While most children eventually learn to speak their mother tongue, studies show that crucial gaps in language development can emerge by the age of two. These disparities arise from the quality and quantity of in-home interactions, meaning that some children may begin school at a disadvantage. When language acquisition is taken for granted in early childhood development, it tends to reproduce existing inequalities.
Language development gap between young children living in poverty and those in less adverse conditions.
Fernald, A., Marchman, V.A., & Weisleder, A. (2013). SES differences in language processing skill and vocabulary are evident at 18 months. Oxford: Developmental Science 16:2.
Potential vocabulary of a six-year-old exposed to quality everyday interactions at home and at school.
Clark, E. (1995). Later lexical development and word formation. En P. Fletcher y B. MacWhinnney (Eds.). The handbook of child language (393-412). Oxford: Blackwell.
Adults contribute to language development by talking to children, reading to and with them, singing, reciting, playing with words and discussing texts. These activities help children use language to transform lived experience into knowledge.
Seeks to enhance young children's learning potential by educating adults on the importance of their everyday interactions in and outside of school. We translate, integrate and materialize scientific knowledge in order to help adults create meaningful learning environments for children through simple, intentional actions.
Provide educators with content and tools for intentionally planning in-class activities and interventions that best support children’s learning.
Help adults view learning as an ongoing process that permeates all aspects of children’s lives, raising awareness of the responsibility to encourage meaningful interactions with their surroundings.
Develop research-based tools to face Brazil's educational challenges, in partnership with University of Barcelona academics led by Prof. Ana Teberosky, among others.
Enhance the quality of formal and informal educational interventions by partnering with organizations that put our content into practice at scale.
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