By Sophie von Stumm
In 2005, Deb Roy installed cameras on the ceilings of the rooms in his house. From above, these cameras captured everything that happened in Roy’s home: Everybody who came and went, every movement, and every word spoken. Over three years, more than 200,000 hours’ worth of video footage were recorded.
But Roy is not some overprotective house owner with video mania. Far from it: He’s a university professor who studies artificial intelligence and communication. He filmed his home to collect the data needed to map one thing: The birth of his son’s first word.
From “gaaa” to “water”
Roy’s video footage showed how his son’s babble “gaaa” evolved into the word “water” over six months. Roy analysed every time his son heard the word “water” and the settings in which the word was heard. Roy and his colleagues showed that place, time, and accompanying words predicted the words Roy’s son learned.
The video footage started when Roy’s son was 9 months old and had uttered his first word “Mama.” But babies get to know words much earlier than that, and long before they can speak themselves. Whilst in the womb they listen to their mothers’ talk. Once born, babies favour their mothers’ native language over other languages.
Learning words through interaction
Developmental psychologists have long thought that children learn words through repeated interactions. Examples are mealtimes or singing nursery rhymes. Interactions that happen in these and similar settings follow stable patterns that children learn to predict. Knowing these patterns helps children learn the words that commonly occur during these interactions.
Repeated interactions can be characterised by three factors. The first is the place or location where the words are spoken. For example, at the dining table in the kitchen. The second is the time of the day during which the interaction takes place. For example, before going to bed, when kids have a bath and hear a story. The third is words that commonly occur together. For example, the word “spoon” is likely to be heard alongside the words “soup” and “yogurt,” and less likely to be heard with the word “bath.” Here, “soup” and “yogurt” become linguistic cues, or prompts, that scaffold the child’s learning of the word “spoon.”
Newborns’ interactions—anywhere at any time
It’s never too early to engage a baby in conversation, but how do we chat with a newborn? Finding settings that allow for repeated interactions, like mealtimes, is difficult with newborns. Newborns’ mealtimes are anywhere at any time: Some babies feed once every six hours, and others want milk every five minutes. Feedings have to fit into the parents’ daily rhythm, such as caring for older children, running errands, and seeing family and friends. Newborns are therefore often fed at all kinds of times in all kinds of places. Also, newborns tend to be pretty taxed during feeding. Drinking, swallowing, and breathing all at once leaves little capacity for these little ones to interact and listen to words.
Chat over nappies
There is one exception in the unpredictability of newborns’ lives: the nappy change. Of course, babies can (and should) be changed anywhere at any time, as is needed. But, most often, parents change their babies at home, on the changing table, where they have all the necessary tools—wipes, nappies, clean clothes—easily at hand. The nappy change makes for the perfect opportunity to talk with a newborn in three ways. First, baby and parent are facing each other, in close proximity, making eye contact. Second, the nappy change is the parent’s chore, not the newborn’s: Babies lie on their backs, relaxed and open to being engaged. Third, the parent, besides dealing with the nappy change, has their hands free to gesture, touch, and play with their baby.
Here are three activities that will help you talk to your newborn when changing their nappy.
- Playing footsie: As you take off your baby’s romper suit, you can take out each foot and caress them. Tell your baby something about their feet and toes, and perhaps even tickle their soles. Think of undressing as a game with steps and use similar language each time: “First one little footsie, then the second little footsie… and look at those pretty toes.” Or sing this nursery rhyme that fits the situation!
- Pampering: When your baby is wiped and clean, take a moment to caress the skinfolds on their legs and massage their thighs and calves. Tell them how they are growing strong legs to carry them far. Try to speak in a high-pitched, sing-song tone that babies love.
- Pretty please: As you dress your baby again, ask them how they like today’s outfit. Explain to your baby what they are wearing—for example, “blue corduroys to keep warm because it’s cold outside.” That way, your baby will hear repetitions of the words for clothes (trousers, romper) and how they are used in context every time they are changed.
