Interaction is an important aspect for children’s language development. The intervention model Prevention Education Program for Parents (PEPP) is currently under development within the research project Ord gör skillnad, Karolinska Institutet. PEPP is an intervention for parents to children aged 0–12 months who’s recently been diagnosed with hearing impairment. In PEPP parents receive guidance based on the child’s language environment which is mapped through Language ENvironment Analysis (LENA) and video analysis. LENA is a speech processing technological tool that analyzes the child’s language environment. The video analysis is made manually based on short video records of interactions between child and parent. The purpose of this study was to evaluate these mapping methods reliabilities to measure verbal conversational turns. The study also aimed to investigate if there’s a pattern between the amount of verbal conversational turns in a structured playtime and in the home environment. Four families with children aged 0:26–7:3 months participated. The child and parent interacted in a structured playtime that was analyzed with LENA and video analysis. Each family also made a LENA recording for an entire day in their home environment. The amount of verbal conversational turns in the structured playtime was analyzed by two assessors through video analysis. Inter-rater reliability was calculated, and a qualitative assessment was made for intervals in which the inter-rater reliability was <80%. The conformity between video analysis and LENA in the structured playtime was calculated. Further, a comparison was made between the amount of verbal conversational turns measured with LENA in home environment and structured environment. The inter-rater reliability in this study was high and in the qualitative assessment aggravating factors were identified. The conformity between video analysis and LENA analysis of the structured playtime was moderate. The amount of verbal conversational turns was higher for all participants in the structured environment compared to the home environment. This study indicates that video analysis is a reliable method. However, the aggravating aspects should be remedied in order to increase the reliability. The results confirm previous findings that demonstrate limitations with LENA’s ability to measure conversational turns in young infants. This study indicates that the number of conversational turns is higher in structured environments. To ensure the results in this study further research should be conducted. / Barn lär sig språket i interaktion med sin omgivning. Föräldrainterventionen Prevention Education Program for Parents (PEPP) utvecklas inom forskningsprojektet Ord gör skillnad, Karolinska Institutet. I PEPP handleds föräldrar till barn i åldrarna 0–12 månader med nyligen upptäckt hörselnedsättning kring samspel och kommunikation. Handledningen baseras på barnets språkmiljö som mäts med kartläggningsmetoderna Language ENvironment Analysis (LENA) och videoanalys. LENA är ett talprocessande teknologiskt verktyg som beskriver barnets språkmiljö genom automatisk analys. Videoanalysen sker manuellt av bedömare utifrån korta videoinspelningar av samspel mellan barn och förälder. Föreliggande studie syftade till att utvärdera dessa kartläggningsmetoders pålitlighet i mätning av verbala turtagningar. Vidare syftade studien till att undersöka eventuella mönster mellan antal verbala turtagningar i hemmiljö och strukturerad miljö. Fyra familjer med barn i åldrarna 0:26–7:3 månader deltog. Barn och förälder samspelade under en strukturerad leksituation som analyserades med LENA och videoanalys. Varje familj gjorde även en heldagsinspelning med LENA i hemmiljö. Antal verbala turtagningar i den strukturerade leksituationen analyserades av två bedömare med videoanalys. Interbedömarreliabilitet räknades ut och en kvalitativ bedömning genomfördes på intervall med interbedömarreliabilitet <80 %. Samstämmigheten mellan videoanalysen och LENA beräknades gällande den strukturerade leksituationen. Vidare jämfördes antal turtagningar mätt med LENA i hemmiljö och strukturerad miljö. Resultatet visade på en hög interbedömarreliabilitet i videoanalysen och i den kvalitativa bedömningen identifierades försvårande aspekter. Samstämmigheten mellan videoanalysen och LENA var måttlig. Antalet turtagningar var genomgående högre i den strukturerade leksituationen jämfört med hemmiljö. Studien tyder på att videoanalysen är en pålitlig metod. Dock identifierades försvårande aspekter som bör åtgärdas för att öka mätningens tillförlitlighet. Studien bekräftar tidigare forskning som visat på begränsningar gällande LENA:s mätning av turtagningar hos unga spädbarn. Resultatet tyder på att det sker fler turtagningar i strukturerad miljö än i hemmiljö. För att säkerställa studiens resultat krävs fortsatta studier.

