Dr Bozena Dubiel; Lecturer in the Department of Humanities at the Technological University Dublin, Ireland, bozena.dubiel@tudublin.ie.
Research tool:
Development of the Child HALA psycholinguistic tool to assess relative language strength in children. It is based on the HALA test devised by W. O’Grady et.al. (2009), and it has been developed in agreement with the research team at the University of Hawaii at Manoã. It is a picture-naming test which has been designed specifically for use with young children, and one of its main advantages is that it is language neutral and does not rely on literacy. The test is applicable in the fields of bilingual language acquisition, bilingualism and language pedagogy among others. Dubiel, B. and Guilfoyle, E. (2017) Language strength in bilingual children: The Child HALA test. Heritage Language Journal, 14(1), 1-29.
Research interests:
Bilingual language acquisition, heritage linguistics and language pedagogy, theories of child development.
Universal Design & Higher Education in Transformation Congress,30th October -2nd November 2018, Dublin Castle Dublin Institute of Technology ARROW@DIT , 2018
Bozena Dubiel: Language strength and maintenance in early sequential bilingual children
Abstrac... more Bozena Dubiel: Language strength and maintenance in early sequential bilingual children
Abstract: This study investigates lexical development in early sequential bilinguals based on cross-linguistic data from thirty-eight Polish-English speaking children and twenty-four age-matched Polish monolinguals. The aim of this study is to evaluate potential shifts in relative language strength in bilingual children and to evaluate early changes in heritage lexical acquisition as compared with a monolingual pattern of development. The observations are cross-sectional and span the primary school years. We compare lexical accuracy and access in heritage Polish and the majority language English to analyse fluctuations in the relative strength of the languages. Then, we compare lexical accuracy and access between heritage and monolingual Polish to obtain a clearer picture of heritage language acquisition in a bilingual environment. A new test, the Child HALA, is introduced to measure shifts in relative language strength by comparing lexical accuracy and access between two languages. In this picture-naming test we use body-part terms divided into high-and low-frequency of use strata. It has been designed specifically for use with children, and is based on the HALA psycholinguistic tool (O'Grady, Schafer et al. 2009). The results show that the children's relative language strength shifts from the initially stronger Polish to the more dominant English between the age of eight and eleven. The heritage speakers achieve similar rates of accuracy as their monolingual peers by the oldest age group, however, they display continuous fluency disadvantage, as measured by response time calculations, in their L1 across all age spans. We find that the Child HALA test discovers reliable results across age groups and languages when compared with other studies that investigated lexical accuracy and access, and therefore may be considered as a reliable method in assessing language strength and maintenance in children.
In this paper we present a new test, the Child HALA, which measures relative language strength in... more In this paper we present a new test, the Child HALA, which measures relative language strength in bilingual children by comparing the speed with which speakers produce words in both languages. It is a computer-based, animated picture-naming test that has been designed for use with young children, and is based on the HALA psycholinguistic tool (O'Grady et al., 2009). The theoretical assumptions behind its development are the findings of previous research which show that frequency of language use contributes most directly to language maintenance and its relative strength (Kӧpke, 2007; O'Grady et al., 2009). The aim of this study is to examine the test's suitability and reliability in research on young bilinguals. We use it to investigate shifts in relative language strength in heritage Polish and the majority language English in early sequential bilinguals. The observations are cross-sectional and span the primary school years. A special focus is given to the early changes that occur between the ages of 4 and 6. The results show that the children's relative language dominance shifts from the initially stronger Polish to the more dominant English between the age of eight and eleven. The findings are consistent across the languages and age groups and comparable with the findings from other studies (Kohnert, Bates & Hernandez, 1999; Kohnert & Bates 2002, etc.). We believe that they contribute to the broader field of language acquisition, and that the Child HALA may be considered as a reliable method in assessing language strength and maintenance in young children. Wieting, J. (2009). A psycholinguistic tool for the assessment of language loss: The HALA Project. Language Documentation & Conservation, 3(1), 100–112.
