Making an Impact
LENA is working to end language isolation and improve early childhood education. Its program, LENA Grow, uses a special “talk pedometer” to measure how often teachers and children have back-and-forth interactions. Along with coaching based on their data, teachers learn how to create more meaningful interactions with children. These interactions are proven to help brain development and prepare children for school.
Right now, 1 in 8 children do not interact with their teacher enough, and fewer than 1 in 10 classrooms provide the level of interaction needed for strong learning. Without this early foundation, later efforts to help families and children don’t work as well. LENA is expanding its program nationwide to improve classroom quality and make sure every child has the chance to learn and grow.
Theory of Change
Mission
Transform children’s futures through early talk technology and data-driven programs.
Crisis
Most U.S. classrooms have insufficient levels of interaction, compromising quality and learning. Many children are completely isolated with little to no interaction.
Innovation
Data from LENA talk technology quantifying interactions in the classroom and at the child level.
Application
Educators review, reflect, practice, and impact.
Outcomes
- Increased Interactions (conversational turns)
- Improved child learning & developmental outcomes
- Improved 3rd grade reading levels
- Children removed from language isolation
- Improved educator satisfaction and retention
- Improved early childhood policies and practices
Impact
A world where every child benefits from positive relationships full of responsive interactions that unlock their full potential.
Areas of Impact
When teachers look at and think about data on how often they talk back and forth with kids, they start interacting with them more. This helps every child — regardless of how they show up to their early childhood classroom — grow in language, learn to read, make friends, and get ready for school.
By talking more with kids:
- We help overcome other challenges that might make learning harder.
- We make it easier for other supports, like family and school programs, to work well.
To make this happen, we focus on three big areas:
- Programmatic: Improving what happens in classrooms every day.
- Educational: Helping teachers learn and grow.
- Systemic: Changing the bigger systems so all kids benefit.
Programmatic Impact
Transforming children’s futures through LENA Grow
3,500+
LENA Grow centers
60%
of LENA Grow children removed from language isolation
2x
Children participating in LENA Grow are twice as likely to be ready for kindergarten
90%
of teachers reported increased confidence
2x
teacher retention for LENA Grow teachers
Educational Impact
Equipping educators and caregivers with powerful ideas and practical strategies
12,000+
Educational Resource Downloads Per Year
4,000+
Webinar Attendees Per Year
11,000+
Newsletter Subscribers
Systemic Impact
Influencing policy and practice in early education through LENA data
250+
Published Research Papers Using the LENA System™
30+
quality improvement systems have emphasized teacher-child interactions since LENA began reporting our research
18-24 months
is now established as a critical period for language development. It’s known as the period when children get the least interaction – thanks to LENA research.
Where We Work
80,000+ children in 11,000+ classrooms across the U.S. and Canada.
Thanks to Our Generous Funders
Supporting Our Work
As a growing national 501(c)(3) organization serving an overlooked part of our population — our youngest children — your support is vital to changing the lives of children through early talk.