Professional Documents
Culture Documents
67–73
School of Allied Health Professions, Louisiana State University, Medical Center, 1100 Florida Avenue,
New Orleans, LA 70119-2799, USA
The aim of this study was to develop a core vocabulary list for toddlers. Naturally occurring
(i.e., unprompted) vocabulary was collected for 50 toddlers, aged from 24 to 36 months,
enrolled in five different preschools, during two different activities (play within interest
centres and snack time). Results revealed that all 50 children used nine common words across
both routines, and that the list contained pronouns, verbs, prepositions and demonstratives.
Words representing different pragmatic functions (e.g., requesting, affirming, negating) were
also included. Nouns were absent from the list. These data are consistent with similar studies
into the core vocabularies of adults, adolescents, and preschoolers.
*Corresponding author. Tel.: (504) 942-8200. Fax: (504) 942-8253. E-mail: mbanaj@lsuhsc.edu
ISSN 0743-4618 print/ISSN 1477-3848 online # 2003 Taylor & Francis Ltd
DOI: 10.1080/0743461031000112034
68 M. BANAJEE et al.
chosen based on expressed communication func- several recent studies that have demonstrated that
tions such as requesting, commenting, greeting, combining core and fringe vocabulary words
and protesting. increases the frequency of AAC use (e.g., Beukel-
Identification of core vocabularies for toddlers man et al., 1991; Yorkston, Dowden, Honsinger,
involves aspects of all three approaches to Marriner, & Smith, 1989).
vocabulary selection. A core vocabulary consists Researchers have attempted to identify lists of
of words common to the vocabularies of peers words that could be included in a core vocabulary
who are similar in age (Yorkston et al., 1988). for a variety of people who use AAC, including
Vocabulary lists are based on the language adults (Balandin & Iacono, 1998); adolescents
inventories of typically developing toddlers and (Adamson et al., 1992); and preschoolers (Beukel-
include the number of words and different word man et al., 1989; Fried-Oken & More, 1992). Of
forms that children between the ages of 24 and 36 these studies, Beukelman et al. (1989) is the most
months typically use. Core vocabularies are small relevant to the identification of a core vocabulary
in size and do not change across environments or for use by toddlers, given its focus on the
between individuals. Common words used across vocabularies of preschool children. Beukelman
all communication environments comprise core and his colleagues audio-recorded and tran-
vocabulary lists, which include structure words scribed the spoken communication samples of
(e.g., want, more) that provide a framework for six nondisabled preschool children (3 years 10
functional language use. months to 4 years 9 months) in three different
Both core and fringe vocabularies are impor- classrooms. Three of the participants were male
tant for communication purposes; however, and three were female. Teachers nominated these
children appear to use core vocabulary more children for participation in the study because
frequently than fringe vocabulary (Beukelman, they were ‘active verbal participants in the
Jones, & Rowan, 1989). In a study of the preschool program’ (p. 244).
frequency of word usage by six preschoolers, Conversational samples collected by incon-
Beukelman et al. (1989) analyzed language spicuously audio-recording the target children in
samples for common or core words. They found the classroom across six sessions were analyzed
that the 25 most frequently occurring words for vocabulary commonality. A commonality
accounted for 45.1% of the sample collected. score of 6 indicated that all six participants
Fifty of the most frequently occurring words produced the targeted word, whereas a score of
represented 50% of the sample, and 85% of the 1 indicated that only one participant produced
sample included 250 of the most frequently used the word. Twenty-five words were identified as
words. Some examples of these frequently occur- the most frequently occurring words (i.e., words
ring words included want, eat, and go – verbs, that obtained a commonality score of 6). These
demonstratives, propositions, and adverbs. words were mainly verbs, prepositions, pronouns,
Nouns were not among the common or core demonstratives, and articles. They also repre-
words most frequently used by preschoolers sented different semantic functions, including
within the study sample. affirmation, negation, nomination (or labeling),
Despite evidence that nouns are not among and interrogation. Pragmatic functions repre-
core vocabulary used by preschoolers, Adamson, sented included recurrence, termination, request-
Romski, Deffenbach, and Sevcik (1992) reported ing actions, and establishing and maintaining
that clinicians typically select nouns representing joint attention. No nouns were noted in this list of
foods and objects as first symbols when designing 25 words.
