An infant's brain maps language from birth

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A recent study from McGill University reveals that an infant's brain maps language from birth.  The language spoken to an infant is recognized by that child's brain years later even if the child no longer speaks the language. http://time.com/3593064/an-infants-brain-maps-language-from-birth-study-says/

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Boogie Board: a high tech/low tech homework helper

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The Boogie Board is an LCD eWriter which acts like paper & pencil but has the capacity to store and transfer files electronically.  One potential application for students, is using the Boogie Board for note taking. Research suggests handwritten notes are more beneficial for processing conceptual knowledge than typing on a laptop (Abstract ). The eWriter may also benefit students who employ it as a scratch pad, to check their spelling or complete math computations.

Too much screen time may harm children's language and literacy skills

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Many parents put limits on their children's screen time. Read more about the research that backs this practice: http://www.theage.com.au/national/education/too-much-screen-time-may-harm-childrens-oral-skills-research-suggests-20141130-11mvo1.html

Raising a Deaf Child Makes the World Sound Different

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Lydia Denworth,  a journalist and parent, describes how having a child with a hearing loss has changed the way she listens. She describes the power of sound in shaping speech, language and literacy skills.  Raising a Deaf Child Makes the World Sound Different

Christmas shopping? See which toys could damage your child's hearing.

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Noise induced hearing loss can result from a single exposure to a very loud sound or prolonged exposure to moderately loud sounds.  Two dozen popular toys were tested to see if they made the grade.  Toys that could damage your child's hearing | UC Irvine Health | Orange County, CA

Stick writing: Drawing that supports oral and written language

Pictographs are simple stick drawings used to represent the chronology of events in a story or procedure. Children can use stick drawings as a means to support memory and organization for oral story telling or as a pre-writing task.
http://www.ecstresources.com/uploads/6/1/9/1/6191025/pictographydetails.pdf

Is childhood art key to developing language literacy?

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Bob Steele, retired professor of art education at UBC, has spent his career raising awareness about the importance of fostering drawing in young children.  He describes spontaneous drawing as a medium for language and a developmental stepping stone towards written expression.   Raise-a-Reader: Is childhood art key to developing language literacy?

A Parent's Guide for Hearing Loss

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My Child has a Hearing Loss; A Parent's Guide, is an online resource for parents.  Phonak, a hearing aid manufacturer, provides a thorough and easy to read review of the causes and types of hearing loss, as well as suitable technology and practical communication tips. Click on the link to access the guide:
http://www.phonak.com/content/dam/phonak/b2b/Pediatrics/Brochure_BtC_Junior_Hearing_Loss_140x210_GB_V2.00_028-0289-02.pdf

Unilateral hearing loss - possible impacts on speech, language, behaviour and learning

UNILATERAL HEARING LOSS
Possible Impact on the Understanding of Language and Speech	Possible Social Impact	Potential Educational Accommodations and Services
·  Child can "hear" but can have difficulty understanding in certain situations, such as hearing faint or distant speech, especially if poor ear is aimed toward the person speaking. ·  Will typically have difficulty localizing sounds and voices using hearing alone. ·  The unilateral listener will have greater difficulty understanding speech when environment is noisy and/or reverberant, especially when normal ear is towards the overhead projector or other competing sound source and poor hearing ear is towards the teacher. ·  Exhibits difficulty detecting or understanding soft speech from the side of the poor hearing ear, especially in a group discussion.	·  Child may be accused of selective hearing due to discrepancies in speech understanding in quiet versus noise. ·  Social problems may arise as child experiences difficulty understanding in noisy cooperative learning, or recess situations. ·  May misconstrue peer conversations and feel rejected or ridiculed. ·  Child may be more fatigued in classroom due to greater effort needed to listen, if class is noisy or has poor acoustics. ·  May appear inattentive, distractible or frustrated, with behavior or social problems sometimes evident.	·  Allow child to change seat locations to direct the normal hearing ear toward the primary speaker. ·  Student is at 10 times the risk for educational difficulties as children with 2 normal hearing ears and  1/3 to 1/2 of students with unilateral hearing loss experience significant learning problems. ·  Children often have difficulty learning sound/letter associations in typically noisy kindergarten and grade 1 settings. ·  Educational and audiological monitoring is warranted. ·  Teacher inservice is beneficial. ·  Typically will benefit from a personal FM system with low gain/power or a sound-field FM system in the classroom, especially in the lower grades. ·  Depending on the hearing loss, may benefit from a hearing aid in the impaired ear.

