Neural and behavioural rhythmic tracking during language acquisition: The story so far

The developmental community is beginning to embrace the idea of exaggerated rhythm in infant and child-directed speech providing critical information during early language acquisition. Here, we consider I/CDS as a special case of language, with enhanced multimodal temporal and prosodic cues, attuned to the needs of the listener. The evidence supporting this idea is largely based on language disorders (e.g., dyslexia, DLD), with relatively sparse extant literature on typical language development. However, the field is rapidly growing, with methodological advances in cortical and behavioural rhythmic tracking allowing us to better understand the organising principles of speech and language processing. We address the multiple approaches adopted across research communities, providing a commentary on both the reach and suitability of these methods. From a nascent literature, the chapter aims to paint a coherent picture of the field's current state, providing recommendations for future research.