DLL lexical processing (Woolpert & Ratiu, 2026)

<b>Purpose: </b>The present study investigated linguistic factors that influence lexical processing in dual-language learner (DLL) children.<b>Method: </b>A total of 134 children—66 DLL children and 68 monolingual classmates in Grades 2–6—completed a battery of standardized and experimental measures. In the cross-linguistic task, children selected one of three words that matched a picture. Cross-linguistic trials included either cognate targets or false-friend foils.<b>Results:</b> Relative to baseline, DLL children’s performance was affected by the presence of cognate targets but not of false-friend foils. However, false-friend inhibition was mitigated by Spanish proficiency.<b>Conclusions: </b>DLL children’s knowledge of multiple languages makes word reading a qualitatively different process relative to that of monolinguals. The effect of cross-linguistic activation on DLL children’s English performance is discussed.<b>Supplemental Material S1.</b> Full model results for regression analyses.Woolpert, D., &amp; Ratiu, I. (2026). Cognate facilitation and false-friend inhibition in Spanish-speaking dual-language learners’ lexical processing of English. <i>Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups</i>, <i>11</i>(2), 541–555. https://doi.org/10.1044/2025_PERSP-25-00080