Study Suggests Why Some Children Are Slower To Learn Words

June 4, 2024 Malorie Thompson

A new study from the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England, found a possible way to detect slow language development: by watching a kid's gaze.

Kids are all so individual, and they all learn at their own pace. But certain standards are set to help determine if a child is developmentally "behind" in some ways. Language development is one of those areas where kids might fall behind, but it can be hard to know if a child will be slow to develop language until they reach age 3 or 4, when an official diagnosis can be made.

Photo: Pexels/Pixabay

But thanks to the new study, professionals may be able to pinpoint kids most at risk for language delays at earlier ages by watching their gazes. This could allow those children who are most at risk to receive early intervention, which could play a huge role in their language development and success.

The study, titled "Vocabulary and automatic attention: The relation between novel words and gaze dynamics in noun generalization," was published in April 2023 in the journal Developmental Science.

According to the research, children with larger vocabularies were able to look quickly towards objects when learning new words. In contrast, kids with smaller vocabularies looked back and forth between objects and took more time to process the new words.

Photo: Pexels/cottonbro studio

According to Neuroscience News, the lead researcher said:

"At around two years of age, children start to be quicker to decide what a new word means. We think this is because many of the first words children learn are names for sets of things that are similar in shape – balls are round, cups are cup-shaped.

"Children learn that if you hear a new word, other objects that are the same shape can also most likely be called by this name. This helps them learn new words quickly because they have an idea what a new word means right away. But there may be differences in the way that children who struggle with language learn new words and understand what new words mean."

Photo: Pexels/Pixabay

The study involved 66 children aged between 17 and 31 months. Further research could help reveal more about why some children are slower to learn words and develop language and how to identify this for early intervention.

Give Books To Kids Every Day! Click to Give Here - It's Free! When you click, GreaterGood funds books, supplies and educational opportunities for children.

Malorie Thompson

Malorie works as a writer and editor in Northern California. She's passionate about food, conscious living, animal welfare, and conservation. She's worked with a variety of publications in different sectors but is happiest covering topics close to her heart. When not at her laptop, Malorie can be found enjoying picnics on the beach, hiking in the redwoods, and spending time with her rescue pup, Jax.

Country/region

Help Animals That Need Medical Care

Unique Quality Products

From exclusive pet-loving designs to hand-crafted artisan goods, our products are hand-picked for their superior quality and unique features.

Exceptional Value

We believe that shopping for good should be affordable and accessible to everyone, which is why we offer fair pricing and daily deals.

Satisfaction Guaranteed

With 20 years of extraordinary customer service and a stellar 4.8 ⭐ average rating, we stand by our process and your guaranteed satisfaction.

Every Purchase Gives Back

Every single purchase helps fund today’s most relevant and impactful causes so you can contribute to the causes you care about most, supporting people, pets, and the planet.

Join the Movement

Connect with millions of animal lovers and humanitarians that make up the GreaterGood community, and discover the power of collective impact. Together, we’ve raised over $80 million for charity and counting!