Keywords
Language development, language processing,
language assessment
Expertise
Language is a complex skill. Adults have learnt thousands
of sounds and tens of thousands of words and they can
construct an infinite number of different sentences. Yet
how do babies learn language so quickly, mastering all
these sounds, words and rules for constructing sentences?
The University of Liverpool is a leading specialist centre
for research in language development and processing
in the UK. We have substantial expertise on how children
learn their first language and how they acquire the
combinatory rules (grammar) of their language.
Capabilities and facilities
•
Fully equipped child development lab, with facilities
for static and mobile intermodal preferential looking
analysis
•
Experts in symbolic and connectionist computer
modelling for the analysis of data including artificial
and naturally-generated corpora, with commercial
implications
•
A desk mounted eye-tracking system with built-in
video head-tracking for measurements of visual
attention
•
Development of new theoretical models of language
acquisition, production and comprehension
•
Design and testing of hi-tech interactive language
assessment, recording and tracking instruments
•
Advice and consultancy on optimising the
language learning environment for children to
childcare providers, educators, the media, and the
general public
•
Sophisticated experimental techniques for testing
infants and young children.
Researchers are working with NTT in Japan to
develop interactive apps for parents to record
and track their children’s language development.
These apps will build on the GooBaby site in Japan
and should soon find their way to the UK where
they will be used for diagnosis and assessment of
language disorders.
Relevant centres and groups
•
Child Language Study Centre.
Health & Wellbeing
16
1.5
Early language development
For further information
on all our specialist
centres, facilities and
laboratories
go to page
179
