Beyond the 30 Million Word Gap: A Conversation with Dr. Rachel Romeo

March 29, 2018

Three children are sitting at a table. The two on the left are raising their hands enthusiastically, while the child on the right is focused on writing. Colorful shelves are in the background.

Beyond the 30 Million Word Gap: A Conversation with Dr. Rachel Romeo

Duration: 55 minutes
Status: Now available on demand

Join Dr. Steve Hannon, President of LENA, for a compelling conversation with Dr. Rachel Romeo, lead author of a groundbreaking study from Harvard and MIT exploring the neural mechanisms behind conversational turns and brain development.

Published in Psychological Science, the study used a combination of LENA technology and fMRI imaging to examine how children’s language environments shape brain activity. Notably, the findings show that only conversational turns—not just the number of adult words—predicted improved verbal scores, even after controlling for parental education and socioeconomic status.

This session deepens understanding of why responsive, back-and-forth interaction is so powerful, and how these insights can be used to support parents, caregivers, and educators.

Panelists:

Side-by-side headshots of Steve Hannon, PhD, President of LENA, and Rachel Romeo from Boston Children’s Hospital and MIT. Both are smiling and shown against light backgrounds.

Looking for a broader overview?
Watch The Power of Conversational Turns webinar for a panel discussion featuring Drs. Rachel Romeo and Jill Gilkerson, moderated by Shannon Rudisill of the Early Childhood Funders Collaborative.

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