Aims and Objectives/Purpose/Research Questions This study examines the characteristics of the chi... more Aims and Objectives/Purpose/Research Questions This study examines the characteristics of the child heritage language during the period of its relative dominance in early sequential bilinguals. Our objectives are twofold: to compare lexical accuracy and access in heritage and monolingual speakers across the primary school years, and to examine whether the results point to any early shifts in the heritage language strength. Design/Methodology/Approach The participants are thirty-eight Polish-English early sequential bilinguals and twenty-four Polish monolinguals aged 4;7-13;2, divided into four age groups. We use a new psycholinguistic tool, the Child HALA, to measure shifts in language strength by comparing lexical accuracy and access between the heritage and monolingual Polish. This picture-naming test is based on the HALA tool (O'Grady, Schaffer, Perla, Lee & Wieting, 2009). Data and Analysis The data consists of accuracy and response time scores. The results are compared between the age groups and between the heritage and monolingual speakers to document any changes as a function of age and type of acquisition. Findings/Conclusions The heritage speakers achieve similar accuracy scores as the monolinguals, however, their rate of acquisition is slower. Their response time scores are lower across all age spans, which points to a slower language access. The results may suggest that the heritage language displays early shifts in its strength before a switch to a more dominant L2 between the mean age of 8-11;5. Originality We document early changes in the heritage language strength that occur during a period of its relative dominance in bilingual children. The study employs a new psycholinguistic test applicable in the assessments of language maintenance in children. Significance/Implications 2 The study provides insights into the heritage language maintenance during the early years of exposure to the majority language. The results may offer a greater understanding of the characteristics of the heritage language development in bilingual children.
This study investigates potential shifts in relative language dominance in early sequential bilin... more This study investigates potential shifts in relative language dominance in early sequential bilinguals across the primary school years. The subjects are thirty-eight Polish-English speaking children. We introduce a new test, the Child HALA, which measures shifts in relative language strength by comparing lexical accuracy and access between two languages. This test has been designed specifically for use with children, and is based on the HALA psycholinguistic tool (O'Grady, Schaffer, Perla, Lee, & Wieting, 2009). The aim is to examine its suitability, reliability and applicability in research on language acquisition and maintenance in young bilinguals. In particular, we attempt to evaluate whether the test will show a pattern of shifts in language dominance comparable to the outcomes of previous research (Kohnert, Bates & Hernandez, 1999; Kohnert & Bates, 2002, among others).
We find that the Child HALA test discovers reliable results across age groups and languages when compared with other studies that investigated lexical accuracy and access, and therefore may be considered as a reliable method in assessing language strength and maintenance in children. The results show that the children’s relative language dominance shifts from the initially stronger Polish to the more dominant English between the age of eight and eleven.
Kohnert, K., & Bates, E. (2002). Balancing bilinguals II: Lexical comprehension and cognitive processing in children learning Spanish and English. Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research, 45(2), 347–359. Kohnert, K., Bates, E., & Hernandez, A.E. (1999). Balancing bilinguals: Lexical-semantic production and cognitive processing in children learning Spanish and English. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 42(6), 1400-1413. O'Grady, W., Schaffer, A. J., Perla, J., Lee, O. S. & Wieting, J. (2009). A psycholinguistic tool for the assessment of language loss: The HALA Project. Language Documentation & Conservation, 3(1), 100–112
Universal Design & Higher Education in Transformation Congress,30th October -2nd November 2018, Dublin Castle Dublin Institute of Technology ARROW@DIT , 2018
Bozena Dubiel: Language strength and maintenance in early sequential bilingual children
Abstrac... more Bozena Dubiel: Language strength and maintenance in early sequential bilingual children
Abstract: This study investigates lexical development in early sequential bilinguals based on cross-linguistic data from thirty-eight Polish-English speaking children and twenty-four age-matched Polish monolinguals. The aim of this study is to evaluate potential shifts in relative language strength in bilingual children and to evaluate early changes in heritage lexical acquisition as compared with a monolingual pattern of development. The observations are cross-sectional and span the primary school years. We compare lexical accuracy and access in heritage Polish and the majority language English to analyse fluctuations in the relative strength of the languages. Then, we compare lexical accuracy and access between heritage and monolingual Polish to obtain a clearer picture of heritage language acquisition in a bilingual environment. A new test, the Child HALA, is introduced to measure shifts in relative language strength by comparing lexical accuracy and access between two languages. In this picture-naming test we use body-part terms divided into high-and low-frequency of use strata. It has been designed specifically for use with children, and is based on the HALA psycholinguistic tool (O'Grady, Schafer et al. 2009). The results show that the children's relative language strength shifts from the initially stronger Polish to the more dominant English between the age of eight and eleven. The heritage speakers achieve similar rates of accuracy as their monolingual peers by the oldest age group, however, they display continuous fluency disadvantage, as measured by response time calculations, in their L1 across all age spans. We find that the Child HALA test discovers reliable results across age groups and languages when compared with other studies that investigated lexical accuracy and access, and therefore may be considered as a reliable method in assessing language strength and maintenance in children.