School readiness begins with responsive relationships and stimulatng experiences

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In those early years, before formal education begins, a child's brain development is being influenced by his/her experiences.  The neural connections that are formed prepare a foundation for future learning.  http://www.examiner.com/article/school-readiness-for-children-with-disabilities

Virus Present at Birth Causes More Than 10 Percent of Hearing-Loss Cases in Kids

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Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most common non-inherited cause of hearing loss in children. Newborn hearing screenings and following-up on a child's hearing until age 6 are necessary steps to detect delayed onset or progressive hearing loss from CMV.

Virus Present at Birth Causes More Than 10 Percent of Hearing-Loss Cases in Kids

Building Language in Babies Well Before First Words are Spoken

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In the first few months, babies begin to distinguish the sounds that make up language from all the other sounds they hear. Between 4 - 7 months, "babies can be trained to more effectively recognize which sounds "might" be language, accelerating the development of the brain maps which are critical to language acquisition and processing....Read the full article describing recent research at Rutgers University:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/09/140930171434.htm

Communication Milestones Birth to 5 years

Birth to 3 months:

Does the child:

• make cooing sounds

• have different cries for different needs

• smile at you

• startle to loud sounds

• soothe/calm to a familiar voice

4 to 6 months:

Does the child:

• babble and make different sounds

• make sounds back when you talk

• enjoy games like peek-a-boo

• turn his/her eyes toward a sound source

• respond to music or toys that make noise

7 to 12 months:

Does the child:

• wave hi/bye

• respond to his/her name

• let you know what he/she wants using sounds, and/or actions like pointing

• begin to follow simple directions (e.g., Where is your nose?)

• localize correctly to sound by turning his/her head toward the sound

• pay attention when spoken to

By 12 to 18 months:

Does the child:

• use common words and start to put words together

• enjoy listening to storybooks

• point to body parts or pictures in a book when asked

• look at your face when talking to you

By 18 to 24 months:

Does the child:

• understand more words than he/she can say

• say two words together (e.g., More juice)

• ask simple questions (e.g., What’s that?)

• take turns in a conversation

2 to 3 years:

Does the child:

• use sentences of three or more words most of the time

• understand different concepts (e.g., in-on; up-down)

• follow two-part directions (e.g., take the book and put it on the table)

• answer simple questions (e.g., Where is the car?)

• participate in short conversations

3 to 4 years:

Does the child:

• tell a short story or talk about daily activities

• talk in sentences with adult-like grammar

• generally speak clearly so people understand

• hear you when you call from another room

• listen to TV at the same volume as others

• answer a variety of questions

4 to 5 years:

Does the child:

• pronounce most speech sounds correctly

• participate in and understand conversations even in the presence of background noise

• recognize familiar signs (e.g., stop sign)

• make up rhymes

• hear and understand most of what is said at home and school

• listen to and retell a story and ask and answer questions about a story 

The Power of Imitation for Children with Autism

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Read on about the power of imitation during play:
http://www.hanen.org/Helpful-Info/Articles/Follow-the-Leader--The-Power-of-Imitating-Children.aspx

What Is Behaviour Regulation? And What Does It Have To Do With Language Development?

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What Is Behaviour Regulation? And What Does It Have To Do With Language Development?

Scientists identify the gene for emergent language

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"A telltale stretch of DNA at a gene called ROBO2 is linked to the number of words that a child masters in the early stage of talking...  ROBO2 controls a protein that directs chemicals in brain cells that may be used for developing language and producing sounds.The gene lies on a region of Chromosome 3 which has previously been implicated in dyslexia and speech-related disorders, according to the study."   Read more: 

Scientists identify ROBO2, the 'baby talk' gene | Lifestyle from CTV News

How to Use Exercise to Help Kids with ADHD and Kids with Autism

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Research shows that regular vigorous exercise helps kids with ADHD  focus and reduces self-stimulatory behaviour in kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder.  http://www.educationandbehavior.com/exercise-to-help-kids-with-adhd/

What are the Symptoms of ADHD and How Can You Help?

