Current Projects

Maximizing Outcomes for Preschoolers With DLD: Clinical Trial

This multi-site project focuses on improving language outcomes for children with expressive and receptive language delays. We are testing the efficacy of an 18-month parent-implemented language intervention for preschoolers with developmental language disorder.

Validating the Sentence Diversity Priming Task

The purpose of this project is to validate a clinical tool designed to measure toddlers’ sentence diversity and predict readiness for imminent grammatical growth. We hope this research will improve early identification of children who experience difficulty with language development.

The See and Say Sequence: A Strategy for Early Word Learning

This project focuses on evaluating how quickly and accurately parents of young toddlers can learn a language strategy called the See and Say Sequence. The See and Say Sequence combines features of responsivity with specific linguistic targets to support early word learning during parent-child interactions.

Gestures and Maternal Input in Ds and Fragile X

With the DND Lab, the APL is studying the contribution of child and maternal gestures and responsive maternal language input to word learning opportunities, production practice, and spoken language vocabulary growth for toddlers with Down syndrome.

When to Worry About Language Study

With collaborators at Northwestern University, the APL is characterizing properties of parent input and vocabulary and grammar growth for toddlers between 2 and 3 years of age.