Research | GCLL | Dalhousie

Language Expectations

How many languages do toddlers expect others to speak?

We are excited to invite your child(ren) between the ages of 15 and 24 months (1 year 3 months to 2 years) to participate in an online study on how many languages babies expect people to speak. Children learning only English (monolingual) and children learning English and another language (bilingual) can participate in this study. The study will take approximately 20 minutes. To thank you for your participation and support, you will be entered in a draw to win a $150 prepaid VISA gift card.

Who are the researchers working on this project?

Dr. Drew Weatherhead

Assisstant professor, Dalhousie University

Madison MacLachlan

MSc/PhD student in Clinical Psychology, Dalhousie University

Interested in participating?
If you're interested in taking part please use our calendar link to book yourself into one of the available time slots. Once you have booked, you will receive an email with a more information. This study is automated, so there will not be a researcher present and it's okay if you are running late.

What do you need to take part?

This study involves your child watching a series of videos. To participate, you will need:

A stable internet connection.
A device that connects to the internet and can be used for video conferencing such as a desktop computer, laptop, or tablet. Devices must have the ability to record video (i.e., a camera) as well as audio input and output. Some devices have these abilities built in while others require the addition of a webcam or a microphone. For better visual experience, we do not recommend using smart phones.
A quiet space in your home where you will not be interrupted and anything distracting on the computer desk/table is removed

All times in Atlantic Standard Time (UTC -4:00)

A dark space, somewhere you can close the blinds and turn off the lights
A pair of sunglasses for you to wear during the video (Why? to make sure your child doesn't use where you are looking to influence where they look)

Want to know more?

More information about the study and what you and your child will be asked to do can be found below in our FAQ section below along with a copy of the consent form that you will be asked to complete online once a date and time has been confirmed.

Questions?

If you have any general questions about taking part in this study, please contact us at GCLL@dal.ca

If you have any ethical comments, questions, or concerns, please contact us the lab director at Drew.Weatherhead@dal.ca

FAQ

What will this study contribute?
Canadian children learn language in a socially (e.g., race and ethnicity) and linguistically (e.g., accents) diverse environment. However, existing models of language acquisition do not account for this diversity. The aim of this study is to investigate how social properties (e.g., race) influence toddlers assumptions about unfamiliar individuals. This will help psychologists, educators and policy makers better understand how social information influences Canadian children's language development in a diverse racial, cultural, and linguistic setting.

Who can take part?
Participants in this study must be between the ages of 15 and 24 months (1 year 3 months and 2 years). Children learning only English (monolingual) and children learning English and another language (bilingual) are eligible.

What will you be asked to do?
Once you have completed the demographic surveys, read the instructions, and completed the debrief, the entire session will take under 20 minutes; however, your child will only need to be present for up to 8 of those 20 minutes. Your willingness to participate and/or to allow your child to take part in this study is voluntary and you or your child may withdraw from the study at any time. This study does not involve a researcher being present, however we have observed parents are more likely to participate when they have a designated timeslot. If your child will be participating with an adult who is not their parent or legal guardian (e.g., a babysitter or grandparent) please let us know at the time of booking through the booking survey so that we can obtain your consent prior to the study. In the session your child will will hear a speaker read a story in English or Spanish. During the video, your child will be seated on your lap, facing forward to the screen. While they are listening to the story, half of the toddlers will see a familiar race face, and the other half will see an unfamiliar race face. After listening to the story, children will see trials where the speaker speaks the same language as before (language consistent) and the speaker speaks a different language than before (language inconsistent). If children expect the speaker to speak only one language, they should be surprised when the speaker speaks another language. We think there will be a difference in how long children pay attention to these two types of trials.

Who will your child work with?
Dr. Drew Weatherhead will be conducting the study with assistance from graduate student Madison MacLachlan and undergraduate research assistants Rebeka Workye, Yara Yazbek and Emma Tupper. The primary researchers have experience working with and conducting research with children, and all individuals listed above have undergone Criminal and Vulnerable Record checks, as well as a Child Abuse Registry check.

What will we do with the information?
Once collected, data will not be linked directly to participant names or birth dates, except through an ID number on a separate, encrypted and password-protected spreadsheets, to which only the primary researchers will have access. Findings from the study will be shared as the results of all participants combined and will be published in scientific journals, educational conferences, and on our labs social media. Additionally, you have the choice of receiving a letter with a summary of our findings for the group as a whole.

For more detailed information about the study, feel free to download and view our consent form by clicking the red pdf icon.