This study explored the use of sophisticated vocabulary, complex syntax, and decontextualized language (including book information, conceptual information, past/future experiences, and vocabulary information) in teachers’ instructional interactions with children during the literacy block in prekindergarten and kindergarten classrooms. The sample included 33 teachers and 421 children. We examined correlations among these language features and their unique contributions to children’s vocabulary learning. Teachers who used more sophisticated vocabulary also engaged in more decontextualized talk about vocabulary and past/future experiences. Additionally, teachers’ use of complex syntax was uniquely associated with talk about conceptual information. Both complex syntax and conceptual information talk predicted children’s vocabulary learning; however, complex syntax emerged as the sole predictor when accounting for this relationship. This finding suggests that decontextualized talk about concepts, characterized by complex language structures, may facilitate vocabulary acquisition.

中文翻译：

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探索教师的高质量语言特征与学龄前儿童和幼儿园儿童词汇学习之间的关系


本研究探讨了在学前班和幼儿园课堂识字块期间教师与儿童的教学互动中使用复杂词汇、复杂句法和去语境化语言（包括书籍信息、概念信息、过去/未来经验和词汇信息）。样本包括 33 名教师和 421 名儿童。我们研究了这些语言特征之间的相关性及其对儿童词汇学习的独特贡献。使用更复杂词汇的教师也参与了关于词汇和过去/未来经历的更脱离语境的讨论。此外，教师对复杂语法的使用与概念信息的讨论具有独特的相关性。复杂的句法和概念信息谈话都预测了儿童的词汇学习;然而，在考虑这种关系时，复杂的语法成为唯一的预测因子。这一发现表明，以复杂语言结构为特征的概念的去语境化谈论可能有助于词汇的习得。