Importance of Semantic Knowledge in Preschool Age

Cilj rada bio je utvrditi razinu semantičkoga znanja kod šestogodišnje djece urednoga jezičnoga razvoja (N=40), djece s perinatalnim oštećenjem mozga (N=40) i djece s posebnim jezičnim teškoćama (N=40), a s obzirom na poznate podatke o vrijednosti semantike za kasnije čitanje. U Hrvatskoj je mali broj istraživanja usmjeren na semantička znanja u toj dobi. Varijable obuhvaćene ispitivanjem odnose se na: opseg rječnika (PEABODY), jezično razumijevanje (REYNELL) i narativno pamćenje (NARPAM) te narativno pamćenje uz pomoć (NARPAM1). Rezultati su pokazali da varijable semantike imaju različite doprinose razlikovanju uzoraka, a uspjeh na zadacima prema kojima su one oblikovane, neujednačen je za odabrane skupine djece kao i pojedince unutar skupina i to u odnosu na razinu zahtjevnosti zadataka. Ustanovljene su kvantitativne razlike između djece u uzorcima, a pomnija raščlamba njihovih obilježja jasno govori u prilog postojanju i kvalitativnih razlika. Detaljnjijim, individualno usmjerenim pregledom podataka, moguće je zaključivanje o neophodnim postupcima rada s pojedincima koji u skupini s perinatalnim oštećenjem mozga i skupini s posebnim jezičnim teškoćama pokazuju odstupanja.The goal of the research was to define the level of semantic knowledge in six-year-old children with typical language development (N=40), children with perinatal brain lesions (N=40) and children with specific language impairment (N=40), taking into account known data about the role of semantics for later reading skill. In Croatia, a small number of research is based on the semantic knowledge in this age. The variables included in the research relate to: the scope of vocabulary (PEABODY), language comprehension (REYNELL), narrative memory (free recall-NEPSY) and narrative memory (cued-recall conditions NEPSY). The variables of semantics have different contributions in discrimination of samples. Furthermore, the performance of the samples is very unequal as well as performance of participants from the particular sample regarding the level of task complexity. The results of the research show quantitative differences in chosen samples, but their features clearly speak in favor of existence of qualitative differences. The more detailed, individually focused analysis of data enables some conclusions about necessary intervention procedures with some of the children from the samples with perinatal brain lesions or specific language impairment who perform below expected level