Our 2019 Yidan Prize for Education Research Laureate, Professor Usha Goswami, has devoted much of her career to understanding how we pick up language from our earliest days — and what that might mean for supporting children with developmental differences. She’s using her Yidan Prize project funds to expand the use of neuroimaging and compare the results with previous data around children with dyslexia. We sat down with Usha and project researcher Nicole Tan to hear more about their work together.

We often talk about talent as if it’s something rare, but every child has enormous potential. By helping children with learning differences reach their full potential, we enrich not only their lives but also society as a whole. (Usha Goswami)

What’s the focus of the project and the challenges you’re addressing?

Usha: We want to understand whether brain rhythms — how brain waves synchronize with patterns in speech — can explain developmental language disorder (DLD). DLD exists across all cultures and languages, and it affects various aspects such as grammar, syntax, and phonology — that is, how we deal with the sounds of language.

We’ve previously discovered that children with dyslexia have difficulties with brain wave synchronization when processing speech rhythms, like detecting variations in volume and stress patterns. Since both dyslexia and DLD involve language processing, we wanted to see if this brain rhythms approach could also help us understand DLD.

With the Yidan Prize project funds, we've been able to develop tasks and brain-scanning techniques that allow us to match brain activity with behavioral language difficulties. For example, breaking a word like "all-i-ga-tor" into syllables helps us examine how children process speech rhythms.

By identifying these underlying neurological mechanisms, we can design targeted interventions to support children struggling with language development.

Nicole, what’s your role in the project?

Nicole: My focus is on intervention — how we can help children with DLD improve their language skills. We’re developing fun activities using rhyming storybooks and rhythm and melody exercises to enhance children’s awareness of speech patterns. That’s because rhythm acts as a hidden glue that supports the entire language system.

Take a sentence like: "down at the vets, there are all kinds of pets." We ask children to tap with five fingers on stressed syllables and two fingers on unstressed ones. Research shows that children with DLD often drop unstressed syllables, so we want to help them tune into all aspects of rhythm.

We also incorporate melody — singing higher for stressed and lower for unstressed syllables. It offers children another way to pick up on speech patterns while they’re busy enjoying themselves.

And what inspired you to join this project?

Nicole: I’ve always wanted to make learning fun for children, particularly for those who often slip through the cracks. Language is fundamental to every aspect of learning, so helping children develop strong language skills early on can have a huge impact.

I was drawn to Usha’s approach because it focuses on natural aspects of play and childhood while emphasizing the right elements for learning. Our interventions don’t make children feel "different" — they simply enhance the kinds of experiences all children have.

While labels like "DLD" can be helpful for accessing support, they can also create negative self-perceptions. Our approach means that children receive the help they need without making them feel like something is "wrong" with them.

How does the brain imaging aspect of the project work?

Usha: We are working on a brain-computer interface (BCI) to help children with DLD, inspired by our previous work with dyslexia. For dyslexia, we found a brain wave ratio that acts as a neural marker, allowing us to design an interactive tool.

We developed a game where children listen to a story while controlling a spaceship on a screen. The spaceship moves up when their brain waves approach the optimal rhythm — essentially training them to adjust their brain activity unconsciously.

For now, we’re still analyzing brain imaging data for DLD, but we hope to adapt the BCI technique in the future. While BCIs may not be practical for home settings, understanding the brain mechanisms helps us create low-cost interventions — like the rhythm-based activities Nicole’s working on — that can be easily implemented anywhere.

How are the Yidan Prize project funds scaling up this project?

Usha: Brain imaging with children is incredibly expensive, and securing funding is always a challenge. The project funds have allowed us to match our brain imaging data with existing behavioral data on dyslexia, filling crucial gaps that arose during the pandemic.

One exciting possibility is using machine learning to analyze speech waveforms. Differences in how children with and without learning difficulties process speech could potentially be used as an early diagnostic tool. If a two-year-old isn’t speaking much but has a normal speech rhythm pattern, we might not need to worry. But if their speech pattern is different, early intervention could be key.

The funds also gave us the flexibility to buy mobile EEG (electroencephalogram) headsets, making it easier to bring BCI technology into schools. These portable systems are much less expensive than full lab equipment but still give us real-time brain activity readings.

That said, technology isn't always necessary. For very young children, human interaction can be just as effective. You only need to understand the brain mechanisms once; from there, you can create multiple, scalable interventions, many of which can be delivered at no cost.

What motivates you to continue this work?

Nicole: I want to improve educational outcomes for all children. Learning difficulties exist in every culture and have nothing to do with how hard a child tries. DLD and dyslexia are not about laziness — they stem from intrinsic differences in how the brain processes language.

Language skills are crucial from an early age. If we can help children before they start school, we can prevent them from falling behind and feeling discouraged. That benefits not only the child but also their peers and wider society. Dyslexia and DLD are among the most common learning difficulties, and they have a genetic component. If we can account for these differences early on, we can make a massive difference in children's educational journeys. 

How do you see the future of education, and how do you hope your work will contribute to that vision?

Nicole: We need to normalize learning differences and ensure all children get the support they need. Learning difficulties like DLD are simply differences in brain function, not deficiencies. If we treat them as part of the normal spectrum of human variation, we can remove stigma while still providing effective interventions.

No child should feel left behind or believe they’re incapable just because their learning process looks different from their peers’.

Usha: I see the future of education moving toward more personalized learning, where we recognize each child’s unique strengths and weaknesses.

A more supportive environment — not just in schools, but also at home and in communities — can make a huge difference. Early identification and intervention could prevent many of the emotional and educational struggles that children with DLD and dyslexia currently face.

Teachers need to know that these children are trying incredibly hard, and their stress levels can be very high. None of that should be happening. If we intervene early and adjust the learning environment accordingly, we can prevent unnecessary struggles.