Duration: 55 minutes
Status: Now available on demand
Three groundbreaking studies published in 2018 each confirmed a powerful link between conversational turns and brain development—approaching the topic from different angles but arriving at strikingly similar conclusions.
In this recorded webinar, lead researchers Dr. Jill Gilkerson and Dr. Rachel Romeo share key findings from their work, moderated by Shannon Rudisill of the Early Childhood Funders Collaborative. Together, they explore how early “serve and return” interactions shape cognitive and linguistic growth, offering takeaways for anyone supporting children and families.
Panelists:
Dr. Jill Gilkerson
Dr. Gilkerson’s decade-long longitudinal study tracked the connection between children’s early language environments and their long-term cognitive and linguistic development, reinforcing the lasting value of responsive adult-child interactions.
Dr. Rachel Romeo
Dr. Romeo used LENA technology and brain imaging to demonstrate how conversational turns activate Broca’s area and improve white matter connectivity in the brain’s core language centers among children ages four to six.
Moderator:
Shannon Rudisill
Executive Director of the Early Childhood Funders Collaborative, Shannon has led national early childhood policy efforts, including programs under the Obama Administration such as Head Start and the Preschool Development Grants.