Predictors of novel inflection learning by preschool-aged boys

This study addressed the extent to which performance on selected verbal and nonverbal measures contributes to the prediction of inflection learning. Twenty normal boys between the ages of 4:4 (years:months) and 5:7 were presented with stories designed to teach novel vocabulary and morphological inflections. A multiple regression analysis indicated that the measure of current inflection skills accounted for nearly half of the variance in inflection learning results. In addition, performance on a posttest of vocabulary learning significantly (p < .05) contributed to the prediction equation. Although closer analysis of the findings indicates that the relation between nonverbal rule learning and inflection learning warrants further investigation, none of the three nonverbal measures was a significant contributor to the prediction equation. The results suggest that inflection learning may be tied more to other language abilities than to nonverbal cognitive skills in normally developing boys.