Objectives: Using communicative gestures are one of the related factors of language development in toddler periods. The purpose of this study was to examine communicative gestures in toddlers with and without developmental language delay (DLD) and their relations to language development. Methods: The participants were 10 toddlers with DLD, 10 typically developing chronological age-matched toddlers (CA-matched group), and 10 typically developing language age-matched toddlers (LA-matched group). Communicative gestures were measured with a specific coding scheme consisting of deictic, representational, and conventional gestures in behavior sampled through the Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales Developmental Profile (CSBS DP) and free play for 5 minutes. Results: The results showed the following. The DLD group produced a significantly lower frequency of communicative gestures than the CA-matched group, however there was not a significant difference in the LA-matched group. Among the three types of gestures the DLD group showed a significant difference from the CA-matched group only in deictic gestures. The DLD group revealed significantly lower frequency in pointing and giving deictic gestures than the CA-matched group. The total frequency of gestures and frequency of deictic gestures were positively correlated to receptive and expressive language age as measured by the Sequenced of Language Scale for Infants (SELSI) in the DLD group and the LA-matched group, however they were negatively correlated to expressive vocabulary measured by the Korea MacArthur-Bates Communication Development Inventory (K M-B CDI) in the CA-matched group. Conclusion: We discuss the relationship between communication gestures and DLD based on these results.
Background and Objectives: Graphic symbols are the type of symbol used most often in the AAC intervention process for young children. The presentation of graphic symbols appropriate to the child’s level of linguistic-conceptual understanding promotes the comprehension and usage of symbols by lessening the associated cognitive burden and learning demands. However, as the lack of domestic research on the conceptual comprehension of graphic symbols makes it difficult to obtain information on the subject, this study aimed to ascertain whether preschool-aged children experienced a significant difference in conceptual understanding and preference according to the type of graphic symbols presented. Methods: The subjects of the study were average Seoulite children between the ages of 3 and 5, 20 per age group for a total of 60 subjects. The data on comprehension accuracy and preference for the three types of graphic symbols (DAS, MT, PCS) were analyzed respectively with repeated measures ANOVA and chi-square testing. Results: Comprehension accuracy according to type of graphic symbols increased with age. Conceptual comprehension accuracy also showed a significant difference according to the type of graphic symbols presented, the comprehension accuracy of DAS being greater than those of MT and PCS. In terms of preference in types of graphic symbols, DAS was rated highest overall by all age groups. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that the conceptual understanding and preference of young children differ from those of adults. Therefore a deeper consideration of these matters is necessary.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.