LENA

New Free Resource Alert: Talking About Emotions!

Let's help the children in our lives express their feelings through language!

This free resource offers practical strategies for educators and families to nurture emotional intelligence through positive back and forth interactions. Key tips include:

- Identifying and labeling emotions

- Modeling appropriate responses

- Supporting peer interactions

Download it in English or Spanish here! >>> https://bit.ly/4ci2YrS

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Alerta de nuevo recurso gratuito: ¡Hablando de emociones!

Ayudemos a los niños de nuestras vidas a expresar sus sentimientos a través del lenguaje.

Pruebe estas estrategias prácticas para que los educadores y las familias reduzcan los comportamientos desafiantes y fomenten la inteligencia emocional a través de interacciones positivas:

- Identificando y etiquetando emociones.

- Modelando respuestas apropiadas.

- Apoyando las interacciones entre pares.

Descárguelo aquí! ⬆️

Recently, Basics Guilford invited two of our team members to attend a Q&A with Guilford County in NC to to share how caregivers regularly talking with young children positively impacts brain development. We love the work that The Basics Guilford team is doing and are excited about how we can support each other to empower early childhood teachers and caregivers, as well as the children in their care.

Great insight on how talking to young children drives brain development from LENA
https://guilfordbasics.org/the-science-behind-why-talking-to-young-children-matters/

Did you know stress hormones can cause problems for preschoolers too? One of the best ways to help is through teaching children how to regulate their emotions. At LENA, we know that improving emotional intelligence in early childhood includes lots of verbal back and forth communication!

The study in this article highlights the importance of addressing emotional competence in early childhood and touches on how language development helps that happen.

Read the full story here

Stress Hormones In Preschoolers Improve With Emotional Knowledge, Study Indicates - Early Learning Nation Picture this: a 3-year-old in a preschool classroom is playing with a popular toy when a classmate asks if they can have the toy. The first child says,

We are so excited to be a part of your community LCCAA Lorain County Community Action Agency! And we love Jennifer's quote:

“Conversational interactions are so important at any age of development,” said LCCAA Head Start’s Education and Disabilities Specialist Jennifer Bartlebaugh.
https://www.lccaa.net/news/?view=1027

Are you an Early Childhood Educator, Caregiver, or Policymaker?

Last week, we hosted an impactful webinar on the rise of challenging behaviors in early childhood settings. Our expert panel shared invaluable insights for supporting our youngest learners.

Key takeaways:

- Decoding the hidden messages behind challenging behaviors
- Building strong relationships through language-rich interactions
- Practical strategies for educators to implement immediately
- The critical role of targeted professional development in educator retention and effectiveness

Missed it? Watch the free replay and gain strategies to transform challenging moments into opportunities for growth. You can find it here >> https://bit.ly/4d7dm6S

1 in 4 children comes to kindergarten without the skills they need to succeed. Research shows that focusing on talking to children more when they're babies increases their school readiness. 💬 Learn more at https://hubs.la/Q02Ds4S40.

The learning environment shapes a child’s entire learning journey. These spaces help with academics, social-emotional development, and building relationships. Your room’s arrangement, materials, and how you present them all affect learning, for both the children and you.

Read more about how you can create a space that lets you focus on strong relationships with the children you care for:

Tips for organizing early education classrooms to increase conversational turns Your room’s arrangement, materials, and how you present them all affect learning, for both the children and you. How can you create a space that lets you focus on strong relationships with the children you…

The amount of conversation children experience during the first few years of life varies widely. This 'early talk gap' leads directly to the 'achievement gap' later in school. There's a simple solution: More early talk! 💬✨ Learn more at https://bit.ly/4cgcnB7

How do you "talk" to a baby when they can only coo, grunt, or babble in response? Read this article for tips on building your baby's brain with conversational turns, and using our talking tips to engage your child in talk. 💬💡

How to have a conversation with a baby even before they can talk (and how LENA measures it) LENA technology measures how much adults talk to infants. What does that mean, and how do you do it effectively…

#2: During snack time, comment on what your baby looks at and does. If they reach for blueberries, you could say, 'That looks like a yummy blueberry! Does this one taste sweet or sour?' 🫐 Download the 14 Talking Tips: https://bit.ly/3RLodL5.

💬 Register today and spread the word!: https://bit.ly/4bysAjX. Promoting healthy social behaviors is such a big issue in early childhood education, and challenging behavior is more than just an issue to be resolved.

