The Learning and Development Lab

General Information 

The Learning and Development is part of the Center for Brain Plasticity and Recovery and the Department of Neurology at Georgetown University. We study the acquisition of language, the relationship between language acquisition and language structure, and the recovery of language after damage to the brain.   

For more information, see the lab’s full website here. 

People

• Principal Investigator: Dr. Elissa Newport
• Program manager: Sarah Furlong
• Georgetown University Medical Center graduate student in Neuroscience, Kathryn Schuler
• Georgetown University graduate student in Linguistics, Heidi Getz
• Research collaborator, Dr. Jennifer Culbertson

Grants from the National Institutes of Health have supported Dr. Newport’s research at the Learning and Development Lab for the past 34 years. Previous sources of funding include the National Science Foundation, the McDonnell Foundation, and the Packard Foundation.

Publications

2014-2015

• Neural systems supporting linguistic structure, linguistic experience, and symbolic communication in sign language and gesture.

Newman, A.J., Supalla, T., Fernandez, N., Newport, E.L., & and Bavelier. D.  Neural systems supporting linguistic structure, linguistic experience, and symbolic communication in sign language and gesture.  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,  2015, in press. 

• Harmonic biases in child learners: In support of language universals.
  

Culbertson, J. & Newport, E.L.  Harmonic biases in child learners: In support of language universals.  Cognition, 2015, 139, 71-82. PMCID: PMC4397919.

• Miniature artificial language learning as a complement to typographical data.

Fedzechkina, M., Newport, E.L. & Jaeger, T.F.  Miniature artificial language learning as a complement to typological data. In A. Tyler, L. Ortega, & M. Uno (eds). Usage-based approaches to language, language learning, and multilingualism. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press, 2015.

• Critical Periods after Stroke Study: Translating animal stroke recovery experiments into a clinical trial.

Dromerick, A.W., Edwardson, M., Edwards, D.F., Giannetti, M.L., Barth, J., Brady, K.P., Chan, E., Tan, M.T., Tamboli, I., Chia, R., Orquiza, M., Padilla, R.M., Cheema, A.K., Mapstone, M., Fiandaca, M.S., Federoff, H.J., & Newport, E.L.  Critical Periods after Stroke Study: Translating animal stroke recovery experiments into a clinical trial. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 29 April 2015, doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2015.00231

• Distributional language learning: Mechanisms and models of category formation. 

Aslin, R.N. & Newport, E.L. (2014) Distributional language learning: Mechanisms and models of category formation. Language Learning, 64, 86-105.

2012-2013

• Communicative biases shape structures of newly acquired languages.

Fedzechkina, M, Jaeger, T.F., & Newport, E.L. Communicative biases shape structures of newly acquired languages. In M. Knauff, M. Pauen, N., Sebanz, & I. Wachsmuth (Eds.), Proceedings of the 35th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society (pp. 430-435), 2013.

• The neural correlates of statistical learning in a word segmentation task: An fMRI study. 

Karuza, E.A., Newport, E.L., Aslin, R.N., Starling, S.J., Tivarus, M.E., & Bavelier, D. (2013). The neural correlates of statistical learning in a word segmentation task: An fMRI study. Brain & Language, 127, 46-54.

• From shared contexts to syntactic categories: The role of distributional information in learning linguistic form-classes.

Reeder, P.A., Newport, E.L., & Aslin, R.N. (2013). From shared contexts to syntactic categories: The role of distributional information in learning linguistic form-classes. Cognitive Psychology, 66, 30-54.

• Language learners restructure their input to facilitate efficient communication.

Fedzechkina, M., Jaeger, T.F., & Newport, E.L. (2012). Language learners restructure their input to facilitate efficient communication. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 109, 17897-17902. PMCID: PMC3497763.

• Homotopic language reorganization in the right hemisphere after early left hemisphere injury.

Tivarus, M.E., Davis, S.J., Newport, E.L., & Langfitt, J.L. (2012). Homotopic language reorganization in the right hemisphere after early left hemisphere injury. Brain and Language, 123, 1-10. PMCID: PMC3443966.

• Statistical learning: From acquiring specific items to forming general rules.

Aslin, R.N. & Newport, E.L (2012). Statistical learning: From learning items to generalizing rules. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 21, 170-176.

2010-2011

• The modularity issue in language acquisition: A rapprochement? Comments on Gallistel and Chomsky.

Newport, E.L. (2011). The modularity issue in language acquisition: A rapprochement? Comments on Gallistel and Chomsky. Language Learning and Development, 7, 279-286.

• Probability-matching in 10-month old infants.

Davis, S.J., Newport, E.L., & Aslin, R.N. (2011). Probability learning in 10-month old infants. In L. Carlson, C. Hölscher, & T. Shipley (Eds.), Proceedings of the 33rd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society.

