Child Development, Language and Cognition
In Canada, 25% of kindergarten children have difficulty in at least one of five key developmental domains prior to entering Grade 1. These early-emerging developmental issues are often long-lasting and have cascading effects over development. My research program examines child development during the infancy and preschool years with specific focus on delineating the interactive trajectories of early language, cognitive, and social-cognitive development. We examine how young children form and use concepts to organize their words. We also examine how children become effective communicators, taking other speakers’ perspectives and emotions into account. Information on my most recent publications can be found on the Language and Cognitive Development Lab's web page.