AAC systems. According to Adamson et al. Published studies that identify core vocabul-
(1974) clinicians reported that nouns are chosen aries for toddlers could not be found in AAC or
because they are considered to be easiest to teach related literature. Accordingly, the Beukelman et
and assess and are of considerable functional use al. (1989) study served as a foundation for the
to the communicator. In addition, the clinicians present study, whose purpose was to begin the
often omitted other words (e.g., want, more, help) process of identifying a core vocabulary for
that regulate interaction from augmentative toddlers by collecting language samples (during
communication systems and are harder to teach play activities and functional classroom routines)
and represent on communication systems. When from speaking toddlers and analyzing these
Adamson et al. (1974) added these action words samples for common words. For the purposes of
(in addition to the nouns) to communication this study, a core vocabulary list was defined as a
boards used by young males with moderate to list of words used by toddlers across all activities
severe intellectual disabilities, the frequency with during both play within interest centers and snack
which they used these boards increased from 2 to time activities. The specific research questions for
41%. The Adamson et al. (1974) study is one of the study were: (a) Does the vocabulary used by
CORE VOCABULARY 69
toddlers differ across different activities? (b) Are utensils (e.g., a stove, pots, and pans). The art
common words used by toddlers across different centers included materials such as paper, crayons
activities? (c) What are the common words used and markers, whereas the manipulative area
by toddlers across different activities? and (d) contained different cause-and-effect toys. Each
What kind of syntactic, and pragmatic and of the classrooms also included areas for reading
semantic functions do these common words books.
serve? Across all of the classrooms, snack time
activities took place at designated tables. After
the children had washed their hands, they were
METHOD asked to sit at the snack table where they were
served by a teacher or assistant. They were given a
Participants
choice of juice or milk to drink, but they were not
Fifty toddlers between the ages of 24 and 36 given a choice of snack items; however, the
months served as participants in the study; 34 children could request more snack or drink. When
were girls and 16 were boys. The participants finished, the children were required to clean their
were recruited from five daycare centres/nursery area and place trash items in a garbage can.
schools in different socioeconomic areas (urban During snack time, the children were restricted to
and suburban regions) within a large metropoli- the snack table; however, during free play
tan area. In addition to meeting the criteria of age activities they were free to move from interest
and enrolment in the selected child care centres, center to interest center. Teachers and teaching
parent consent was obtained for each of the assistants interacted with the children during both
children who participated. snack time and play within interest centers.
All of the participants were screened using the
Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ), a parent-
Apparatus
completed child-monitoring system (Bricker &
Squires, 1999). The ASQ indicated that partici- Three voice-activated tape recorders with lapel
pants were functioning at age-appropriate devel- microphones (Radio ShackTM Optimus CTR-
opmental levels, used a variety of two to three 115) were used to record the language samples.
word utterances, spontaneously initiated interac- Voice-activated tape recorders helped to record
tion, maintained interaction by taking turns, words spoken by the target toddler only. Adult
terminated interaction appropriately, and consis- and peer speech was too distant for the recorder
tently followed simple one-step directives and to be activated. The toddlers wore the tape
some two-step directives without gestures. recorders at the waist in a small bag. A lapel
microphone was plugged into the tape recorder
and clipped to the collar of the toddler. High
Setting
quality microphones were used, in order to
Participants were enrolled in nursery schools and compensate for difficulties in understanding
day care programs located within inner city and tape-recorded toddler speech; this provided a
suburban areas. All programs shared common clear recording of the speech used by the toddlers.
features: (a) the classroom schedule included at
least one free play and one snack time activity
during the day; (b) care and education were Procedures
provided by at least one teacher and one teacher
Data collection
assistant; (c) classroom environments were orga-
nized by interest centers (e.g., blocks, dramatic Data were collected using the procedure outlined
play, art); (d) the classroom schedule provided for in Beukelman et al. (1989). This procedure
both small group and large group activities; and involved audiotaping interactions among the
(e) some activities were led by an adult (e.g., target children, the classroom staff, and other
snack time) whereas others were child-directed classroom children during two different categories
(e.g., center time). of activities on three separate days. One category
Although materials across each of the class- of activities included child-directed play across
rooms differed, each of the classrooms had some five different classroom interest centers (e.g.,
common materials. As an example, the block blocks, dramatic play). The second category
centers contained a variety of different blocks involved an adult-directed activity, snack time.