• Functional biases in language learning: Evidence from word order and case-marking interaction.

Fedzechkina, M, Jaeger, T.F., & Newport, E.L. (2011). Functional biases in language learning: Evidence from word order and case-marking interaction. In L. Carlson, C. Hölscher, & T. Shipley (Eds.), Proceedings of the 33rd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society.

• Morpheme segmentation in school-aged children.

Finley, S. & Newport, E.L. (2011). Morpheme segmentation in school-aged children. In A. Fine (Ed.) University of Rochester working papers in the language sciences, vol. 6.

• Interplay between morphology and frequency in lexical access: The case of the base frequency effect.

Vannest, J., Newport, E.L., Newman, A. & Bavelier, D. (2011). Interplay between morphology and frequency in lexical access: The case of the base frequency effect. Brain Research, 1373, 144-159. PMCID: PMC3038557

• Prosodic and Narrative Processing in American Sign Language: An fMRI study.

Newman, A.J., Supalla, T., Hauser, P., Newport, E.L., & Bavelier, D. (2010). Prosodic and narrative processing in American Sign Language: An fMRI study. NeuroImage, 52, 669-676.

• Plus or Minus 30 Years in the Language Sciences.

Newport, E.L. (2010). Plus or minus 30 years in the language sciences. Topics in Cognitive Science, 2, 367-373.

• Morpheme Segmentation from Distributional Information.

Finley, S., & Newport, E.L. (2010). Morpheme segmentation from distributional information. In Chandlee, J., Franich, K., Iserman, K., & Keil, L. (eds), BUCLD 34 Proceedings Supplement, online.

• Novel words in novel contexts: The role of distributional information in form-class category learning.

Reeder, P.A., Newport, E.L., & Aslin, R.N. (2010). Novel words in novel contexts: The role of distributional information in form-class category learning. In S. Ohlsson & R. Catrambone (Eds.), Proceedings of the 32nd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society.

• Dissociating neural subsystems for grammar by contrasting word order and inflection.

Newman, A.J., Supalla, T., Hauser, P., Newport, E.L., & and Bavelier. D. (2010). Dissociating neural subsystems for grammar by contrasting word order and inflection. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 107, 7539-7544.

2008-2009

• Getting it right by getting it wrong: When learners change languages.

Hudson Kam, C.L., & Newport, E.L. (2009). Getting it right by getting it wrong: When learners change languages. Cognitive Psychology, 59, 30-66.

• Changing structures in mid-stream: Learning along the statistical garden path.

Gebhart, A.L., Aslin, R.N, & Newport, E.L. (2009). Changing structures in mid-stream: Learning along the statistical garden path. Cognitive Science, 33, 1087-1116.

• The role of distributional information in linguistic category formation.

Reeder, P.A., Newport, E.L., & Aslin, R.N. The role of distributional information in linguistic category formation. In N. Taatgen and H. van Rijn (eds), Proceedings of the 31st Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society, 2009.

• Statistical learning of adjacent and non-adjacent dependencies among non-linguistic sounds.

Gebhart, A. L., Newport, E. L. and Aslin, R. N. (2009). Statistical learning of adjacent and non-adjacent dependencies among non-linguistic sounds. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 16, 486-490.

• What statistical learning can and can’t tell us about language acquisition.

Aslin, R.N., & Newport, E.L. (2008) What statistical learning can and can’t tell us about language acquisition. In J. Colombo, P. McCardle, and L. Freund (eds.), Infant Pathways to Language: Methods, Models, and Research Directions. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

• Acquiring and processing verb argument structure: Distributional learning in a miniature language.

Wonnacott, E., Newport, E.L., & Tanenhaus, M.K. (2008). Acquiring and processing verb argument structure: Distributional learning in a miniature language. Cognitive Psychology, 56, 165-209.

• Ordered short-term memory differs in signers and speakers: Implications for models of short-term memory.

Bavelier, D., Newport, E.L., Hall, M., Supalla, T., & Boutla, M. (2008). Ordered short-term memory differs in signers and speakers: Implications for models of short-term memory. Cognition, 107, 433-459.

Selected Earlier Publications

• Statistical learning of syntax: The role of transitional probability.
  

Thompson, S.P., & Newport, E.L. (2007). Statistical learning of syntax: The role of transitional probability. Language Learning and Development, 3, 1-42.

• Persistent difference in short-term memory span between sign and speech: Implications for cross-linguistic comparisons.

Bavelier, D., Newport, E.L., Hall, M., Supalla, T., & Boutla, M. (2006). Persistent difference in short-term memory span between sign and speech: Implications for cross-linguistic comparisons. Psychological Science, 17, 1090-1092.

