Verwantskappe tussen leksikale en narratiewe begrip en produksie en vroee ontwikkelingsmetings
Date
2024-03
Authors
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die verband tussen vroee taalontwikkeling en vroee algemene ontwikkeling in ʼn voorskoolse bevolking van ʼn laer sosio-ekonomiese agtergrond in die Wes-Kaap, Suid-Afrika. Twee dimensies van vroee taalontwikkeling, naamlik leksikale ontwikkeling en narratiewe ontwikkeling, is in terme van vier komponente ondersoek: leksikale produksie en begrip, asook narratiewe produksie en begrip. Verder is vroee algemene ontwikkeling oor vyf dimensies geassesseer: grofmotoriese ontwikkeling, fynmotoriese koordinasie en visueel-motoriese integrasie, vroee syfervaardigheid en wiskunde, kognisie en uitvoerende funksionering, en vroee geletterdheid en taal. Die vier hoofdoelwitte van die navorsing was: 1) om verwantskappe en korrelasies tussen die dimensies en komponente van vroee taalontwikkeling en vroee algemene ontwikkeling te ondersoek deur beskrywende statistiek, kruistabulering en korrelasies; 2) om die invloed van waarneembare veranderlikes (leksikale ontwikkeling en narratiewe ontwikkeling) as dimensies op die latente konstruk van vroee taalontwikkeling te ondersoek deur gebruik te maak van bevestigende faktoranalise (CFA); 3) om die impak van waarneembare veranderlikes (grofmotoriese ontwikkeling, fynmotoriese koordinasie en visueel-motoriese integrasie, vroee syfervaardigheid en wiskunde, kognisie en uitvoerende funksionering, en vroee geletterdheid en taal) as dimensies op die latente konstruk van vroee algemene kognitiewe ontwikkeling te verken (gebruik ook CFA); en 4) om die a priori-hipotese van ʼn oorsaaklike verband tussen vroee taalontwikkeling en vroee algemene kognitiewe ontwikkeling te toets deur gebruik te maak van strukturele vergelykingsmodellering (SEM). Die teoretiese raamwerk van hierdie studie is gebaseer op CFA, wat aangewend is om die dimensionaliteit van vroee taalontwikkeling te ondersoek. Die studie bou voort op die bevindinge van Massonnie et al. (2022). Daar word ondersoek of CFA se struktuur vroee taalontwikkeling voldoende kan vasvang, met inagneming van linguistiese aanwysers van geassesseerde taalvaardighede. Die komponente van vroee taalontwikkeling (leksikale ontwikkeling en narratiewe ontwikkeling) en hul modaliteite (produksie en begrip) is as dimensies van vroee taalontwikkeling geklassifiseer. Die volgende meetinstrumente is gebruik: Cross-Linguistic Tasks (CLT) (Southwood, 2012), Multilingual Assessment Instrument for Narratives (MAIN) (Klop & Visser, 2020) en Early Learning Outcome Measure (ELOM) (Dawes et al., 2016). Ten slotte werp hierdie navorsing lig op die ingewikkelde wisselwerking tussen vroee taalontwikkeling en algemene ontwikkeling by voorskoolse kinders. Die studie bevind dat daar beduidende korrelasies tussen leksikale ontwikkeling en narratiewe ontwikkeling is, asook ‘n oorsaaklike verband tussen vroee taalontwikkeling en algemene ontwikkeling is. Deur die gebruik van CFA en SEM, verskaf die studie insig in die onderliggende dimensies en oorsaaklike verbande tussen hierdie ontwikkelingsdomeine. Die bevindinge le klem op die belangrikheid van vroee taalvaardighede as kritieke voorspellers van latere kognitiewe en geletterdheidsuitkomste, wat die potensiaal beklemtoon vir geteikende intervensies om sosio-ekonomiese ongelykhede aan te spreek en optimale ontwikkeling by jong kinders te bevorder.
