Digital Media and Language Development: The Role of Child-Directed Speech

Rich social interactions shape children’s language acquisition and developmental trajectories. The massive presence of electronic devices in children’s everyday lives may be altering these interactions. This chapter begins with a review of research on the relationship between digital media use and children’s language development. Then, we turn to child-directed speech as a mechanism that may contribute to this relation. Specifically, we explore how the quantity and quality of speech caregivers use with infants and toddlers might differ according to how families use digital media and the types of digital media used. We first review research on associations between child-directed speech and screen time/frequency of use, background television, and traditional versus electronic toys and books. We then examine more recent attempts to use digital media to promote caregiver–child verbal interactions. We conclude with practical implications and potential directions for future studies.