Toddler gestural accommodation in Portuguese nursery schools

This study investigated whether toddlers accommodate their gestures to partners of different ages. Video data from 53 toddlers (410-1080days, 27boys) were collected during free play time in 3 Portuguese nursery schools. Toddlers adjusted their vocabulary complexity and the temporal patterns of their gestures to the recipient’s age, but did not change their prominence. Toddlers communicated with younger peers at a slower pace and using a simpler vocabulary, following child-directed communication patterns. However, when comparing adult-directed with peer-directed communication, toddlers used a more diverse set of gestures and shorter gestures. This study suggests that our ability to accommodate our communication emerges before language is fully developed, and that accommodation is flexibly expressed as a result of intersecting features of social partners.