Title: Rate and phonological variation in preschool children: Effects of modeling and directed influence
Speaker: Catherine Eaton, UMD HESP
Date: January 30, 2013; 12-1 PM
Room: LeFrak Hall Room 0135
Abstract:
The purpose of this project was to explore the effects of modeling and explicit elicitation of slow and accurately produced speech in typically-developing preschool children. Optional phonological reductions (e.g., unreleased final stops) and changes in speech rate were examined in response to an adult conversational speaker’s speech style in three experimental tasks. The findings demonstrated that both 3- and 4-year-olds readily imitated speech rate and style (but those effects decayed relatively quickly), while only 4-year-olds were able to change speech style as directed. The results contribute to an evidence-base behind the practice of modeling slow and clear speech to children with various production disorders, although further research is needed before applying findings to clinical populations.
