Papers by Kathy Hirsh-Pasek
Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 2003
To examine the relationship between experience in child care and communicable illnesses (gastroin... more To examine the relationship between experience in child care and communicable illnesses (gastrointestinal tract infection, upper respiratory tract infection, and otitis media) in children aged 37 months to 54 months with particular focus on the effect of entry into child care after age 3 years. Design: Health, child care, and family data were obtained from more than 1100 participants in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care, a 10-site prospective study that began at birth. Longitudinal logistic regression analyses were performed using each type of communicable illness as the outcome variable, with family, child, and child care variables as predictors in the model. Results: For children aged 37 to 54 months, rates of upper respiratory tract illness, gastrointestinal tract illness, and ear infections were higher in those enrolled in
The current study examined the impact of experiencing either a guided play or direct instruction ... more The current study examined the impact of experiencing either a guided play or direct instruction learning environment on causal learning, curiosity, and divergent thinking. Forty-three children (age 4- to 6-years) participated in an online experiment in which they completed a causal learning task in either guided play or direct instruction condition. Children also completed measures of curiosity and divergent thinking and a second causal learning free exploration task after which they were tested on their causal learning. It was predicted that children in the guided play condition would perform better than children in the direct instruction condition on a test of causal learning because guided play provides a balance of child agency and adult guidance that is optimal for supporting learning. Contrary to the hypothesis, children in the direct instruction condition performed better on the test of causal learning. This finding is likely due to the cognitive demands placed on children i...
Vocabulary knowledge is essential for children's reading success (Dickinson & Porche, 2011; O... more Vocabulary knowledge is essential for children's reading success (Dickinson & Porche, 2011; Ouellette, 2006). Unfortunately, even before formal schooling begins, glaring differences in language ability exist between children from disadvantaged backgrounds and their more advantaged peers (Hart & Risley, 1995, Golinkoff et al., 2018; Fernald, Marchman, & Weisleder, 2013). Despite efforts to redress differences in vocabulary knowledge, previous interventions have made little progress (Wasik et al., 2016). Researchers have suggested that the translation of knowledge from the science of word learning to literacy research may be one way to increase the effectiveness of vocabulary instruction (Hassinger-Das et al., 2017). The current study is a vocabulary intervention for preschoolers that employs, and expands upon, principles from the psychology of word learning (that deep word knowledge can be built through semantic networking and through category formation) used in previous projects...
The Digital Humanities, 2020
Zero to Three, 2018
TO THREE and more than 3,500 attendees celebrated the organization's 40th anniversary! Founded in... more TO THREE and more than 3,500 attendees celebrated the organization's 40th anniversary! Founded in 1977 with one employee, the organization was launched as the National Center for Clinical Infant Programs by internationally renowned leaders in the fields of medicine, mental health, social science research, child development, and community leadership, to advance the healthy development of infants, toddlers, and their families. Today, ZERO TO THREE has grown to more than 160 employees, and more than 3,000 members, representing 28 countries and all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands! One of the highlights of the Annual Conference was the opportunity to meet and network with more than 800 ZERO TO THREE members. One of our members shared about her experience of the Annual Conference: "The most beneficial things for me were the Member's Only sessions (including the televised Keynotes)….I love the small group atmosphere and questions-and-answer sessions. Plus, you get to network with some of the most amazing people in the ZERO TO THREE community." To learn more about membership, visit https://www.zerotothree.org/membership.
Cognitive Science, 2016
Japanese and American 13-15-month-old infants distinguish between crossing a bounded ground (e.g.... more Japanese and American 13-15-month-old infants distinguish between crossing a bounded ground (e.g., a street) versus an unbounded ground (e.g., a field). In English, the same verb – crossing – expresses both types. While language has been hypothesized to guide infants’ progression from language-general to language-specific event perception (Göksun et al., 2011), no prior studies examined this hypothesis. We presented toddlers who no longer perceive this Japanese distinction in events with novel spatial prepositions (N = 24) or nonlinguistic tones (N = 12) to label bounded versus unbounded grounds. Children presented with labels, but not tones, attended to the differences in ground categories by looking significantly longer to the novel ground type at test. This suggests that above and beyond the attention-getting function associated with non-linguistic auditory stimuli, language uniquely facilitates categorization of event components.
