LWL and Literacy in PT and FT children

Abstract

Variation in skill at processing language in real time in toddlerhood, i.e., language processing efficiency, has been shown to be associated with variation in later language and non-verbal cognitive outcomes in full term (FT) and preterm (PT) children. However, no studies to date have assessed relations between early language processing efficiency and later pre-literacy skills and whether these relations operate directly on outcomes or indirectly, via relations to other skills, such as expressive language. In this study, participants (n=94, 49 FT, 45 PT) were assessed in the looking-while-listening (LWL) task at 18 months (corrected for degree of prematurity in PT group) and on standardized tests of pre-literacy skills (print knowledge and phonological awareness) and expressive language at 4 ½ years. Early language processing efficiency predicted pre-literacy outcomes (r2 change ranged from 7.8 to 19.5%, p < 0.01) in FT and PT children. These relations were significantly reduced when controlling for children’s expressive language abilities. However, processing speed and phonological awareness were also directly related. Parallel relations were observed in both birth groups. Thus, early real-time language processing efficiency in toddler years supports expressive language abilities at preschool age, which in turn supports developing pre-literacy skills in FT and PT children.