Research

Language processing often requires a combination of auditory, visual, vocal and manual information processing. More precisely, speech can be perceived auditorily or visually (input-modality) and produced vocally or manually (output-modality). Successful communication usually requires a combination of input and output modalities. Studies show that the way in which input and output modalities are combined has a decisive influence on language processing - especially when switching between modalities. Switching between compatible modality combinations (i.e. auditory-vocal and visual-manual) is faster and less error-prone than switching between incompatible combinations (i.e. auditory-manual and visual-vocal). Previous findings on modality compatibility effects are limited to adults. In this project, the effects of modality compatibility in children and possible correlations with language development will be investigated for the first time.

Project term:	11/2022 - 10/2025
Project leader:	Dr. Simone Schäffner and Prof. Dr. Carina Lüke
Project member:	Vera Wolfrum
Project funding:	The project is funded by the German Research Foundation and is part of the DFG priority program "Visual Communication. Theoretical, empirical and applied perspectives ( ViCom )".
Further information:	GEPRIS

The objective of STARKE STIMME macht SCHULE is a substantial contribution to maintaining healthy vocal performances in future special needs teachers. There are many risk factors for developing a voice disorder in teachers, for example the neglect of mandatory preventive interventions during teacher training (Lemke 2012, Puchalla et al. 2013, Meuret 2017, Ohlsson et al. 2019). Studies show the probability of experiencing voice disorders is higher for teachers who showed vocal problems as a teacher student (de Jong et al. 2006, Kooijman et al. 2006, Ohlsson et al. 2012). These assertions consequently call for the sustainable implementation of voice prevention programs during teacher training (Hammann 2004, Lemke et al. 2006, Voigt-Zimmermann 2010, Lemke 2012, 2020; Nusseck et al. 2019). The results of studies trying to assess the effectiveness of voice prevention in student teachers are heterogeneous (Duffy & Hazlett 2004, Timmermans et al. 2011, Ohlsson et al. 2016). Evaluation of long-term preventive outcomes is therefore a major concern of research. To contribute, a longitudinal study aims to assess the voice prevention program STARKE STIMME macht SCHULE.

​​​​​​​Publications:

Jurkutat, A., Götz, R., Heeg, K., Kraus, F., Grandl, A. & Hansen D.M. (2021). Prävention von Stimmstörungen im Lehramtsstudium – Möglichkeiten und Grenzen einer Konzeptimplementierung im Studienverlaufsplan. Logos. Advanced online publication.

https://www.prolog-shop.de/media/pdf/6b/ff/c4/IMPULSE-Jurkutat-et-al-online1-s1.pdf

The aim of the project is to examine the use of gestures, with a high degree of iconicity, i.e., very pictorial gestures (iconic gestures), for teaching novel words in inclusive day-care facilities and primary schools. In particular, we examine the effect of gestures in children with difficulties in communication and language acquisition (developmental language delay, developmental language disorder, no or less knowledge of German).

The frequently expressed fear that the presentation of gestures or signs when learning novel words could hinder the acquisition of unknow words or the word learning process (c.f. Goodwyn, Acredolo & Brown, 2000) has now been clearly refuted (i.a. Capone & McGregor, 2005; Capone Singleton, 2012; Goodwyn et al., 2000; McGregor, Rohlfing, Bean & Marschner, 2009).

On the contrary, iconic gestures seem to act as a semantically enriched hint (Capone Singleton, 2012; Lüke & Ritterfeld, 2014), thus deepening the semantic representation of a novel word in the mental lexicon (c.f. Levelt, 1989), which has a positive effect on the acquisition process of the novel word.

Project funding: The project / research is funded by the (German) Federal Ministry of Education and Research (01UL1811X)

The „Mottier-Test“ (Mottier 1951) is used in German-speaking areas to examine the auditory processing span as much as the phonological working memory performance and is often part of diagnosing developmental language disorders. So far there are no standard values regarding mono- and multilingual children at the age of 3 to 4 years, and the standardisation of the Mottier-Test for this age group is the subject of a study conducted in Würzburg, Germany by the Professorial Chair of Speech and Language Pathology under Prof. Dr. Carina Lüke in cooperation with Prof. Dr. Anja Starke of the University of Bremen. Further methodical issues are being assessed in a collaboration with Maren R. Eikerling and Theresa Bloder.