Spatial Preposition Acquisition in Mandarin-Speaking Children: A Scoping Review
Spatial prepositions like “in,” “under,” “between,” and “around” are crucial for defining locations or directions relative to a reference (Schlosser et al., 2012). Mastering these prepositions is essential for children’s daily tasks, particularly in understanding and following instructions (Schlosser et al., 2014). However, the abstract nature of spatial concepts and diverse linguistic encoding strategies across languages create challenges for universal description. Research shows spatial linguistic tool acquisition is highly language-specific and age-dependent, posing challenges for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) systems that use symbols to augment or replace natural language when expressing spatial relationships.
We conducted a scoping review to map literature on assessing typical Mandarin-speaking children’s acquisition of spatial prepositions. Chinese spatial expressions employ unique terms with multiple semantic meanings, influencing pragmatic interpretations within sentences (Gou, 2004). Unlike English’s single-word approach (e.g., “in”), Chinese uses structures like “zai……li” (“in”), where relational indicators are called “localizers” or “locative words” (Cai, 2013).
Our search included studies measuring children’s spatial abilities across various tasks in four global databases and one Chinese database. Only words indicating physical relationships were included; studies on metaphorical meanings, proximity, scale, and sizes were excluded unless they investigated physical relationships within broader scope. From 117 initially screened studies, 10 were eligible for full-text review and inclusion. Data extraction, synthesis, and summarization followed scoping review methodology, with studies categorized by assessment type.
English-speaking countries have utilized various tools including tangible objects, photos, static and animated graphic symbols to enhance spatial preposition acquisition. We classified studies into three assessment types: 1) production and/or comprehension tasks using symbols (objects or pictures), 2) immersive tasks (real-world or game-based virtual tasks), and 3) spontaneous conversations.
Production and Comprehension Tasks
Both task types serve as classic assessment tools. Four studies required verbal responses in production tasks and pointing or object placement in comprehension tasks relative to reference objects. Task accuracy was the typical outcome variable. Age-related effects in production tasks showed small effect sizes (Hedges’ g = 0.17 to 0.42), indicating variable age impact on production. Five comprehension tasks were reviewed, including Deng’s (2014) ‘forced choice task’ where participants viewed pictures while hearing two descriptions from computer characters and judged which accurately described the spatial relationship. Age effects were generally small (Hedges’ g = 0.16 to 0.29), though one study showed small to medium range (Hedges’ g = 0.07 to 0.6) (Deng & Yip, 2016) and another small to large (Hedges’ g = 0.26 to 2.40) (Chang & Yang, 1985).
Immersive Tasks
Two studies employed innovative methodologies. Wang (2018) immersed children in block building games across diverse contexts—storytelling, free, themed, and imitation building—recording spatial language use. Despite significant age effects, effect sizes were small (Hedges’ g = 0.04 to 0.06), suggesting minimal developmental differences. Condition-specific effects for block building were also small (Hedges’ g = 0.01 to 0.02), indicating slight activity-type influence on spatial language use. Si (2015) used virtual environments where children’s movements controlled in-game characters. However, insufficient statistical reporting prevented effect size calculation, limiting quantitative contribution and highlighting the importance of comprehensive data reporting.
Spontaneous Conversations
Corpus studies examined spontaneous conversation approaches, with age effect as the primary factor. Three studies focused on children’s first use of specific spatial words. Survival analysis captured cumulative probability of first spatial preposition use over time (Kong & Wang, 2002; Xiong, 2014; Zhou, 2023). This methodology suits corpus data analysis where event timing isn’t observed for all subjects. The median survival time was 30 months, indicating when 50% of children had used a spatial preposition (Median Survival Time = 30 months, 95% CI [28, 32 months]). This benchmark for spatial language emergence enables tailored strategies aligned with developmental timeframes, potentially improving overall linguistic competency in early childhood.
Implications
The acquisition of spatial prepositions in Mandarin-speaking children involves complex age-related effects, with varied assessment methodologies available for study. Findings suggest tailored strategies and innovative approaches could optimize AAC interventions and promote spatial language skills in Mandarin-speaking children and individuals with communication difficulties. Understanding developmental trajectories and language-specific characteristics is crucial for designing effective interventions that support spatial language acquisition during critical developmental periods.
