The Science Behind Language Development
- Babies are born with 100 billion neurons.
- From the 3rd trimester to age three, the brain grows to 80–85% of adult size.
- Rapid growth occurs due to synapse formation.
- Synapse formation depends on interactions with the environment.
Having conversations with babies from the start builds the brain and prepares them for future learning, including reading. This requires awareness of both quality and quantity of language.
Experience Builds Brain Architecture Video
The child’s experiences determine which neural circuits form and strengthen. Connections used frequently grow stronger; unused connections fade away — ‘use it or lose it.’
Interactions with responsive adults shape memory, language, and relationships. Every engagement builds a learning brain.
Responsive Interactions
Children need responsive interactions for healthy growth and development. Responsive interactions are ways in which we positively respond to the needs of children.
Language nutrition is the use of language that is sufficiently rich in engagement, quality, quantity, and context that it nourishes the child neurologically, socially, and linguistically.
Families provide language nutrition by being responsive to their child’s needs, wants, interests, feelings, and experiences with loving interactions and communication.
Families can nourish children with language by:
- Directing attention to objects and scenery
- Telling stories (with or without books)
- Leaving sufficient pauses for children to respond
- TALKING, READING, SINGING, and PLAYING
- Affirming children as conversational partners
- Prioritizing human interaction
Experience Builds Brain Architecture Video
