Parentese is a style of speech that parents often use with their children. It has a slower tempo with higher pitch and exaggerated sounds, and it helps children learn language. Now I-LABS researchers Naja Ferjan Ramirez, Sarah Lytle, and Patricia K. Kuhl have shown that coaching parents in Parentese helps them use it more often. This leads to improved language … Read More
New Research on Second Language Acquisition
I-LABS has created an online program that trains teachers to help infants learn a second language. The new study demonstrates that the play-based program is effective in teaching young children from a wide variety of backgrounds. Because trainers learn the program online, the training is scalable and widely available. Naja Ferjan Ramírez, assistant professor of Linguistics and former I-LABS research … Read More
Deaf Infants Have Accelerated Gaze Following
Researchers and colleagues at I‐LABS published the first study of gaze following with Deaf infants of Deaf parents. The results show that Deaf infants had enhanced gaze following in comparison to hearing infants of the same age and gender. This suggests that Deaf infants pay special attention to social-communicative cues of other people due in part to exposure to sign language. The … Read More
I-LABS co-Directors at enlightED in Madrid
Co-Directors Patricia Kuhl and Andrew Meltzoff brought I-LABS insights to enlightED, an international conference of global experts in education, technology and innovation. enlightED focuses on education in the digital age. Kuhl talked about research studies on early bilingual education in Madrid schools and the path forward to help all children become bilingual. Meltzoff spoke about increasing female participation in STEM disciplines and … Read More
Promoting Children’s Memory Formation
I-LABS co-Director Andrew Meltzoff is featured in a New York Times article that describes how grandparents can help their grandchildren form lasting memories. Meltzoff describes how re-encountering events through repeated, evocative recollections builds long-term memories. Read the article online here. Read via PDF format file here. Read the article at NNY360 here.
Linguistic Diversity Promotes New Language Learning
LABS post-doc Kinsey Bice has shown that living among many languages may help monolinguals when they begin learning a second language. This research used EEG to show that the brains of monolinguals who were exposed to foreign languages responded differently to novel foreign words. The research was published in the Brain and Language journal as well as Tech Explorist and UW News. Read the research … Read More
Brain Interface Technology Moving Forward
I-LABS scientists, along with UW colleagues, are once again producing cutting edge research. I-LABS members Andrea Stocco, Chantal Prat, Darby Losey, and Justin Abernethy have been advancing research in brain-to-brain communication. In their latest study, three people played a video game using only their minds. The ground-breaking results were published in Scientific Reports. Read more at the UW Today or KOMO News.
I-LABS Research Well Received in Israel
I-LABS co-Director Dr. Patricia Kuhl shared her research with policymakers, caregivers, and journalists in a series of lectures and interviews in Israel. In support of the Israeli Ministry of Health’s ‘First 1,000 Days Strategy,’ she connected with health care professionals who work with parents from all walks of life. Video of Kuhl’s presentation is here. Kuhl was also interviewed for the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.
I-LABS Video Is A Finalist in APA Competition
I–LABS Outreach and Education Specialist Marley Jarvis’ video on Moving in Unison has been named as a finalist in The American Psychological Association’s PsycShorts Video Festival and Competition. Marley’s two-minute video highlights research done here at I-LABS through her original animation. APA judges will decide on some winners, but there is also an Audience Prize which is decided by popular vote. … Read More
I-LABS Talks Bilingual Brains with Univision’s Dr. Juan
Naja Ferjan Ramírez, an expert in bilingual language development, was interviewed by Dr. Juan on the intellectual and social advantage of having a bilingual child. The interview was broadcast on Univision’s Despierta América. Watch the 4 minute interview here.