Amidst mounting pressures, we believe the core truths of LENA still apply: early talk is key, and caregivers are the secret sauce.
School districts use LENA programs to improve kindergarten readiness, child outcomes
School districts around the country are increasingly investing in the early years to give children an equitable start long before kindergarten.
Implementing statewide PD for ECE teachers in Mississippi: Questions from the webinar
We had the privilege of hosting a webinar featuring our partners in Mississippi to learn how they implemented LENA Grow at a statewide level. Here, we answer common questions that arose during the webinar.
Research Roundup: Supporting young children and caregivers during crisis
As normal caregiving routines are disrupted by the coronavirus outbreak, three research studies provide insight into how to support children and caregivers.
How to harness the untapped potential of family child care providers
We sat down with Jessica Sager, CEO of All Our Kin, to learn how boosting support for family child care providers can help solve America’s child care crisis.
Q & A with Elizabeth Szymanski: Supporting family child care providers with business services
Elizabeth Szymanski shares about how family child care providers could help end America’s child care crisis, the resources and support they need to thrive, and how MyVillage eliminates common challenges.
Children show elevated language skills one year after LENA Start
Children whose families participated in LENA Start are showing elevated language skills one year after the program, an analysis of longitudinal data shows.
Research Roundup: How parents can shape children’s early brain development through reading
Three new studies highlight how reading supports brain growth and cognitive function.
LENA researchers’ work featured in new Netflix series
Research by Dr. Eric Walle and Dr. Anne Warlaumont on the relationship between child language development and movement is featured in a new Netflix documentary, Babies.
Q&A with Katherine Bryan: Funding evidence-based programs to improve outcomes for children
Katherine Bryan is a Program Officer at the Urban Child Institute in Memphis. Here, she shares about why the institute invested in LENA programs and how early investments have the potential to move the needle on kindergarten readiness.
Engaging resilience: How responsive caregiving lays the foundation for children to thrive
It is imperative for children beginning at a young age have the opportunity for secure, engaging relationships.
Research Roundup: How to reduce the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
Explore research-based strategies for helping children overcome adversity.
Early pilot results show teacher approval, improvements in child language skills in classrooms using LENA Grow
A pilot of LENA Grow in nine classrooms in Kansas found that teachers responded well to the program’s data-based coaching and children demonstrated better language skills after participating.
Q&A with Dr. Beate Peter: Researching early speech and language intervention for children with classic galactosemia
A new clinical trial will use LENA SP to evaluate the effectiveness of a speech-language intervention for infants with a known genetic risk factor for speech and language delays.
Two moms establish new parenting habits through LENA Start classes
Best friends Kathryn Royse and Samantha Stover enrolled in LENA Start classes in Houston together and began looking for ways to increase conversation at home.
Q&A with Dr. Loretta Rudd: How University of Memphis is broadening their collective impact approach to scale early childhood programming
Through a collective impact model, the University of Memphis is implementing LENA programs to build stronger families, increase teachers’ skills, and support students’ learning in their local community.
Study finds that families who participate in LENA Start increased adult words, conversational turns, and child vocalizations
Families who participated in LENA Start provided increasingly rich home language environments for their children, expanding how much they talked to and with them over the duration of the three-month class, compared to families who did not attend, a new study has found.
Research Roundup: Learning during the first few years of life
Three new studies provide insight into how children learn during the first months and years of life.
Q&A with Kai-ama Hamer: A discussion of family engagement and parent recruitment
Family engagement specialist Kai-ama Hamer shares strategies for involving parents in community and school-based programs.
Understanding how to support early brain development: Four themes that emerged in 2019
This year, we explored many different aspects of early brain development through special webinars, blog posts, and conversations with experts. Here, we’ve highlighted four themes that emerged during 2019.
Making a difference: We reached our goal to impact 10,000 children in 2019!
Because of our work, more than 10,000 children experienced 14 million brain-building conversational turns this year.
Q & A: How a philanthropic investment in LENA advanced the early childhood portfolio of the Overdeck Family Foundation
We sat down with Carly Roberts, Program Officer, Early Impact at Overdeck Family Foundation, to learn more about why the foundation invested in LENA and what’s surprised them along the way.
Equitable and inclusive classroom experiences: Your questions answered!
We’re answering questions submitted during our webinar about how to create equitable and inclusive classroom experiences for children with Dr. Iheoma Iruka of HighScope, Ellen Roche of Trust for Learning, and Lauren Cooper from LENA.
LENA Grow coach shares best practice
A peer coach shares how she incentivizes teachers during the LENA Grow program.