Language is at the core of everything we do in life, and is a fundamental part of what a child needs to master in their formative years. In this research stream, we are identifying the impact of digital interventions on children’s language learning, with a focus on vocabulary.
To date, we have conducted a review of existing studies of how specific features of mobile applications (e.g., augmented reality, audio narration) can support primary school children’s language and literacy learning.
We have also worked closely with our game development partners (Gameloft) to develop a vocabulary game, Word Explorer. In this game, children participate in several types of activities to learn the multiple meanings of homonyms: these are words that have more than one meaning. For example, the word plant can refer to a green, living botanical organism, OR it can also mean something like a factory (e.g., the recycling plant). The game adapts the words presented according to the child’s performance.
We have evaluated the impact of two versions of the Word Explorer game on children’s word knowledge using a pre-post-test randomised controlled trial conducted in English schools. This evaluation includes children with English as an additional language and their peers for whom English is their L1.
We have also conducted research on children's vocabulary skills more generally, including with children with English as an Additional language, and developed a non-digital intervention for children learning homonyms.
This work will provide important insights about the potential for mobile applications in supporting these fundamental aspects of children’s language learning, as well as expanding our understanding of how children learn words.
