Experiential Learning about Language Development by Engaging with Community Parents

Experiential Learning about Language Development by Engaging with Community Parents

TILT program: Teaching and Learning Development Grant (G0256)

Principal Investigator: Henny Yeung, Department of Linguistics, Faculty of Arts

Project team: Elise McClay, lab manager, Department of Linguistics, research assistant

Timeframe: Fall 2018

Funding: $4,000

Course addressed: LING 350 -- First Language Acquisition

Description: Linguistics often requires students to comprehend abstract concepts to analyze language, yet decades of research have strengthened links between linguistic theory and everyday human experiences. This project addressed the challenge of helping students connect theoretical concepts about child language acquisition to practical, observable realities faced by parents raising children. The goal was to transform LING 350 from a primarily theoretical course into one where students could witness first-hand the linguistic phenomena they studied in textbooks and lectures.

The project partnered with Science World's Wonder Gallery to create experiential learning opportunities where students conducted research-based activities with young children and their caregivers. Working in small groups during supervised two-hour sessions, students engaged families using seven specially designed "research toys". These research toys were short activities modeled on established experiments exploring topics central to language acquisition, including how parents speak to children and children's understanding of syntax, morphology, word learning, and quantities. These activities transformed abstract course concepts into tangible observations: students saw two-year-olds demonstrate linguistic abilities that often surprised them, bridging the gap between what textbooks describe and what children actually do in real life.

Beyond reinforcing course content, the project revealed unexpected learning outcomes. Students reported that the most valuable experiences often involved peripheral challenges, such as recruiting shy parents who wanted a break from their children, competing with other attractions for toddlers' attention, and overcoming their own introversion to initiate conversations with strangers. The project demonstrated that experiential learning provides value not just in rehearsing concepts but in developing practical skills and confidence that extend well beyond the specific course material, making it what one student called "one of the most interesting and rewarding experiences I have had during my time at SFU."

Questions addressed:

• How does engaging with parents and young children impact students' attitudes, assumptions, and knowledge about first language acquisition?
• Does experiential learning affect students' grasp of course materials by increasing motivation or providing hands-on experiences that reinforce classroom concepts?
• What are the pitfalls and advantages of establishing partnerships between university classrooms and community organizations like Science World?
• How do students' perceptions of parental knowledge and priorities regarding language development change through direct interaction?

Knowledge sharing: Project materials and methodology have been shared with another instructor who teaches LING 350, and they have successfully implemented the experiential learning activity in their own sections. The project has led to ongoing formal partnership discussions between Science World and the Department of Linguistics to make this experience a regular part of the LING 350 curriculum. A poster was presented at the Department of Linguistics end-of-term poster session to inform colleagues and encourage similar activities. The research toys and protocols developed are being considered for replication at more convenient locations for students, including Surrey and the SFU Daycare at Burnaby Mountain.

Keywords: experiential learning, language acquisition, child development, linguistics pedagogy, community partnerships, Science World, hands-on learning, research methods, parental knowledge, soft-skills development