Les Séminaires du Lundi accueillent le 3 Juin 11h Salle des Voûtes Alex de Carvalho (LaPsyDÉ, CNRS - Université Paris Cité) 

Title : From the science of language learning to reading and academic success

Abstract : Language is a core ability that children need to succeed in school, since understanding teachers and peers, following narratives, telling stories, participating in conversations, learning to read, and even understanding mathematical problems all rest on linguistic abilities. However, not all children have access to enough language exposure and interactions at home, during their first years of life. Consequently, this situation can dramatically impact children's language learning, their ability to read and their success in school. How can we intervene to foster language learning and to identify children who might need help when they enter the school system? In this talk, I will argue that the best way to intervene and to ensure strong reading skills and academic success is not with a laser focus on reading skills per se, but also by turning our attention to building strong oral language skills in early childhood. We also need a way to identify children who might be at risk for language development as early as possible. Throughout my talk, I review a few key findings of my research testing and showing how young children learn and process language and the factors that can impact this ability. I will also introduce a new evidence-based tool (TICOALA - Test Interactif de Compréhension et Apprentissage du Langage), a computerized tool that we developed to identify healthy children who might be nevertheless at risk (e.g., small vocabulary, poor language abilities) early during development, from 3 to 7 years of age.