Interactions between bilingual effects and language impairment: Exploring grammatical markers in Spanish-speaking bilingual children

Abstract

This study examines the interaction between language impairment and different levels of bilingual proficiency. Specifically, we explore the potential of articles and direct object pronouns as clinical markers of primary language impairment (PLI) in bilingual Spanish-speaking children. The study compared children with PLI and typically developing children (TD) matched on age, English language proficiency, and mother’s education level. Two types of bilinguals were targeted: Spanish-dominant children with intermediate English proficiency (asymmetrical bilinguals, AsyB), and near-balanced bilinguals (BIL). We measured children’s accuracy in the use of direct object pronouns and articles with an elicited language task. Results from this preliminary study suggest language proficiency affects the patterns of use of direct object pronouns and articles. Across language proficiency groups, we find marked differences between TD and PLI, in the use of both direct object pronouns and articles. However, the magnitude of the difference diminishes in balanced bilinguals. Articles appear more stable in these bilinguals and therefore, seem to have a greater potential to discriminate between TD bilinguals from those with PLI. Future studies using discriminant analyses are needed to assess the clinical impact of these findings.

Vulnerability of clitics and articles to bilingual effects in typically developing Spanish–English bilingual children

“…Bilinguals in her study acquired German determiners faster than German monolinguals, but the advantage was only detected for children with strong Italian abilities. In contrast, Castilla-Earls et al’s (2016) study with Spanish–English bilinguals showed delays for articles in Spanish. Children's level of English proficiency predicted the accurate production of articles in Spanish.…”

Linguistic interdependence of receptive vocabulary skills in emergent bilingual preschool children: Exploring a factor-dependent approach

“…As noted, Prevoo et al (2015) have provided empirical support for a contextdependent view of interdependence. However, as language acquisition is driven by experience and is mediated by maturation and individual differences in learning abilities (Castilla-Earls et al, 2016), interdependence may not only depend on contextual factors. Internal factors may influence variation of the cross-linguistic relationship, too.…”

“…The age at which the child starts learning L2 determines the course of bilingual development (Castilla-Earls et al, 2016). Bilingual children entering preschool at a later date have experienced less prior exposure to L2 than their counterparts who entered preschool at starting age.…”

Language impairment in bilingual children

“…The development of grammar in bilingual children with SLI was investigated in Castilla-Earls et al (2016), who addressed the production of articles and object pronouns in Spanishspeaking bilingual children. The study used an elicited production task and separated the children between balanced and Spanish-dominant bilinguals.…”