(e.g., LegosTM, cardboard blocks) and building Each activity lasted for approximately 20 min.
materials (e.g., pop beads). Materials in the During free play, children were allowed to play
dramatic play centers included dress up materials freely within any of the interest centers. Audio-
(e.g., sunglasses, beads, shoes) and cooking tapes were reviewed for the first 150 utterances
70 M. BANAJEE et al.
within interest centers and snack time activities activities on all 3 days was given a score of 6. In
across all three days. These 150 utterances addition, words with the same commonality score
included the first 25 words used by each child were ranked according to frequency of use, which
across the two activities on each of the 3 days. was defined as the percentage of the number of
Data were collected after the children had times each word was used in the language sample.
become accustomed to wearing the microphones Using the method outlined by Miller (1989), type-
and tape recorders. After the first 2 – 3 days, most token ratios (number of different words divided
children (and some of their peers not included in by the total number of words for each activity)
the study) asked to wear the tape recorders and were calculated for all 50 children per activity for
would talk about them with adults in the centers. each day. Average type-token ratio scores were
It took an average of 2 weeks across the five also reported for all 50 children per activity across
daycare centers/nursery schools for the children all 3 days. These ratios were compared with type-
to wear the apparatus and resume their typical token ratios of 3 year old children as reported by
play behaviors without distractions from the Miller (1989).
recorders. Data were not collected during this
phase of the study.
Interrater reliability
Reliability was calculated on 20% of all word lists
Data analysis
across both activities (free play and snack time).
The language samples recorded during both The first author conducted reliability checks
categories of activities on all 3 days from all 50 across language samples collected from one center
children were analyzed. Three students enrolled in activity and one snack time activity of at least 10
a communication disorders Master’s level of the children. Reliability scores were obtained
program were trained by the first author to by dividing the number of agreements between
develop a written, verbatim transcription of all each student and the first author by the total
of the language samples. During the transcription number of agreements and disagreements multi-
process, audiotapes were stopped after each plied by 100. Mean reliability for sample
utterance and a verbatim transcription was transcription, across all students, was 91%
completed of the utterance. Unintelligible utter- (range = 86 – 95%). Mean reliability for the first
ances were omitted from the transcription. If student was 89% (range = 86 – 92%), for the
intelligibility problems were identified during any second student it was 91% (range = 89 – 93%),
point in the day, the entire day’s recording was and for the third student it was 93%
omitted and was not used for transcription. (range = 91 – 95%).
Analyses were conducted to examine common-
ality among the words across activities and
children (as outlined by Beukelman et al., 1989). RESULTS
Each new word was given a score of 1. If the same
child used a particular word in both activities, the Table 1 shows the list of words that achieved a
word was given a score of 2. A word used in both commonality score of 6 (nine words), 5, and 4.
TABLE 1 Words with commonality scores of 6, 5, and 4 and their frequency of use
Commonality Score
6 5 4
The frequency of use of these words was different activities of older children (Beukelman et
converted into a percentage score by dividing al., 1989), adolescents (Adamson et al., 1992), and
the total number of words and multiplying by adults (Balandin & Iacono 1998), but information
100. As is evident from Table 1, eight common was not available for toddlers. In the present
words were used by most of the toddlers across study, we examined vocabulary words used by 50
most of the settings, and six common words were toddlers, in an attempt to redress this gap in the
used by some of the children across some of the literature.
settings. The results of this study revealed that nine
Table 2 presents type-token ratios for each common words were used across child-directed
activity on each day, as well as average scores of free play and adult-directed activities within
each activity across all 3 days. These type-token nursery school and day programs. A further
ratios were compared with those developed for analysis of the language sample revealed the use
this age group (Miller, 1989) and were found to be of words to express different parts of syntactic,
age appropriate. Ratios obtained during snack semantic, and pragmatic functions. A lack of
time activity were lower than those obtained nouns was noted in the common words used
during free play activities because of the limited across different activities. This finding seems
number of choices provided during this adult-led logical because activities in a typical classroom
activity. contain different materials and toys. Further-
The data were analyzed for syntax, semantic, more, this finding reflects those obtained by
and pragmatic functions using the procedures Beukelman et al. (1988), whose vocabulary lists
developed by Miller (1989) for analyzing free- similarly contained very few if any nouns. The
speech samples. The core vocabulary was found addition of words from other syntax classes (e.g.,
to serve different syntactic, semantic, and prag- verbs, demonstratives, and pronouns) helped to
matic functions. Core vocabulary words increase frequency of use of the communication
contained demonstratives (that), verbs (want), systems (e.g., Beukelman et al., 1991; Yorkston et
pronouns (my), prepositions (on), and articles al., 1989).
