Word learning from childhood to adulthood

Children are remarkable language learners. Parents often marvel at the striking rate at which their children absorb new words. Despite this common intuition, we know very little about why learning differs between children and adults. Neither do we know when changes occur over adolescence. This project draws upon theories of memory to understand word learning from childhood to adulthood. Addressing this gap is important for supporting learners of different ages. Disadvantaged pupils often have poorer vocabulary than their peers. This leaves them vulnerable to academic failure and poor mental health. Current interventions are focused on primary school starters, yet vocabulary must be learned throughout education. Vocabulary remains a barrier for 43% of secondary school pupils, yet few schools have effective strategies in place. We need to understand how word learning changes over this period so that we can optimise support. This project will advance our understanding by examining the underlying memory processes. This approach involves teaching new words and testing memory for them. When tested immediately after learning, primary school children are poorer at remembering words than adults. Yet when tested one week later, children remember the words they learned better. In this project, we will identify the processes that account for this difference in long-term memory. We will then track how they mature in secondary school pupils. In Year 1, we will identify which memory processes change between childhood and adulthood. Adult-based theories suggest that repeated tests and/or sleep can support longer-term memory. We will run two studies to identify which of these change between childhood and adulthood. Each study will teach children aged 8-10 years and adults new words, and use varied test schedules to isolate contributions of repeat testing and sleep. In Year 2, we will identify when and how these processes change over adolescence. This period is marked by significant biological changes relevant to learning, including in sleep. We will run a third word learning study with pupils aged 10-18 years to see when learning becomes "adult-like". This will capture how initial learning and long-term memory processes mature together. Scientifically, this knowledge will extend our understanding of word learning across childhood and adulthood. This developmental perspective will allow for new predictions about learning for a wide range of people. In doing so, it will pave the way for future research across different learning contexts and in relation to brain development. Practically, this knowledge could optimise schedules for learners of different ages. We will work with teachers, practitioners, and researchers to explore classroom implications in Year 2. This will identify future research priorities and generate new collaborative projects. We will also work with pupils and parents to embed the findings in study skills guidance. This resource will be unique in prioritising age-relevant evidence to maximise learning. In the longer term, promoting efficient vocabulary learning throughout schooling will improve attainment. In doing so, it will have lifelong impacts on occupational success and wellbeing.