Abstract:
Arguably as a consequence of conducting research in primarily Western, child-centered settings, studies in language development have overwhelmingly focused on child-directed language in face-to-face, child-centered interactions as the primary driver of language development. This emphasis is consistent with a broader vision of the child as a relatively passive language learner, beholden to adult input and guidance. That children robustly learn language in light of considerable variation in child-directed speech practices (from contexts where this child-centered frame is common, to contexts where young children are rarely directly addressed) suggests that children are much more flexible and adaptive learners than typically described. I will discuss current, ongoing, and future work looking at childrens learning from other-directed language as a source of language input likely to be preserved across cultural contexts, with broader implications for the intersecting conditions that give rise to early learning from the environment.
Bio: Dr. Ruthe Foushee