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.
People of I-LABS: Dawson Nichols
People of I-LABS Vibrant, super-smart and caring: these are just a few of the qualities that describe the dozens of interdisciplinary researchers at I-LABS. Their innovative ideas and technological savviness help drive the Institute’s reputation as a world leader in child development and brain science. And their kindness, professionalism and sense of humor greet all of the hundreds of families … Read More
Summer “reading camp” to examine brain circuitry essential to literacy
A two-week “camp” to be held at UW Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences (I-LABS) this summer will provide instruction in early literacy skills and reading basics for soon-to-be kindergarteners. Building on previous research showing that an intensive reading intervention program changed the brain’s reading circuitry in struggling, school-aged readers, Dr. Jason Yeatman, an Assistant Professor at I-LABS and head of the Brain … Read More
New research shows children’s brain responses in anticipation of touch
Anticipation is an exercise in focus, a neural preparation that conveys important visual, auditory or tactile information about what’s to come. New brain research among 6- to 8-year-old children conducted at the University of Washington’s Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences (I-LABS) and Temple University shows not only this expectation in real time, but also how anticipation relates to executive … Read More
Patricia Kuhl receives 2018 APA Distinguished Scientific Contributions Award
I-LABS co-Director Dr. Patricia Kuhl has been honored with the 2018 American Psychological Association (APA) Award for Distinguished Scientific Contributions for her “seminal contributions to understanding the foundations of speech perception in human infancy and the impact of early speech perception on later language acquisition”. The award recognizes scientists for their excellence in theoretical or empirical research in the field … Read More
People of I-LABS: Myles Reilly
People of I-LABS Vibrant, super-smart and caring: these are just a few of the qualities that describe the dozens of interdisciplinary researchers at I-LABS. Their innovative ideas and technological savviness help drive the Institute’s reputation as a world leader in child development and brain science. And their kindness, professionalism and sense of humor greet all of the hundreds of families … Read More
“Parent coaching” boosts early language skills
Teaching parents about communication strategies with their infants has a direct impact on their childrens’ language development according to new I-LABS research published online in Developmental Science. Parents instinctively use a special style of talking with their infants, called “parentese”. However, by coaching parents on the how and why of its importance when the infants were 6 and 10 months of … Read More
Social Learning & the Baby Brain
I-LABS co-Director, Dr. Patricia Kuhl, partnered with Edutopia to create a series of four short, engaging videos that explore infants’ use of social information to learn about the world. Links to each of the videos are below. The Social Brain Masters of Social Learning When the Social Brain Misfires The Social Classroom
How the Baby Brain Represents Lips
I-LABS co-director Andrew Meltzoff, and his colleagues Joni Saby and Peter Marshall, recorded brain activity while touching baby lips, hands, and feet. They documented significant activity over the somatosensory cortex in 60-day-olds. The most prominent activity occurred when infant’s lips were touched. The researchers hypothesize that infant body maps are foundational for imitative learning and self-other connections in early infancy. … Read More
Separating children from families: Relevant scientific evidence
An article jointly written by the Scientific Advisory Group, Early Childhood of the Bezos Family Foundation presents scientific information regarding stress on the brain development of children. It appears in the Brookings Institution report on Future Development. I-LABS co-Directors, Patricia Kuhl and Andrew Meltzoff, are members of the Scientific Advisory Group. Read the article