For years, researchers have known that young children pick up words just by being around conversation. Toddlers do not need lessons or direct instruction. They listen, watch, and slowly connect sounds ...

A baby's first year brings incredible change. In just a few months, babies go from cooing and crawling to making sense of language in ways researchers are only starting to understand. One mystery has ...

One of the most amazing phenomena in young children learning a language is how well and how fast they learn new words. There comes a time in their development when we, adults, can hardly keep up with ...

In many households, it’s a forbidden four-letter word. It can’t be uttered aloud, only spelled, so those within earshot don’t get too worked up. “Can you take the dog for a W-A-L-K?” Many dog owners ...

When they learn words, children apply rules and principles. Their language acquisition is based on the understanding of others as "intentional beings," that other people have goals and intentions.

• University of Freiburg study on vocabulary acquisition uses novel game-based design • Study results: Children of primary school age can benefit from long-term experience with multiple accents when ...