(the). No nouns were found in this list. Semantic In the present study, the types of words in the
functions included use of agents (I), objects (you), core vocabulary appear to be similar in syntax,
labeling objects (that) and actions (go), possession semantic, and pragmatic functions to those
(my), affirmation (yes), negation (no), location identified by previous investigators of core
(in), interrogation (what), quantity (some), and vocabulary for preschoolers (Fried-Oken &
termination (finished). Pragmatic functions More, 1992), adolescents (Adamson et al.,
expressed included initiating interaction by 1994), and adults (Balandin & Iacono, 1998).
attracting attention (you), maintaining joint The nine core words identified by this research
attention (this), indicating recurrence (more), project were all included in the 25 most frequently
and terminating interaction (finished). used words identified by Beukelman et al. (1989).
The similarities to past research help strengthen
the premise that a common core vocabulary can
DISCUSSION be applied across activities and environments.
Words that were less frequently used by the be appropriate for use by toddlers with expressive
toddlers were also identified (Table 1). The words communication delays. The core vocabulary list
from these lists included an extended core group identified in the present study needs to be used
of words to draw from for vocabulary selection with children who rely on AAC because they
for communication overlays to be used on voice either experience communication delays or are
output communication devices. Thus, if a toddler unable to use speech, in order to determine how
was able to use more than nine words, the word useful the vocabulary is for them across different
lists with commonality scores of 5 and 4 (Table 1) activities.
were used. These words also were found within Another potential limitation of the present
the 50 most frequently used words as identified by study is that only the first 25 words expressed
Beukelman et al. (1989). by each child per day per activity were used in the
analyses. These did, however, combine into a
corpus of 150 words in total for use in the
Research Implications
analyses. Typically, the middle 25 words are
Although the results of the present study appear included in a language sample (Miller, 1989);
to be promising, they should be interpreted with however, this procedure was not used because
caution because of certain limitations. First, the some language samples did not have sufficient
size of the sample was small (i.e., 50 toddlers); content. Some children, for example, produced
second, the sample used was a convenient one only approximately 25 words within the 20 min
(i.e., language samples were collected from activity. Although type-token ratios (calculated
daycare or nursery centers with which the authors for all 50 children per activity for each day) were
had previous relationships); and third, the sample found to be age appropriate when compared to
involved more girls than boys, and the partici- those reported by Miller (1989), further investiga-
pants were predominantly Caucasian, which tion using larger vocabulary samples may be
means that the core vocabulary of the sample warranted.
may not be representative of the core vocabulary Further research is needed to investigate the
used by children of different ethnic, cultural, or effectiveness of integrating core vocabulary words
socioeconomic backgrounds. with fringe vocabulary words on communication
In addition, because the vocabulary was collected devices. Researchers (Fristoe & Lloyd, 1988;
across activities in daycare/nursery school settings, Holland, 1975; Lahey, 1977) have suggested that
it may not be representative of core vocabularies core words and fringe vocabulary words be
used by children across different environments included in the first lexical words selected for
(e.g., home, playgrounds, and grocery stores). language intervention. Additionally, researchers
Marvin, Beukelman, Brockhaus, and Kast (1994), and practitioners have recommended that fringe
found that children use different topics in the words appropriate for different activities be used
preschool setting than at home, and argued that this together with core words in order to develop a
probably resulted from being exposed to different rounded communication system that could be
toys, people, and routines (e.g., circle time in school used across various activities and daily routines
versus bath time at home). However, some overlap (e.g., Beukelman et al., 1991; Yorkston et al.,
of vocabulary across the two environments would 1989). Systematic investigations with toddlers are
be expected as a result of similarities between needed to determine the utility of AAC devices
routines (e.g., meal times or toy play). Routines in programmed with core words only, fringe
homes (e.g., dressing, bathing) may include vocabulary words only, and core and fringe
different materials and interactions that could words integrated within the system or stored
create the need to use different vocabulary words separately in the system in a way that may be easy
than those used during routines in daycare centers. to retrieve and recall (e.g., in a different area for
Children who play on playground equipment that each child or page). Future studies are also
requires them to use gross motor movements and needed to evaluate the utility of the core
activities may need to use different words while vocabulary identified in this study on commu-
interacting with their peers and other adults than nication devices used by a variety of toddlers
they would during indoor activities, such as those across a variety of activities.
utilized in this study. Accordingly, just has been the
case for topics (Marvin et al., 1994), there is a need
to investigate vocabularies across many types of Note
environments, in order to ensure the validity of a
1 Part C of the IDEA provides funding for the provision of
given core vocabulary. developmental services such as special instruction,
In addition, words identified as core vocabulary speech, and occupational and physical therapy to
for toddlers who are not disabled may or may not children with disabilities
CORE VOCABULARY 73