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Sociolinguistic Tracking in Children

Do children prioritize race over other speaker characteristics when learning phonological variation?  

​We are excited to invite your child(ren) between the ages of 5 and 7 years old to participate in a research study exploring how speaker diversity affects children’s language learning. This online study is open to families residing in Canada and the United States. To thank you for your participation and support, each participating family will receive a $10 CAD Amazon Gift Card. 

Who are the researchers working on this project? 

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Dr. Drew Weatherhead

Assistant professor, Dalhousie University

Maura Whitman

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Graduate Student

Sophie Leblanc

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Research Assistant

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. You will receive an email confirming the date and time of your appointment and detailing further steps to be completed before your appointment. Alternatively, email us at solinggcll@dal.ca and we will coordinate an appointment time with you! 

What do you need to take part?

This study involves your child watching cartoon characters and listening to a series of audio recordings. 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 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 smartphones. 

  • A quiet space in your home where you will not be interrupted and anything distracting on the computer desk/table is removed.  

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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 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 questions about the study or need assistance with scheduling an appointment, please email us at solinggcll@dal.ca and a member of the team will get back to you as soon as possible.

 

If you have any ethical comments, questions, or concerns, please reach out to the lead researcher at Drew.Weatherhead@dal.ca

FAQ

What will this study contribute?

With growing diversity across North America, children are learning language in far more socially (e.g., race and ethnicity) and linguistically (e.g., languages and accents) diverse environments than ever before. 

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The aim of this study is to explore the social information (e.g., race and sex/gender of the speaker) that children track during language processing. Our approach to studying language acquisition not only considers real-world linguistic and social diversity but is sensitive to how this diversity supports language learning. This research will aid psychologists, educators, speech-language practitioners, and policymakers as North American children interact with speakers of diverse racial, linguistic, and cultural backgrounds across various settings.  

Who can take part?
Families who reside in Canada and the United States with children between the ages of 5 and 7 who are fluent in English are eligible to participate.  

What will you be asked to do?
Once you have completed the online consent and demographics forms through Qualtrics, you and your child will join a virtual meeting with a researcher, which will last approximately 30-45 minutes. During the session, the researcher will introduce your child to clipart characters and novel objects on the screen. They will hear the characters label the objects using different types of pronunciations. During each trial, your child will decide which type of speaker uses a specific pronunciation. At the end of the study, we will then ask them, “What about the speakers (if anything) helped you decide who said each word?” 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. 

Who will your child work with?
Dr. Drew Weatherhead and graduate student Maura Whitman will be conducting the study with assistance from trained undergraduate researchers. 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?
To maintain confidentiality, the data we collect will not be directly associated with participant names or birth dates except through a unique ID number on a separate, encrypted, password-protected spreadsheet, which will only be accessible to members of the research team involved with the project. The findings from this research will be submitted for publication in scientific journals and for presentation at academic conferences and public lectures. 

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