In the following study, the work of educators has been studied. This is in the form of how educators use language-stimulated learning environments to promote the language of children with language disorders. The study describes educators' work on children with language disorders, as well as how these children can expand their language skills with the help of the preschool language environments. The socio-cultural perspective is the theoretical starting point of the study and therefore the results of the study are also analyzed through the theoretical concepts. The survey was conducted through interviews with active preschool teachers. The aim of the study is to bring knowledge regarding educators' working methods and the creation of language-developing learning environments, as well as what obstacles may exist for this. The results section describes educators' attitudes, trusting relationships and concrete material for success with children's language development. The result also show how working with language environments could strengthen children's self-confidence. The importance of competent staff working with this is also described in the study. / I följande studie har jag valt att undersöka hur förskollärare använder sig avspråkstimulerade lärmiljöer för att främja språket hos barn med språkstörning.I studien beskrivs pedagogers arbete kring barn med språkstörning samt hurdessa barn med hjälp av verksamhetens språkmiljöer kan utvidga sina språkkunskaper. Det sociokulturella perspektivet är studiens teoretiska utgångspunkt och därför analyseras också studiens resultat genom de teoretiska begreppen. Undersökningen har skett genom intervjuer av erfarna förskollärare.Målet med studien är att inbringa kunskap gällande pedagogers arbetssätt ochskapande av språkutvecklande lärmiljöer. Studien påvisar även vilka hindersom kan tänkas finnas för pedagogerna när de arbetar med barns språkutveckling. I resultatdelen beskrivs pedagogers förhållningssätt, tillitsfulla relationeroch konkret material för att lyckas med barns språkutveckling. Även hur barnssjälvförtroende kan stärkas genom språkliga miljöer och vikten av kompetentpersonal beskrivs. I studien framgår det hur viktigt det är att pedagogerna besitter rikligt med kunskap och är flexibla när de arbetar med barns språkutveckling.

The Woodcock-Johnson 4th Edition Test Battery is the latest version of assessment battery which measures cognitive function in childhood and adulthood. This is a very large test battery and the adaptation of the Czech version of this method is in progress. However, some subtests are closely related to the language and cultural habits of a country. The aim of this diploma thesis is to examine selected verbal tests of the Woodcock-Johnson assessment battery in the Czech environment. Specifically if these subtests do not disadvantage children who are from other language environment than Czech. The theoretical part of the thesis speaks about the concept of bilingualism (definition, categorisation) and how bilingualism is reflected in the results of cognitive tests. It also introduces the theory of CHC, which was the basis for the creation of the Woodcock- Johnson assessment battery. It analyses verbal subtests of the Woodcock-Johnson test battery, fourth edition, in more details. The research study focuses on comparison of the results of two groups of children. The groups are divided according to the language environment from which the tested children come from: either Czech or Russian-Czech. The focus will be put onto (1) the extent to which the dissimilarities in the groups express cultural...

En stor del av den tidiga språkutvecklingen sker i samspel med vuxna, och kommunikationen mellan vårdnadshavare och deras små barn är därför särskilt betydelsefull. Vuxna anpassar ofta sitt sätt att tala till små barn genom att göra anpassningar i de språkliga parametrarna prosodi, segmentell fonologi, syntax, pragmatik och ordförråd. Dessa anpassningar kallas ofta för barnriktat tal (BRT) och har visat sig ha både en kortsiktig såväl som långsiktig positiv inverkan på barns tidiga språkutveckling. Tidigare forskning gällande barns tal- och språkmiljö har främst fokuserat på kommunikationen mellan kvinnliga vårdnadshavare och deras små barn. Det finns därmed ett behov av forskning som undersöker manliga vårdnadshavares kommunikation, särskilt med fokus på kvalitativa aspekter så som användandet av BRT. Inom Ord gör skillnad-projektet på KI utvecklas en ny interventionsmetod, Preventive Education Program for Parents (PEPP). I metoden kartläggs kvantitativa och kvalitativa aspekter av barns tal- och språkmiljö med hjälp av Language ENvironment Analysis (LENA), videoinspelning och ett framtaget PEPP-protokoll. I föreliggande studie undersöktes förekomsten av de parametrar som utgör BRT i manliga vårdnadshavares kommunikation med sina små barn. Mer specifikt undersöktes förekomst eller icke förekomst av parametrarna samt mest respektive minst förekommande parameter. Studien syftade även till att undersöka om PEPP-protokollets nuvarande beskrivningar av parametrarna kan användas för att bedöma förekomst av BRT. I studien deltog 6 manliga vårdnadshavare och deras barn i åldrarna 0 till 12 månader. Material från barnens tal- och språkmiljö samlades in med videoinspelning under en strukturerad leksituation och med LENA under en heldag i hemmiljö. Användandet av BRT analyserades både med hjälp av PEPP-metodens bedömningsprotokoll samt genom en kompletterande uppskattning av mest respektive minst förekommande parameter. Resultaten visade att 5 av 5 parametrar som utgör BRT förekom i samtliga deltagares kommunikation i hemmiljön samt i majoriteten av deltagarnas kommunikation under den strukturerade leksituationen. För hälften av deltagarna noterades parametern pragmatik som mest förekommande parameter och segmentell fonologi som minst förekommande parameter. I studien påtalas brister gällande PEPP-protokollets beskrivningar av parametrarna och författarna presenterar förslag på förbättringsåtgärder. / A large part of early language development takes place in interaction with adults, and the communication between caregivers and their young children is therefore particularly important for the child’s language development. Adults often adapt their way of speaking to young children by making adjustments in the linguistic parameters’ prosody, segmental phonology, syntax, pragmatics and vocabulary. These adaptations are often referred to as child-directed speech (CDS) and have been shown to have both adirect, as well as long-term positive impact on young children's language development. Previous research on children's speech and language environment has mainly focused on communication between female caregivers and their young children. Therefore, there is a need for research that examines male caregivers’ communication, especially with focus on qualitative aspects such as the use of CDS. Within the Words make a difference project at Karolinska Institutet (KI), researchers are developing a new intervention method, Preventive Education Program for Parents (PEPP). The method maps quantitative and qualitative aspects of children's speech and language environment using Language ENvironment Analysis (LENA), video recordings and a protocol developed within PEPP. The present study explored the occurrence of the parameters that constitute CDS in male caregivers' communication with their young children. More specifically, the occurrence or non-occurrence of the parameters as well as the most and least occurring parameter were examined. The study also aimed to investigate whether the PEPP protocol's current descriptions of the parameters could be used to assess the occurrence of CDS. The study involved 6 male caregivers and their children aged 0 to 12 months. Data from the children's speech and language environment were collected with a short video recording during a structured play situation, and with LENA from a daylong recording in the child’s natural home setting. The use of CDS was analyzed both by using the PEPP protocol, and well as by a supplementary estimation of the most and least occurring parameter. The results showed that 5 out of 5 parameters that constitute CDS occurred in all participants' communication in the natural home setting as well as in the majority of the participants' communication during the structured play situation. For half of the participants, pragmatics was noted as the most occurring parameter, and segmental phonology as the least occurring parameter. The current study highlights shortcomings regarding the PEPP protocol's descriptions of the parameters and the authors proposes suggestions for improvement of the PEPP method.

