First Language Foundations Lab

Dedicated to maximizing the developmental potential of all d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing children through theoretical & applied research. PI: Matt Hall, Temple U.

[First Language Foundations Lab @FLF_Lab]

Language is like air: most of us don't appreciate how important it is until it's not there. Language helps us reason, learn, remember, solve problems, relate to others, regulate ourselves, and more! To reach their full potential, all DHH children need language: spoken or signed.

[First Language Foundations Lab @FLF_Lab]

Attending this year's ASHA Convention? Keep an eye out for this presentation, by @ASLresearch, Stephanie De Anda, and @naomicaselli!

2225V - Translating Research to Practice in Sign Language Acquisition: New Concepts, New Tools, New Data https://t.co/whwFIuUltr #ASHA2021

[First Language Foundations Lab @FLF_Lab]

Folks in MA, MD, VA, & DC will want to know about this new audiology telepractice, launching soon!

[First Language Foundations Lab @FLF_Lab]

@qi2cheng2 [Disclaimer: speaking as L2 signer!] I think it's an issue of how we gloss the translation and the semantic roles that we ascribe to the verb. I'd assign that verb's highest theta role as "experiencer", not agent. So, passive semantically but not syntactically. Maybe?

[First Language Foundations Lab @FLF_Lab]

@craccess @languagefirst @mmfa Even better response here, from @jaceyhill! https://t.co/amqVg5vU4R

[First Language Foundations Lab @FLF_Lab]

@craccess @languagefirst @mmfa Yes - yet another example of what NOT to do. For suggestions on how to approach this kind of work more appropriately, see https://t.co/baPubHSXsb

[First Language Foundations Lab @FLF_Lab]

(In the same special issue, see also Rosenburg, @lieberman_amy , @naomicaselli , & Hoffmeister (2020)!
https://t.co/xMsSdY3KsM)

[First Language Foundations Lab @FLF_Lab]

New open-access article: Hall (2020, Frontiers in Psychology) "The Input Matters: Assessing Cumulative Language Input in DHH Individuals and Populations"

Manuscript: https://t.co/nPV5k6ZGIn

ASL Summary (w/ English voiceover & captions): https://t.co/wZym4IbZiH

[First Language Foundations Lab @FLF_Lab]

Existing approaches to measuring input don’t work: we need better methods. So we’re developing some new tools! Stay tuned…

[First Language Foundations Lab @FLF_Lab]

@megandfigueroa Deaf perspectives URGENTLY needed! The “word gap” for hearing gets all the attention but may not exist; very real for Deaf but overlooked.

[First Language Foundations Lab @FLF_Lab]

What an honor to be in @acadeafic's top 3 articles of the past year, and in the company of such great scholars! Congrats to to all!

[Acadeafic @acadeafic]

Acadeafic recently turned one year old! 🎂 Want to know what our top 3 most viewed posts were the last year? Each of these posts had several thousand views. Drumroll... 🥁🥁

[First Language Foundations Lab @FLF_Lab]

@kmccready The theory is clear but empirical evidence is still sparse. Lots of "efficacy" data (Deaf families); scant "effectiveness" data (hearing families). What's out there LOOKS bad, mainly b/c researchers have claimed to study "signing" kids who don't actually have access to sign lgs.

[First Language Foundations Lab @FLF_Lab]

Hall & Dills (2020, JDSDE), 1/7: The “crucial question”: what type(s) of linguistic input maximize a DHH child’s chances of mastering at least 1 language by school entry? We still lack good data. Why? In part, because of limitations in “communication mode” as a construct.

[First Language Foundations Lab @FLF_Lab]

@KristinSnoddon Thanks- would be glad to get any further feedback!

[First Language Foundations Lab @FLF_Lab]

7/7: (7) To create groups (e.g. as predictor variable), use bottom-up classification algorithms that will consider the child’s overall “language access profile”, and identify other child with similar experience across all dimensions.

Manuscript: https://t.co/9EyYgSlS3M

[First Language Foundations Lab @FLF_Lab]

6/7: (4) Distinguish sign languages from manual expressions of spoken languages. (5) Distinguish among various manual strategies for representing spoken languages. (6) Quantify *extent* of access to various types of input, not just presence/absence.