Our Research

En Español

Our work combines research methods like eye-tracking, standardized assessments, and parent-child interactions to study the dynamic process of learning in one and two languages. The aim of this work is to enhance current theories of language acquisition and inform clinical management of children with communication disorders.

Some of our current studies include:

Bilingual Learning in Typical and Late Talking Toddlers Ages 2 – 3 Years 

Late talking bilingual children have atypically small vocabularies in both their languages, and it is unclear how they leverage the words they know to build their vocabularies from bilingual language input. Therefore, the first goal of this NIH-funded study is to examine how parents talk to their bilingual toddlers. The second goal of this study is to examine whether there are differences in how typical and late-talking toddlers learn words from bilingual input.

The Effects of Bilingualism on Language and Cognition Ages 4 – 6 Years

Statistical Learning and Individual Differences in Children Ages 5 – 8 Years

The natural world is made up of statistical patterns, including the language we hear and the visual world we see. Children develop their vocabulary by using their natural ability to detect these patterns and relationships in language, a process known as statistical learning. In this study, we are exploring how children learn new words across various categories and how they use their existing vocabulary knowledge to support the acquisition of new words.