ENGLISH SUMMARY: This study examines the relationship between early language development and early general development in a preschool population from a lower socio-economic background in the Western Cape, South Africa. Two dimensions of early language development, namely lexical development and narrative development, were investigated in terms of four components: lexical production and comprehension, as well as narrative production and comprehension. Additionally, early general development was assessed across five dimensions: gross motor development, fine motor coordination and visual-motor integration, early numeracy and mathematics, cognition and execution, and early literacy and language. The four objectives of the research were: 1) to investigate relationships and correlations between the dimensions and components of early language development and early general development through descriptive statistics, cross-tabulation and correlations; 2) to investigate the influence of observable variables (lexical development and narrative development) as dimensions on the latent construct of early language development using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA); 3) to explore the impact of observable variables (gross motor development, fine motor coordination and visual-motor integration, early numeracy and mathematics, cognition and execution, and early literacy and language) as dimensions on the latent construct of early general cognitive development using CFA; and 4) to test the a priori hypothesis of a causal relationship between early language development and early general cognitive development using a structural equation model (SEM). The theoretical framework of this study is based on CFA, which was employed to investigate the dimensionality of early language development. The study builds on the findings of Massonnie et al. (2022). The study examines whether CFA’s structure can adequately capture early language development, considering linguistic indicators of assessed language skills. Specifically, the components of early language development (lexical development and narrative development) and their modalities (production and comprehension) were classified as dimensions of early language development. The following measuring instruments were used: Cross-linguistic Tasks (CLT) (Southwood, 2012), Multilingual Assessment Instrument for Narratives (MAIN) (Klop & Visser, 2020) and Early Learning Outcome Measure (ELOM) (Dawes et al., 2016). Finally, this research sheds light on the complex interplay between early language development and general development in preschool children. Using CFA and SEM, the study provides insight into the underlying dimensions and causal relationships between these developmental domains. This studie finds that there are positive correlations between lexical development and narrative development; as well as a causal relationship between early language development and general development. The findings emphasise the importance of early language skills as critical predictors of later cognitive and literacy outcomes, highlighting the potential for targeted interventions to address socioeconomic inequalities and promote optimal development in young children.
ENGLISH SUMMARY: This study examines the relationship between early language development and early general development in a preschool population from a lower socio-economic background in the Western Cape, South Africa. Two dimensions of early language development, namely lexical development and narrative development, were investigated in terms of four components: lexical production and comprehension, as well as narrative production and comprehension. Additionally, early general development was assessed across five dimensions: gross motor development, fine motor coordination and visual-motor integration, early numeracy and mathematics, cognition and execution, and early literacy and language. The four objectives of the research were: 1) to investigate relationships and correlations between the dimensions and components of early language development and early general development through descriptive statistics, cross-tabulation and correlations; 2) to investigate the influence of observable variables (lexical development and narrative development) as dimensions on the latent construct of early language development using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA); 3) to explore the impact of observable variables (gross motor development, fine motor coordination and visual-motor integration, early numeracy and mathematics, cognition and execution, and early literacy and language) as dimensions on the latent construct of early general cognitive development using CFA; and 4) to test the a priori hypothesis of a causal relationship between early language development and early general cognitive development using a structural equation model (SEM). The theoretical framework of this study is based on CFA, which was employed to investigate the dimensionality of early language development. The study builds on the findings of Massonnie et al. (2022). The study examines whether CFA’s structure can adequately capture early language development, considering linguistic indicators of assessed language skills. Specifically, the components of early language development (lexical development and narrative development) and their modalities (production and comprehension) were classified as dimensions of early language development. The following measuring instruments were used: Cross-linguistic Tasks (CLT) (Southwood, 2012), Multilingual Assessment Instrument for Narratives (MAIN) (Klop & Visser, 2020) and Early Learning Outcome Measure (ELOM) (Dawes et al., 2016). Finally, this research sheds light on the complex interplay between early language development and general development in preschool children. Using CFA and SEM, the study provides insight into the underlying dimensions and causal relationships between these developmental domains. This studie finds that there are positive correlations between lexical development and narrative development; as well as a causal relationship between early language development and general development. The findings emphasise the importance of early language skills as critical predictors of later cognitive and literacy outcomes, highlighting the potential for targeted interventions to address socioeconomic inequalities and promote optimal development in young children.
Description
Thesis (MSL&HT)--Stellenbosch University, 2024.