Document Type
Article
Publication Date
12-2020
Abstract
Purpose: This study examined the relationship between sensorimotor abilities, gesture, and language in prelinguistic typically developing children from an embodied cognition perspective.
Method: Participants included a total of 54 typically developing infants and toddlers between the ages of 9 months and 15 months. All participants were administered the Mullen’s Scale of Early Learning (MSEL) and two gesture samples were obtained and coded. The MSEL was used to analyze sensorimotor and language abilities which were explored in relation to gesture.
Results: Results established that sensorimotor skills are related to gesture and expressive language, but not receptive language. Visual reception was most highly related to gesture whereas gross motor skills were most highly related to expressive language.
Conclusion: This study supports an embodied development perspective with sensorimotor skills relating to gesture and language development. We emphasize the need for interdisciplinary collaboration in treatment and assessment of children, considering the entire developmental profile.
Recommended Citation
Stewart, J. R., Crutchfield, R., Pierce, M., & Vigil, D. (2020). Embodiment in Early Development: Exploring the Relationships between Sensorimotor Skills, Gesture, and Language. Contemporary Research in Disability and Rehabilitation, 3(1), 20–32.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
First Page
20
Last Page
32
Publication Title
Contemporary Research in Disability and Rehabilitation
Comments
Copyright the Authors. Under a Creative Commons Attribution License.