• Mechanisms underlying language acquisition: Benefits from a comparative approach.
  

Weiss, D.J. & Newport, E.L. (2006). Mechanisms underlying language acquisition: Benefits from a comparative approach. Infancy, 9, 241-257.

• Grammatical ‘Subjects’ in home sign: Abstract linguistic structure in adult primary gesture systems without linguistic input.

Coppola, M. & Newport, E.L. (2005). Grammatical ‘Subjects’ in home sign: Abstract linguistic structure in adult primary gesture systems without linguistic input. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 102, 19249-19253. [Supporting materials and methods are available at the PNAS website http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/0509306102/DC1

• Novelty and regularization: The effect of novel instances on rule formation.
  

Wonnacott, E., & Newport, E.L. (2005). Novelty and regularization: The effect of novel instances on rule formation. In A. Brugos, M.R. Clark-Cotton, and S. Ha (eds.), BUCLD 29: Proceedings of the 29th Annual Boston University Conference on Language Development. Somerville, MA: Cascadilla Press.

• Regularizing unpredictable variation: The roles of adult and child learners in language formation and change.

Hudson Kam, C.L., & Newport, E.L. (2005). Regularizing unpredictable variation: The roles of adult and child learners in language formation and change. Language Learning and Development, 1, 151-195.

• When learners surpass their models: The acquisition of American Sign Language from inconsistent input.
  

Singleton, J.L., & Newport, E.L. (2004). When learners surpass their models: The acquisition of American Sign Language from inconsistent input. Cognitive Psychology, 49, 370-407.

• Short-term memory span: Insights from sign language.
  

Boutla, M., Supalla, T., Newport, E.L., & Bavelier, D. (2004). Short-term memory span: Insights from sign language. Nature Neuroscience, 7, 997-1002.

• Distant melodies: Statistical learning of non-adjacent dependencies in tone sequences.
  

Creel, S.C., Newport, E.L., & Aslin, R.N. (2004). Distant melodies: Statistical learning of non-adjacent dependencies in tone sequences. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 30, 1119-1130.

• Learning at a distance: I. Statistical learning of non-adjacent dependencies.
  

Newport, E.L., & Aslin, R.N. (2004). Learning at a distance: I. Statistical learning of non-adjacent dependencies. Cognitive Psychology, 48, 127-162.

• Learning at a distance: II. Statistical learning of non-adjacent dependencies in a non-human primate.
  

Newport, E.L., Hauser, M.D., Spaepen, G., & Aslin, R.N. (2004). Learning at a distance: II. Statistical learning of non-adjacent dependencies in a non-human primate. Cognitive Psychology, 49, 85-117.

• Children need natural languages, signed or spoken. 
  

Bavelier, D., Newport, E.L., & Supalla, T. (2003). Children need natural languages, signed or spoken. Cerebrum, 5, 19-32.

•  Tonal profiles of artificial scales: Implications for music learning.

Creel, S.C., & Newport, E.L. (2002). Tonal profiles of artificial scales: Implications for music learning. In C. Stevens, D. Burnham, G. McPherson, E. Schubert and J. Renwick, (Eds.), Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Music Perception and Cognition. Sydney, Australia: Causal Productions, pp. 281-284.

• Critical periods in language development.

Newport, E.L. (2002). Critical periods in language development. In L. Nadel (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science. London: Macmillan Publishers Ltd./Nature Publishing Group.

• The distributional structure of grammatical categories in speech to young children.

Mintz, T.H., Newport, E.L., & Bever, T.G. (2002). The distributional structure of grammatical categories in speech to young children. Cognitive Science, 26, 393-425.

• Segmenting nonsense: An event-related potential index of perceived onsets in continuous speech.
  

Sanders, L.D., Newport, E.L., & Neville, H.J. (2002). Segmenting nonsense: An event-related potential index of perceived onsets in continuous speech. Nature Neuroscience, 5, 700-703.

• Segmentation of the speech stream in a non-human primate: Statistical learning in cotton-top tamarins.

Hauser, M., Newport, E.L., & Aslin, R.N. (2001). Segmentation of the speech stream in a non-human primate: Statistical learning in cotton-top tamarins. Cognition, 78, B41-B52.

• Critical thinking about critical periods: Perspectives on a critical period for language acquisition.
  

Newport, E.L., Bavelier, D., & Neville, H.J. (2001). Critical thinking about critical periods: Perspectives on a critical period for language acquisition. In E. Dupoux (Ed.), Language, Brain and Cognitive Development: Essays in Honor of Jacques Mehler. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

• Perception, Cognition, and Language: Essays in Honor of Henry and Lila Gleitman.

