A peek into language acquisition: Under the scientific microscope
There are over 6000 languages across the world, each different from the next. Yet, children can learn any of these languages, along a similar timeline. Each language has its own words for things. A child learning Japanese will have to learn that ‘niwatori’ refers to…
Social interactions involve two (or more) people. Yet, when one of those people is a preverbal infant, an interaction can feel like a monologue. It can feel like the caregiver is just talking, or signing, to themself. So how can a caregiver foster language learning…
Imagine the moment a baby sees the world for the first time. All the sights and sounds that are just everyday happenings for us. A lot of learning about the world begins with joint attention. Moments when a child and a caregiver (or peer) interact…
In a day, from the moment children wake up to their bedtime, a lot can happen! Children can play outdoors, build a castle, eat lunch together, draw. These interactions with others (peers or adults) and with their physical environment are foundational for language learning. When…
We live in an era of screens: from our phones and computers to flat screen ads in the subway. Many caregivers worry about how much time their child or children spend with these captivating gadgets. This worry can spiral into caregivers feeling guilty leaving their…
There isn’t one miraculous way to learn language. Children the world over acquire the sounds, words, and grammar of their native language (or languages) in vastly different life and family environments. Parenting practices (and recommendations) also vary from place to place. Yet, a caregiver reading…