Suzanne Curtin, Dean of Graduate Studies and Professor of Child and Youth Studies at Brock University, Henny Yeung, Assistant Professor in the Department of Linguistics at Simon Fraser University, and Janet Werker, Killam Professor in the Department of Psychology and Co-director of Language Sciences at the University of British Columbia, had a piece recently published in the Globe and Mail about children’s use of visible speech and the need to understand the impact of mask-use on language learning and development.

They write:

“Facemasks are an essential public health tool against COVID-19 (1) , and—until we know more about both vaccine distribution and efficacy over time—masks are here to stay. Although essential for infant- and child-caregivers in hospitals, in schools, and in other public spaces, many have asked how degraded auditory speech and the accompanying loss of visible facial cues from wearing masks could influence speech and language development. Indeed, the muffling of speech that occurs from wearing a mask (or two, in the case of double-masking), creates exactly the conditions where visible speech would be incredibly helpful – particularly if there is also background noise such as in a busy classroom or daycare. Some researchers have advocated the use of clear masks, but little research has been done on whether – and what kinds of – clear masks help, with some research suggesting clear masks could distort visible speech. Below, we review what we already know about young children’s use of visible speech, and highlight the future work that is needed to understand the impact of mask-use on language learning and development.”

Continue reading the full article here.