The Relationship Between Phonological Memory, Phonological Sensitivity, and Incidental Word Learning

Abstract

This study investigated the cognitive abilities needed to succeed at incidental word learning, specifically by examining the role of phonological memory and phonological sensitivity in novel word learning by 4-year-olds who were typically developing. Forty 4-year-olds were administered a test of nonword repetition (to investigate phonological memory), rhyming and phoneme alliteration tasks (to investigate phonological sensitivity), and an incidental word learning task (via a computer-based presentation of a cartoon story). A multiple regression analysis revealed that nonword repetition scores did not contribute significantly to incidental word learning. Phonological sensitivity scores were significant predictors of incidental word learning. These findings provide support for a model of lexical acquisition in which phonological knowledge plays an important role.

Correlações entre aquisição do vocabulário e da fonologia: número de palavras produzidas versus consoantes adquiridas

“…Thus, it was confirmed that vocabulary and phonology present a similar behavior during typical language development and there are interrelations between them, most of which are positive correlations. It is important to note that these data corroborate a number of international studies (6,(27)(28)(29) , demonstrating that there is a relationship between lexicon and phonology that is common to different languages.…”

“…Most of the positive correlations found in this study were related to coda. A study of four-year-old American children showed that rhyme recognition is directly related to incidental acquisition of new words (27) . Therefore, since coda structures come at the end of the syllable and may also be at the end of the word, it is assumed that children with better rhyming recognition skills will more easily recognize and produce them, which also influences vocabulary expansion.…”

The Influence of Two Cognitive-Linguistic Variables on Incidental Word Learning in 5-Year-Olds

“…But in an incidental word learning task, Ramachandra et al (2011) did not find that children with better phonological memory were better word learners. Thus, there is initial evidence that the influence of phonological memory on word learning varies depending on the demands of the word learning task.…”

“…Although phonological memory and phonological awareness are strongly correlated with static assessment of vocabulary (Bowey 1996; Gathercole and Adams 1993; Metsala 1999), few studies have explored the role of phonological memory and phonological awareness in experimental word learning studies (de Jong et al 2000; Gathercole and Baddeley 1990b; Gray 2004, 2006; Ramachandra et al 2011). In initial encounters with a new word, a child must formulate a phonological representation for the word and associate it with a meaning.…”

Increased Response to Altered Auditory Feedback in Dyslexia: A Weaker Sensorimotor Magnet Implied in the Phonological Deficit

“…Many consider nonword repetition to be primarily a measure of phonological short-term memory (e.g., Ramachandra, Hewitt, & Brackenbury, 2011); however, multiple processes are involved and reflected by nonword repetition. Each of these processes, including auditory processing, phonological processing, phonological storage, speech-motor planning, and speech output (Gathercole, 2006), were found to be related to DD.…”