In this paper we present a new test, the Child HALA, which measures relative language strength in... more In this paper we present a new test, the Child HALA, which measures relative language strength in bilingual children by comparing the speed with which speakers produce words in both languages. It is a computer-based, animated picture-naming test that has been designed for use with young children, and is based on the HALA psycholinguistic tool (O'Grady et al., 2009). The theoretical assumptions behind its development are the findings of previous research which show that frequency of language use contributes most directly to language maintenance and its relative strength (Kӧpke, 2007; O'Grady et al., 2009). The aim of this study is to examine the test's suitability and reliability in research on young bilinguals. We use it to investigate shifts in relative language strength in heritage Polish and the majority language English in early sequential bilinguals. The observations are cross-sectional and span the primary school years. A special focus is given to the early changes that occur between the ages of 4 and 6. The results show that the children's relative language dominance shifts from the initially stronger Polish to the more dominant English between the age of eight and eleven. The findings are consistent across the languages and age groups and comparable with the findings from other studies (Kohnert, Bates & Hernandez, 1999; Kohnert & Bates 2002, etc.). We believe that they contribute to the broader field of language acquisition, and that the Child HALA may be considered as a reliable method in assessing language strength and maintenance in young children. Wieting, J. (2009). A psycholinguistic tool for the assessment of language loss: The HALA Project. Language Documentation & Conservation, 3(1), 100–112.
Aims and Objectives/Purpose/Research Questions This study examines the characteristics of the chi... more Aims and Objectives/Purpose/Research Questions This study examines the characteristics of the child heritage language during the period of its relative dominance in early sequential bilinguals. Our objectives are twofold: to compare lexical accuracy and access in heritage and monolingual speakers across the primary school years, and to examine whether the results point to any early shifts in the heritage language strength. Design/Methodology/Approach The participants are thirty-eight Polish-English early sequential bilinguals and twenty-four Polish monolinguals aged 4;7-13;2, divided into four age groups. We use a new psycholinguistic tool, the Child HALA, to measure shifts in language strength by comparing lexical accuracy and access between the heritage and monolingual Polish. This picture-naming test is based on the HALA tool (O'Grady, Schaffer, Perla, Lee & Wieting, 2009). Data and Analysis The data consists of accuracy and response time scores. The results are compared between the age groups and between the heritage and monolingual speakers to document any changes as a function of age and type of acquisition. Findings/Conclusions The heritage speakers achieve similar accuracy scores as the monolinguals, however, their rate of acquisition is slower. Their response time scores are lower across all age spans, which points to a slower language access. The results may suggest that the heritage language displays early shifts in its strength before a switch to a more dominant L2 between the mean age of 8-11;5. Originality We document early changes in the heritage language strength that occur during a period of its relative dominance in bilingual children. The study employs a new psycholinguistic test applicable in the assessments of language maintenance in children. Significance/Implications 2 The study provides insights into the heritage language maintenance during the early years of exposure to the majority language. The results may offer a greater understanding of the characteristics of the heritage language development in bilingual children.
This study investigates potential shifts in relative language dominance in early sequential bilin... more This study investigates potential shifts in relative language dominance in early sequential bilinguals across the primary school years. The subjects are thirty-eight Polish-English speaking children. We introduce a new test, the Child HALA, which measures shifts in relative language strength by comparing lexical accuracy and access between two languages. This test has been designed specifically for use with children, and is based on the HALA psycholinguistic tool (O'Grady, Schaffer, Perla, Lee, & Wieting, 2009). The aim is to examine its suitability, reliability and applicability in research on language acquisition and maintenance in young bilinguals. In particular, we attempt to evaluate whether the test will show a pattern of shifts in language dominance comparable to the outcomes of previous research (Kohnert, Bates & Hernandez, 1999; Kohnert & Bates, 2002, among others).
We find that the Child HALA test discovers reliable results across age groups and languages when compared with other studies that investigated lexical accuracy and access, and therefore may be considered as a reliable method in assessing language strength and maintenance in children. The results show that the children’s relative language dominance shifts from the initially stronger Polish to the more dominant English between the age of eight and eleven.
