How children with language disorder predict words in sentences

This research study explores how children with developmental language disorder—a condition that affects about 1 in 14 school-age children—process and predict words in sentences. Researchers want to understand why these children sometimes struggle to understand sentences, and whether it's related to how they predict what word comes next. The study will test children's language knowledge, thinking skills, and how they process events they see.

Children with developmental language disorder often have difficulty understanding and using sentences, which can affect their learning and school success. While researchers know that healthy children use prediction to understand sentences better, they don't fully understand why children with this disorder struggle with prediction or what specific skills might help them improve. This study aims to fill that gap by looking closely at the language knowledge and thinking abilities that support prediction.