Event Details

This event is co-organized by the Multilingualism and Cognition Research Group, the NLT L2 Speech Forum, and the Heritage Language 2 Consortium (HL2C).

Bilingual experience, language ability and statistical learning under variable input

Kimberly Crespo (Boston University)

In a series of studies, we investigated how input variability influences cross-situational word learning (CSWL) and how learner characteristics, including bilingual experience and language ability, shape learning outcomes across development. In two studies with Spanish–English bilingual children, we tested CSWL under high and low variability conditions, manipulating both speaker and exemplar variability. Bilingual children showed an advantage under high-variability conditions. Children with longer bilingual exposure and stronger language skills were more likely to learn words under conditions of increased input variability . In contrast, children with weaker language skills learned better in low-variability contexts, highlighting the role of individual learner characteristics in adapting to input complexity. A third study extended this work to adults, testing whether bilingualism similarly supports learning from variable input. While speaker variability reduced accuracy across groups, bilingual experience did not modulate performance, suggesting developmental differences in how variability impacts. Together, these findings show that sensitivity to input variability is shaped by both language experience and developmental stage. While bilingualism may support children’s ability to learn in complex environments, this advantage may not extend into adulthood.

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