We study how children learn the foundations of language.

Children assemble the building blocks of language using the materials around them.

For example, many children’s early word productions consist of the words, sounds, and objects they experience in play, in daily routines, and in social interactions with the people around them.

Because each child has a unique learning environment, there are many different pathways to learning new words.

We study these pathways in children who are developing speech and language typically and those with difficulty with speech and language development.

Children’s early word learning skills set the stage for many important aspects of language learning.

We aim to better understand the landscape of word learning in children so that we can ultimately identify and treat the children who need speech and language intervention.