Landau, B., Sabini, J., Jonides, J., & Newport, E.L. (Eds.). (2000). Perception, Cognition, and Language: Essays in Honor of Henry and Lila Gleitman. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

• Innately constrained learning: Blending old and new approaches to language acquisition.

Newport, E.L., & Aslin, R.N. (2000). Innately constrained learning: Blending old and new approaches to language acquisition. In S.C. Howell, S.A. Fish, and T. Keith-Lucas (Eds.), Proceedings of the 24th Annual Boston University Conference on Language Development. Somerville, MA: Cascadilla Press.

• Sign language research at the millennium.

Newport, E.L., & Supalla, T. (2000). Sign language research at the millennium. In K. Emmorey and H. Lane (Eds.), The Signs of Language Revisited: An Anthology in Honor of Ursula Bellugi and Edward Klima. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

• Sign languages.

Newport, E.L., & Supalla, T. (1999). Sign languages. In R. Wilson & Keil, F. (eds.), The MIT Encyclopedia of the cognitive sciences. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

• Creolization: Could adults really have done it all? 

Hudson, C.L., & Newport, E.L. (1999). Creolization: Could adults really have done it all? In A. Greenhill et al. (Eds.), Proceedings of the 23rd Annual Boston University Conference on Language Development: Vol. 1. Somerville, MA: Cascadilla Press.

• Reduced input in the acquisition of signed languages: Contributions to the study of creolization.

Newport, E.L. (1999). Reduced input in the acquisition of signed languages: Contributions to the study of creolization. In M. DeGraff (Ed.), Language Creation and Language Change: Creolization, Diachrony, and Development. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

• Statistical learning of tonal sequences by human infants and adults.

Saffran, J.R., Johnson, E.K., Aslin, R.N., & Newport, E.L. (1999). Statistical learning of tonal sequences by human infants and adults. Cognition, 70, 27-52.

• Computation of conditional probability statistics by 8-month old infants.

Aslin, R.N., Saffran, J.R., & Newport, E.L. (1998). Computation of conditional probability statistics by 8-month old infants. Psychological Science, 9, 321-324.

• Nativism, empiricism, and the development of knowledge.

Spelke, E.S., & Newport, E.L. (1998). Nativism, empiricism, and the development of knowledge. In R.M. Lerner (Ed.), Handbook of Child Psychology, Vol. 1: Theoretical Models of Human Development. 5th edition. (Editor-in-Chief: William Damon). New York: Wiley.

• Incidental language learning: Listening (and learning) out of the corner of your ear.

Saffran, J.R., Newport, E.L., Aslin, R.N., Tunick, R.A., & Barrueco, S. (1997). Incidental language learning: Listening (and learning) out of the corner of your ear. Psychological Science, 8, 101-105.

• Argument structure in Nicaraguan Sign Language: The emergence of grammatical devices.

Senghas, A., Coppola, M., Newport, E.L., & Supalla, T. (1997). Argument structure in Nicaraguan Sign Language: The emergence of grammatical devices. In E. Hughes, M. Hughes, and A. Greenhill (Eds.), Proceedings of the 21st Annual Boston University Conference on Language Development: Vol. 2. Somerville, MA: Cascadilla Press.

• Statistical learning by 8-month old infants.

Saffran, J.R., Aslin, R.N., & Newport, E.L. (1996). Statistical learning by 8-month old infants. Science, 274, 1926-1928.

• Word segmentation: The role of distributional cues.

Saffran, J.R., Newport, E.L., & Aslin, R.N. (1996). Word segmentation: The role of distributional cues. Journal of Memory and Language, 35, 606-621.

• The invention of language by children: Environmental and biological influences on the acquisition of language.

Gleitman, L.R., & Newport, E.L. (1995). The invention of language by children: Environmental and biological influences on the acquisition of language. In L.R. Gleitman and M. Liberman (Eds.), An Invitation to Cognitive Science, Vol. 1: Language. 2nd edition. Cambridge: MIT Press.

• Modeling the effects of processing limitations on the acquisition of morphology: The less is more hypothesis.
  

Goldowsky, B.N., & Newport, E.L. (1993). Modeling the effects of processing limitations on the acquisition of morphology: The less is more hypothesis. In J. Mead (ed.), The Proceedings of the 11th West Coast Conference on Formal Linguistics. Stanford, CA: CSLI.

• Maturational constraints on language learning.

Newport, E.L. (1990). Maturational constraints on language learning. Cognitive Science, 14, 11-28.

• Critical period effects in second language learning: The influence of maturational state on the acquisition of English as a second language. 
  

Johnson, J.S., & Newport, E.L. (1989). Critical period effects in second language learning: The influence of maturational state on the acquisition of English as a second language. Cognitive Psychology, 21, 60-99.