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 Learn about the signs and symptoms of ADHD:  http://www.educationandbehavior.com/signs-of-adhd/

"My child's speech is hard to understand"

Intelligibility refers to the clarity of speech - how well it can be understood by others.  Typically, children in senior kindergarten are 100% intelligible. They can be understood almost all of the time by familiar and unfamiliar listeners.

Early autism intervention speeds infant development

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In this pilot project, parents of infants between 6 months and 15 months who were demonstrating symptoms of autism, were given strategies to facilitate engagement during play, diaper changing and bath time. Read on to learn about the promising findings:
Early autism intervention speeds infant development - health - 10 September 2014 - New Scientist

Red Flags for Autism

• No big smiles or other warm, joyful expressions by six months or thereafter
• No back and forth sharing of sounds, smiles or facial expressions by 9 months
• No babbling by 12 months
• No back and forth gestures such as pointing, showing, reaching or waving by 12 months
• No meaningful two-word phrases (including imitating or repeating) by 24 months
• Any loss of speech, babbling or social skills at any age

To read more about the signs and symptoms of autism click on the Link for Autism Speaks Canada:
http://www.autismspeaks.ca/about-autism/signs-and-symptoms-of-autism/

What is Autism?

 

           This video from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention discusses the signs and symptoms associated with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Can Children with Language Impairments Learn Two Languages?

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There is very little research dedicated to the study of second language learning in children with specific language impairment (SLI).  The Hanen Centre provides a review of the literature to date:
http://www.hanen.org/Helpful-Info/Articles/Can-children-with-language-impairments-learn-two-l.aspx

Viatmin B1 and stuttering

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There is a Buzz about vitamin B1 and its benefits for some individuals who stutter.  Read the link below to find out more about Martin Schwartz's research.

http://www.stuttering.com/research.html

For additional information, click on the link below to find answers to frequently asked questions about B1 and stuttering.

http://stuttersense.blogspot.ca/2013/08/faq-about-thiamine-vitamin-b1-and.html

Tips for Talking with Kids Who Stutter

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The Stuttering Foundation provides free resources for parents and professionals.  Click on the link below to learn tips for talking with kids who stutter: 

http://www.stutteringhelp.org/7-tips-talking-your-child

Is it Stuttering?

The Stuttering Foundation generated this risk factor chart to help parents decide if they should seek the assistance of a Speech Language Pathologist. If there are one or more checks for a child, an assessment is warranted.  For more information, click on the link: http://www.stutteringhelp.org/risk-factors

Speech sound Development

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This chart presents data from Sander's article "When are speech sounds learned?" published in 1972 in the Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders.  The left side of the bar indicates when 50% of children have acquired a sound.  The right side of the bar indicates 90% of children have mastered the sound.

Red Flags in Communication Development

LinguiSystems Guide to Communication Milestones

Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset

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How Not to Talk to Your Kids

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Carol Dweck provides research that backs up what many parents and educators already know but may not be practicing: praise children's efforts not their intelligence.  What her research and anecdotes tells us about the effect of the "wrong kind of praise" may surprise you.

 Click the link to read about "How not to talk to your kids" :http://nymag.com/news/features/27840/

What is Collaborative Teacher Inquiry?

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The Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat produces the Capacity Building Series to support leadership and instructional effectiveness in Ontario schools.

Click on the link below to learn how educators are using collaborative inquiry to foster student learning:
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/inspire/research/CBS_Collaborative_Teacher_Inquiry.pdf

Language Problems, Not Distractions, Lead to Poor School Grade in Children with ADHD

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In Children With ADHD, Language Problems, Not Distractions, Lead To Poor School Grades

Interactive Read Alouds build vocabulary and oral language skills in young children

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Interactive Read alouds or "dialogic reading" build vocabulary and oral language skills