Did you know that babies’ brains are developing more than 1 million new neural connections every second? You can encourage early brain development through talk using these 6 simple strategies! 🧠💬

Early brain development in infants and toddlers: Six simple strategies Early brain development depends so much on having back-and-forth conversations, even for infants and toddlers. Here are six tips to help you talk more…

Wishing you a happy Fourth of July full of conversational turns! 🎆 🇺🇸

How do you engage families in a diverse community while being inclusive and sensitive? Read about how our partner, Denver Public Library, faced this challenge to create culturally responsive community programs.💡

Being culturally responsive to families during LENA Start classes and beyond Pedro Mendez, birth to three program administrator at Denver Public Library, explains how his team prioritizes and responds to the needs of families in a culturally appropriate way…

1 in 4 children comes to kindergarten without the skills they need to succeed. Research shows that focusing on talking to children more when they're babies increases their school readiness. 🏫🍎💡 Learn more at https://hubs.la/Q02yWpj40.

In 2022, we spoke with a mother who joined LENA Start at her local library and discovered the power of early talk. Thank you to our partners at Pheonix Public Library for supporting early literacy and child development in this community! 📖💡

“1, 2, 3 Talk with Me”: One mother’s story of completing Virtual LENA Start Working from home while caring for a baby is an all-too-familiar juggling act these days. A mom in Phoenix tells her story of how LENA Start helped…

Having back-and-forth interactions with babies is so important for their brain development. But what's the right amount of talk that parents and caregivers should aim for? Our researchers have found out. Download the report at https://hubs.la/Q02yW1WC0.

#13. When you’re on a walk with an infant, notice what interests them. Talk about what they’re doing. For example: 'You’re gurgling and waving your arms! Are you excited to be on a walk?' Download the 14 Talking Tips: https://hubs.la/Q02yWnFN0.

Did you know❓ Dual language learners in child care and preschool are 4x more likely to experience language isolation. Advocate for change by downloading and sharing our flyer!

DLL Advocacy Resource Use this flyer to raise awareness about the inequities of dual language learners in early childhood education. Available in English and Spanish.

How are conversational turns related to early brain development? 🧠 Learn about the research here: https://bit.ly/3yFMTxZ

Put early talk research into practice and increase conversational turns! This graphic distills the research into an approachable format that families can incorporate into their daily routines. 💬💡 Download at https://bit.ly/3VldJEB

❗Webinar reminder❗

Join us tomorrow as we discuss how to support dual language learners and honor heritage languages in early childhood education.

Click the link to register! 🖥

https://bit.ly/3QoOdeM

📅 Mark your calendars!

Join Guilford County Schools educators, leaders, and community partners for a screening and discussion of “The Right to Read.”

📍 May 9 at Mt. Zion Church, Greensboro, NC
📍 May 20 at Sister Circle, High Point, NC

We welcome you to come and engage with educators, leaders, and community partners as we touch on the importance of literacy for our youngest generation. See you there!

Dual language learners (DLLs) are on a fascinating journey of growth. From birth, they're mastering crucial skills like categorization, storytelling, and problem-solving in their first language. As they grow, these skills transition to their second language, opening up endless opportunities.

We'd like to recognize the vital role Head Start/Early Head Start plays in supporting the development of DLLs and Head Start's Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center is an amazing resource for gaining deeper insights.

To learn more about how dual language instruction supports young learners, visit

Dual Language Instruction Supports Young Learners | ECLKC Read about the value of continued home language development while facilitating the acquisition of English. Review helpful resources that promote a planned approach to supporting home language development.

📢 New webinar alert!

Teacher-child interactions, or conversational turns, are among the most important hallmarks of a high-quality early childhood education setting. However, a growing body of research using LENA technology has shed light on just how inequitable the quantity of those interactions may be. These inequities disproportionately affect linguistically minoritized groups and dual language learners whose teachers do not speak their heritage language.

🧠 Our panel of experts will lead a solutions-based discussion on how to support dual language learners and honor heritage languages in early childhood education.

➡️ Register here: https://bit.ly/49Ha3ke

As The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Week of the Young Child comes to an end, we’re celebrating today with Family Friday.

NAEYC recognizes parents and caregivers as their children’s first and most influential teachers, and we're here to support and celebrate them every step of the way.

Spending time together as a family is also a great opportunity for shared reading. To make reading more interactive, ask questions while looking at pictures. “What do you think will happen next?” Open-ended questions are great for encouraging talk and increasing conversational turns!

For more ideas, download our Conversation Cards resource https://bit.ly/49zaQDX.

On Artsy Thursday, uplift children to think, problem-solve, and create open-ended art projects that allow them to make choices and express themselves.

From crayons to paint, clay to crafts, every material is a tool for learning and self-expression. As they dive into their artistic endeavors, engage them in interactive talk to enhance their language and cognitive skills. Comment on their creations, ask questions, and encourage their exploration. 🎨🖍️