Journal of Cognition and Development, 2016
there are reasons to believe that this issue is even more critical to the study of atypical devel... more there are reasons to believe that this issue is even more critical to the study of atypical development (Thomas, 2016; Thomas et al., 2009). In this article, we bring together perspectives from a variety of theorists to outline the importance of conceptualizing both typical and atypical development as a not-necessarily-linear, interconnected, and multifaceted set of individual trajectories embedded in real-world contexts (Karmiloff-Smith, 1998; Masten & Cicchetti, 2010; Overton & Lerner, 2012). Using examples from studies of atypical brain and behavior, we describe 6 lenses that can be applied to developmental research.
Cognition, 2016
Relations have been found among various continuous dimensions, including space and musical pitch.... more Relations have been found among various continuous dimensions, including space and musical pitch. To probe the nature and development of space-pitch mappings, we tested 5-to 7-year-olds and adults (N = 69), who heard pitch intervals and were asked to choose the corresponding spatial representation. Results showed that children and adults both mapped pitches continuously onto space, although effects were stronger in older than younger children. Additionally, children's spatial and numerical skills were tested, showing a relation between children's spatial and pitch-matching skills, and between their spatial and numerical skills. However, pitch and number were not related, suggesting spatial underpinnings for pitch and number.
Extensive evidence supports the view that reading acquisition is dependent upon the mapping betwe... more Extensive evidence supports the view that reading acquisition is dependent upon the mapping between spelling (orthography) and sound (phonics) (see Gleitman & Rozin 1977 for a review). There exists one population for whom this spelling to sound correspondence is naturally dissociated, the congenitally deaf. Reading and writing are essential modes of communication for this group. Yet, few achieve better than a third grade reading level (Wrightston et al., 1963); a fact which is predictable on theoretical grounds. Phonics without sound is an attempt to learn whether the deaf compensate for the lack of spelling-sound rules by creating an alternative route to phonics. Fingerspelling, a segment of the American Sign Language which provides a one to one mapping between handshape and alphabetic letter, may provide that alternative. Twenty-six second generation deaf students were studied to investigate how they naturally approach the reading task, i.e., to investigate whether they do employ ...
Mind, Brain, and Education, 2015
ABSTRACTChildren from low‐socioeconomic status (SES) families often fall behind their middle‐clas... more ABSTRACTChildren from low‐socioeconomic status (SES) families often fall behind their middle‐class peers in early language development. But interventions designed to support their language skills are often costly and labor‐intensive. This study implements an inexpensive and subtle language intervention aimed at sparking parent–child interaction in a place that families naturally visit: the supermarket. We placed signs encouraging adult–child dialogue in supermarkets serving low‐ and mid‐SES neighborhoods. Using an unobtrusive observational methodology, we tested how these signs affected adult–child interactions. When signs were present in supermarkets serving low‐SES neighborhoods, both the amount and the quality of talk between adults and children increased significantly, compared to when the signs were not present; signs had little effect in middle‐SES supermarkets. This study demonstrates that implementing simple, cost‐effective interventions in everyday environments may bolster ...
Journal of Cognition and Development, 2015
The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with p... more The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden.
Trends in Neuroscience and Education, 2014
Experiences with spatial toys such as blocks, puzzles, and shape games, and the spatial words and... more Experiences with spatial toys such as blocks, puzzles, and shape games, and the spatial words and gestures they evoke from adults, have a significant influence on the early development of spatial skills. Spatial skills are important for success in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields [77] (e.g., Wai, Lubinski, Benbow and Steiger, 2010), and are related to early mathematics performance [48] (Mix and Cheng, 2012), as early as age 3 [73] (Verdine, Golinkoff et al., in press). This paper focuses on the effects of early spatial experiences and their impacts on school readiness, discusses factors that influence the amount and quality of spatial play, and suggests methods for providing a "spatial education" prior to school entry.
Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 2014
Early mathematics achievement is highly predictive of later mathematics performance. Here we inve... more Early mathematics achievement is highly predictive of later mathematics performance. Here we investigate the influence of executive function (EF) and spatial skills, two generalizable skills often overlooked in mathematics curricula, on mathematics performance in preschoolers. Children (N = 44) of varying socioeconomic status (SES) levels were assessed at age three on a new assessment of spatial skill (Test of Spatial Assembly, TOSA) and a vocabulary measure (the PPVT-4). The same children were tested at age four on the Beery Test of Visual-Motor Integration (VMI), as well as measures of EF, and mathematics. The TOSA was created specifically as an assessment for 3-year-olds, allowing the investigation of links between spatial, EF, and mathematical skills earlier than previously possible. Results of a hierarchical regression indicate that EF and spatial skills predict 70% of the variance in mathematics performance without an explicit math test, EF is an important predictor of math performance as prior research suggested, and spatial skills uniquely predict 27% of the variance in mathematics skills. Additional research is needed to understand if EF is truly malleable and whether EF and spatial skills may be leveraged to support early mathematics skills, especially for lower-SES children who are already falling behind in these skill areas by ages 3 and 4. These findings indicate that both skills are part of an important foundation for mathematics performance and may represent pathways for improving school readiness for mathematics.
Infants begin the process of language acquisition before birth, and their brains appear specially... more Infants begin the process of language acquisition before birth, and their brains appear specially prepared to acquire complex systems of communication. This chapter charts the child’s journey from coo to code, discussing how children find their first words in a cacophony of sound, how they determine what words mean, and what happens when children have variable input or learn more than one language at the same time. The journey is exciting, enlightening, and filled with surprises as we explore the myriad abilities of a child’s developing mind. 2. 5-10 keywords for indexing etc. language, language development, language acquisition, word learning, child development 3. List of 5 questions for future research What is the relationship between children’s early phonological and segmentation abilities and subsequent language acquisition? Given that we now know many of the factors associated with language development, can parents be trained to provide the kind of input that will facilitate language development if they do not do so naturally? In what ways will the advent of new neurological measures of language functioning shape the questions the field will begin to ask? Do children benefit from learning more than one language or are they hindered? What is the relationship between infants ’ abilities to form nonlinguistic concepts such as path and manner and figure and ground and their subsequent ability to express these in language? 4. Bulleted list of 10 key points to take away from the chapter
A Practical Guide, 2012
... Edited by Erika Hoff. ... For example, if, as Goldin-Meadow and her colleagues have long argu... more ... Edited by Erika Hoff. ... For example, if, as Goldin-Meadow and her colleagues have long argued, gesture plays a key role in early language acquisition, the frequency of parental gesture and children's language learning over time should be correlated (see Cartmill, Demir, and ...
Words are the building blocks of language. An understanding of how words are learned is thus cent... more Words are the building blocks of language. An understanding of how words are learned is thus central to any theory of language acquisition. Although there has been a surge in our understanding of children's vocabulary growth, theories of word learning focus primarily on object nouns. Word learning theories must explain not only the learning of object nouns, but also the learning of other, major classes of words — verbs and adjectives. Verbs form the hub of the sentence because they determine the sentence's argument structure. Researchers throughout the world recognize how our understanding of language acquisition can be at best partial if we cannot comprehend how verbs are learned. This book enters the relatively uncharted waters of early verb learning, focusing on the universal, conceptual foundations for verb learning, and how these foundations intersect with the burgeoning language system.
Encyclopedia of Play in Today's Society
Uploads
Papers by Kathy Hirsh-Pasek