depthvocabulary breadthphonological developmentlexical development
Type
Brief Research Reports
Information
Journal of Child Language , Volume 46 , Issue 1 , January 2019 , pp. 184 - 197
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2018 

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