Objective and aim: Adults use child-directed-speech in their interaction with infants,w hich has been confirmed to have positive effects on their language learning. This study was a part of the Words make a difference project at Karolinska Institutet (KI). Within this project, a new intervention model has been developed for caregivers of children with a hearing impairment, called the Prevention Education Program forParents (PEPP). The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether caregiver’s use of child-directed speech differed between a structured play situation and in home environment. The aim was also to evaluate the PEPP model's methods of analysis; video and LENA-recording, concerning measurement of child-directed speech in a structured play situation. Data from the present study were also collected as reference data for the Words make a difference. Methods: The study involved four families with typically hearing infants aged 0-7months and their caregivers. Data collection was undertaken using PEPP's evaluation methods in a short, structured play situation and a full day recording in a home environment. Results and conlusion: In some cases, the care-givers’ use of child-directed speech differed between the structured play situation and the full-day recording in the home environment. The two data collection methods (audio recording and video recording) during the structured play situation were in good agreement regarding the use of child directed speech. The conclusion is that the PEPP model is a functional method for examining the spoken language environment of infants. Bakgrund och syfte: Barnriktat tal (BRT) används av vuxna i samspel med små barn och har visat sig innebära positiva effekter för språkinlärningen. Denna studie var en del av Ord gör skillnad- projektet på Karolinska Institutet (KI) där en ny interventionsmodell för föräldrar till barn med hörselnedsättning utvecklas: Prevention Education Program for Parents (PEPP). Den aktuella studiens syfte var att undersöka spädbarns talspråksmiljö och om föräldrars användning av BRT skiljer sig mellan en strukturerad leksituation och i hemmiljö. Syftet var också att utvärdera PEPP- modellens bedömningsmetoder; LENA-inspelning och videoinspelning. Metod: I studien deltog fyra normalhörande spädbarn i åldrarna 0-7 månader och deras mammor. Datainsamlingen gjordes med hjälp av PEPP:s bedömningsmetoder dels under en kort strukturerad leksituation dels genom en heldagsinspelning i hemmiljö. BRT analyserades utifrån fem språkspecifika särdrag; segmentell fonologi, prosodi, syntax, ordförråd och pragmatik. Resultat och slutsatser: Användning av BRT skiljde sig i enstaka fall mellan den strukturerade leksituationen och heldagsinspelningen i hemmiljö. De två bedömningsmetoderna stämde väl överens med avseende på användningen av BRT under den strukturerade leksituationen. Slutsatsen är att PEPP-modellens bedömningsmetoder är användbara vid undersökning av talspråksmiljön hos spädbarn i åldrarna 0-7 mån gällande BRT och kan med fördel användas i föräldrahandledning. Resultaten från den här studien kan komma att användas för metodutveckling av PEPP- modellen och även som referensdata till Ord gör skillnad- projektet.

