Examining the effects of child-driven question-asking on early word learning

Abstract

One way that children actively gain access to new information is through asking (many) questions; a crucial question is whether this information-seeking helps children encode, store, and remember novel word meanings. This study examines whether children show improved word learning in both immediate production and delayed comprehension tests after they ask questions about words meanings versus when they are given information about words without asking. Four- to 6-year-old children (N=48) were asked to move toys based on instructions that contained novel verbs. Children in the Question condition were offered definitions after they asked a question about what the novel verb meant, whereas in the No Question condition, children were offered definitions for the word meanings immediately after they heard the instruction to move the toy. Children showed a robust ability to use the verbal definition to complete the target action across conditions, with the Question group completing the correct action for 4.38 of the 6 unknown words (72.9% of trials, SD=2.06), and the No Question group completing the correct action for 5 of the 6 unknown words (83.3% of trials, SD=1.22). However, they did not retain these meanings. On an initial word learning test after a 5-minute delay, children showed at-chance selection of target verbs in both the Question (M=3.21 out of 6, SD=1.14, n=24) and No Question conditions (M=2.88, SD=1.36, n=24). On a second delayed learning test after 20 minutes, the pattern was the same. Active learning did not appear to confer the hypothesized benefit.