Lexicon Valley on research by Betty Hart and Todd Risley early childhood language and vocabulary acquisition.

Talk to Your Toddlers. A Lot. They’ll Thank You Later.

Talk to Your Toddlers. A Lot. They’ll Thank You Later.

A show about the mysteries of English.
June 25 2013 1:07 PM

How to Raise Verbal Children

Why talking to your kids is one of the most important investments you can make in their future.

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Listen to Lexicon Valley Episode No. 29: 30 Million By Four

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In 1995, researchers Betty Hart and Todd Risley published the results of a nearly decade-long study of early childhood language and vocabulary development. The Journal of Early Intervention said that Hart and Risley’s book, Meaningful Differences in the Everyday Experience of Young American Children, “may very well change our thinking about how we arrange early experiences for our children, if not revolutionize our approach to childhood.” But for reasons both political and economic, that revolution never occurred. Now, 20 years later, one American mayor wants to put Hart and Risley’s research to a real-world test. Listen to Bob Garfield and Mike Vuolo discuss why talking may be the single most important activity you can do with your child.

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