Let's play 'puters: expressive language use at the computer center

The researchers investigated 25 preschool children's expressive language while they were engaged at a classroom computer center and during their free play at traditional early childhood learning centers. The participants were enrolled in an inclusive preschool setting and ranged in age from four years, three months to five years, two months, at the beginning of the study. Over a period of six months, trained pre-service educators collected multiple language samples from each child at the computer center and at a variety of other classroom centers such as blocks, housekeeping, library, and art. An analysis of each child's mean length of utterance (MLU) indicated that 21 of the children evidenced no significant difference in the amount of language spoken at the computer versus other learning centers. Of the remaining four children, one used more expressive language at the computer, while three children were more verbal at other centers. Results indicated that the use of computers, as a self-selected activity, in early childhood classrooms could be as enriching for children's language development as other traditional learning centers.