Kohnert, K., & Bates, E. (2002). Balancing bilinguals II: Lexical comprehension and cognitive processing in children learning Spanish and English. Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research, 45(2), 347–359. Kohnert, K., Bates, E., & Hernandez, A.E. (1999). Balancing bilinguals: Lexical-semantic production and cognitive processing in children learning Spanish and English. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 42(6), 1400-1413. O'Grady, W., Schaffer, A. J., Perla, J., Lee, O. S. & Wieting, J. (2009). A psycholinguistic tool for the assessment of language loss: The HALA Project. Language Documentation & Conservation, 3(1), 100–112
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Conference Presentations by Bozena Dubiel
Abstract: This study investigates lexical development in early sequential bilinguals based on cross-linguistic data from thirty-eight Polish-English speaking children and twenty-four age-matched Polish monolinguals. The aim of this study is to evaluate potential shifts in relative language strength in bilingual children and to evaluate early changes in heritage lexical acquisition as compared with a monolingual pattern of development. The observations are cross-sectional and span the primary school years. We compare lexical accuracy and access in heritage Polish and the majority language English to analyse fluctuations in the relative strength of the languages. Then, we compare lexical accuracy and access between heritage and monolingual Polish to obtain a clearer picture of heritage language acquisition in a bilingual environment. A new test, the Child HALA, is introduced to measure shifts in relative language strength by comparing lexical accuracy and access between two languages. In this picture-naming test we use body-part terms divided into high-and low-frequency of use strata. It has been designed specifically for use with children, and is based on the HALA psycholinguistic tool (O'Grady, Schafer et al. 2009). The results show that the children's relative language strength shifts from the initially stronger Polish to the more dominant English between the age of eight and eleven. The heritage speakers achieve similar rates of accuracy as their monolingual peers by the oldest age group, however, they display continuous fluency disadvantage, as measured by response time calculations, in their L1 across all age spans. We find that the Child HALA test discovers reliable results across age groups and languages when compared with other studies that investigated lexical accuracy and access, and therefore may be considered as a reliable method in assessing language strength and maintenance in children.
Papers by Bozena Dubiel
We find that the Child HALA test discovers reliable results across age groups and languages when compared with other studies that investigated lexical accuracy and access, and therefore may be considered as a reliable method in assessing language strength and maintenance in children. The results show that the children’s relative language dominance shifts from the initially stronger Polish to the more dominant English between the age of eight and eleven.
Kohnert, K., & Bates, E. (2002). Balancing bilinguals II: Lexical comprehension and cognitive processing in children learning Spanish and English. Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research, 45(2), 347–359.
Kohnert, K., Bates, E., & Hernandez, A.E. (1999). Balancing bilinguals: Lexical-semantic production and cognitive processing in children learning Spanish and English. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 42(6), 1400-1413.
O'Grady, W., Schaffer, A. J., Perla, J., Lee, O. S. & Wieting, J. (2009). A psycholinguistic tool for the assessment of language loss: The HALA Project. Language Documentation & Conservation, 3(1), 100–112
Abstract: This study investigates lexical development in early sequential bilinguals based on cross-linguistic data from thirty-eight Polish-English speaking children and twenty-four age-matched Polish monolinguals. The aim of this study is to evaluate potential shifts in relative language strength in bilingual children and to evaluate early changes in heritage lexical acquisition as compared with a monolingual pattern of development. The observations are cross-sectional and span the primary school years. We compare lexical accuracy and access in heritage Polish and the majority language English to analyse fluctuations in the relative strength of the languages. Then, we compare lexical accuracy and access between heritage and monolingual Polish to obtain a clearer picture of heritage language acquisition in a bilingual environment. A new test, the Child HALA, is introduced to measure shifts in relative language strength by comparing lexical accuracy and access between two languages. In this picture-naming test we use body-part terms divided into high-and low-frequency of use strata. It has been designed specifically for use with children, and is based on the HALA psycholinguistic tool (O'Grady, Schafer et al. 2009). The results show that the children's relative language strength shifts from the initially stronger Polish to the more dominant English between the age of eight and eleven. The heritage speakers achieve similar rates of accuracy as their monolingual peers by the oldest age group, however, they display continuous fluency disadvantage, as measured by response time calculations, in their L1 across all age spans. We find that the Child HALA test discovers reliable results across age groups and languages when compared with other studies that investigated lexical accuracy and access, and therefore may be considered as a reliable method in assessing language strength and maintenance in children.
We find that the Child HALA test discovers reliable results across age groups and languages when compared with other studies that investigated lexical accuracy and access, and therefore may be considered as a reliable method in assessing language strength and maintenance in children. The results show that the children’s relative language dominance shifts from the initially stronger Polish to the more dominant English between the age of eight and eleven.
Kohnert, K., & Bates, E. (2002). Balancing bilinguals II: Lexical comprehension and cognitive processing in children learning Spanish and English. Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research, 45(2), 347–359.
Kohnert, K., Bates, E., & Hernandez, A.E. (1999). Balancing bilinguals: Lexical-semantic production and cognitive processing in children learning Spanish and English. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 42(6), 1400-1413.
O'Grady, W., Schaffer, A. J., Perla, J., Lee, O. S. & Wieting, J. (2009). A psycholinguistic tool for the assessment of language loss: The HALA Project. Language Documentation & Conservation, 3(1), 100–112