We are constantly surrounded by language, which affects our view of ourselves and the world around us. Children are especially affected by their language environment and will often adapt their speech to fit in among their friends. Nowadays it seems like cursing and insults has become more common among young students in the school environment, which worries us. This study presents our research on what we call problematic language, it is specified on students in middle school and their experience of the use of curses and insults around them. Our research was done by qualitative interviews with both students and teachers as the aim was to get different perspectives on how the students are affected. We have chosen to take the social perspective of language in our study together with the perspectives of previous research in the field of offensive language. What we discovered was that the students have a different view of the language use than teachers do. How words are perceived is very individual, it depends on the situation and the relations to those around. What is clear is that students get affected by their language environment and therefore need support and guidance in order to understand the effects of problematic language use. With this study we intend to bring awareness and knowledge that can benefit a healthy language environment for students in school and after school care

Prevailing research presents evidence that links language proficiency to fundamental literacy acquisition. However, when language and literacy acquisition are simultaneous, as is the case with young (4-6 years) English language learners (ELL’s), who acquire literacy in a language not spoken at home in B.C. Canada, the research is limited. The aim of the study was to explore and compare the language and literacy profiles (LLP) of ELL’s and monolingual learners. The normative processes as elucidated in the theoretical frameworks of Bronfenbrenner’s ecosystemic model, Vygotsky’s sociocultural model and the Critical Theory (CT) model informed the comparative framework. In addition, the second language acquisition (SLA) theoretical frameworks purported by Chomsky, Vygotsky and Krashen are elaborated upon. A causal comparative approach to the mixed model research design and a complementary mixed methods approach is applied to the study. The study interactively investigated the cultural and linguistic diversity (CALD) of ELL’s and sought statistically significant differences between the language and literature profiles (LLP) of 25 ELL’s and his/her parent - whose home language is other than English during first time literacy acquisition - and 25 monolingual learners and his/her parent (selected via a simple, purposive, random sample strategy) when English is the language medium used in the inclusive classroom. The qualitative findings delineated the LLP of the ELL’s with regard to CALD, biographic and background details; the quantitative findings, delineated the at risk educationally vulnerable minority by virtue of their limited English proficiency (LEP) and limited emergent literacy and language profile (LLP). The identification of the at risk educationally vulnerable minority, informed the proposed theoretical framework for the study, namely, namely, LLP - Semiotic Scaffolding-From Theory to Practice and the attendant curriculum. Findings are discussed comparatively with the classic and current theoretical frameworks pertaining to child development, language acquisition for both first and second language acquisition (SLA) in addition to globalisation, inclusive education and social justice. The implication of the findings for policy makers, curriculum planners, schools, teachers, classrooms, parents and the learners are discussed. Opportunities for further research are noted. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

Prevailing research presents evidence that links language proficiency to fundamental literacy acquisition. However, when language and literacy acquisition are simultaneous, as is the case with young (4-6 years) English language learners (ELL’s), who acquire literacy in a language not spoken at home in B.C. Canada, the research is limited. The aim of the study was to explore and compare the language and literacy profiles (LLP) of ELL’s and monolingual learners. The normative processes as elucidated in the theoretical frameworks of Bronfenbrenner’s ecosystemic model, Vygotsky’s sociocultural model and the Critical Theory (CT) model informed the comparative framework. In addition, the second language acquisition (SLA) theoretical frameworks purported by Chomsky, Vygotsky and Krashen are elaborated upon. A causal comparative approach to the mixed model research design and a complementary mixed methods approach is applied to the study. The study interactively investigated the cultural and linguistic diversity (CALD) of ELL’s and sought statistically significant differences between the language and literature profiles (LLP) of 25 ELL’s and his/her parent - whose home language is other than English during first time literacy acquisition - and 25 monolingual learners and his/her parent (selected via a simple, purposive, random sample strategy) when English is the language medium used in the inclusive classroom. The qualitative findings delineated the LLP of the ELL’s with regard to CALD, biographic and background details; the quantitative findings, delineated the at risk educationally vulnerable minority by virtue of their limited English proficiency (LEP) and limited emergent literacy and language profile (LLP). The identification of the at risk educationally vulnerable minority, informed the proposed theoretical framework for the study, namely, namely, LLP - Semiotic Scaffolding-From Theory to Practice and the attendant curriculum. Findings are discussed comparatively with the classic and current theoretical frameworks pertaining to child development, language acquisition for both first and second language acquisition (SLA) in addition to globalisation, inclusive education and social justice. The implication of the findings for policy makers, curriculum planners, schools, teachers, classrooms, parents and the learners are discussed. Opportunities for further research are noted. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)