Scientists can now see and measure what is going on in a baby's brain as they learn language.
This video presentation from the TED series shows how the critical time for babies learning the sounds of their native language is the first 12 months of life.
Points made by the scientist Patricia Kuhl that have real significance for parents is that the babies didn't learn any new sounds from watching the teaching sessions on TV, but the babies who took part in the sessions with the live presenter did learn to recognise the new sounds. Apparently babies learning is being controlled by the social brain. So babies need to learn language form a human being not a computer or TV screen.
Another really enjoyable part of the presentation is the two mothers - one American and the other Japanese who are filmed talking to their babies using "motherese" ( also called infant-directed talk, or adult baby-talk) that sing song, smiling, exaggerated way of talking that babies enjoy. I talk about using " baby talk" or "motherese" in my book "How to Teach Baby toTalk".
If you have any thoughts about the film, I'd love you to leave a comment. Enjoy!
This video presentation from the TED series shows how the critical time for babies learning the sounds of their native language is the first 12 months of life.
Points made by the scientist Patricia Kuhl that have real significance for parents is that the babies didn't learn any new sounds from watching the teaching sessions on TV, but the babies who took part in the sessions with the live presenter did learn to recognise the new sounds. Apparently babies learning is being controlled by the social brain. So babies need to learn language form a human being not a computer or TV screen.
Another really enjoyable part of the presentation is the two mothers - one American and the other Japanese who are filmed talking to their babies using "motherese" ( also called infant-directed talk, or adult baby-talk) that sing song, smiling, exaggerated way of talking that babies enjoy. I talk about using " baby talk" or "motherese" in my book "How to Teach Baby toTalk".
If you have any thoughts about the film, I'd love you to leave a comment. Enjoy!
