Small Talk Spartanburg County is an initiative supported by the Spartanburg County Public Library and partnering organizations that will use a tool called LENA to measure and improve the number of words a child hears in a day. On the most basic level, a child wears a device that measures the number of words being spoken to him one day a week. If a caregiver is enrolled in a LENA Start program, they attend an hour long session to review the results of that day and learn about ways to improve each week after for ten weeks. If a caregiver is enrolled in a LENA Home program (currently being utilized by Spartanburg’s Nurse-Family Partnership and Meeting Street Academy) a representative will visit the home with a more flexible schedule that allows for a more personalized experience. Both LENA programs are designed to support kindergarten readiness and empower a parent to actively participate in their child’s learning.