The developing brain and early learning

• Published in: Archives of disease in childhood 2003-08, Vol.88 (8), p.651-654
• Main Authors: Klass, P E, Needlman, R, Zuckerman, B
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adaptation; Age; Biological and medical sciences; Brain - growth & development; brain development; Brain research; Child Development; Child, Preschool; Children & youth; Childrens health; Childrens picture books; early literacy; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects. Models. Methods; Grade 1; Health care; Humans; Infant; Language; Language Acquisition; Leading; Learning; Literacy; Low income groups; Neural networks; Parent-Child Relations; Parents & parenting; Primary care; Program Development; Reach Out and Read; Reading; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Young Children
• ISSN: 0003-9888; 1468-2044
• DOI: 10.1136/adc.88.8.651

Half of these synapses are lost by age 15, suggesting that they are more than are needed for function in any human setting. 1 Synapses are lost through the "pruning" of unused neural connections and the selective strengthening of those that are used to foster environmental adaptation. 2 Recent evidence suggests that this sensory pruning is directed, in large part, by the child's experience. [...]the child's experience, like a sculptor carving a complex statue from a large block of stone, shapes the child's brain. Reading to young children provides important language and picture based stimulation, acquaints them with the forms and cadences of written language, leaves them with a good understanding of how books and stories are put together, and provides them with positive associations and strong motivation around learning to read. 11 Studies have shown that parents use more language and more repetition when reading to young children than they do in other everyday activities, and that the short sentences, repetitive phrases, and limited vocabulary of picture books assist processing and acquisition of language. 12- 14 For all these reasons and more, the National Commission on Reading called reading aloud to children "the single most important intervention" in helping young children towards reading success. 15 The parental habit of reading aloud can be encouraged when children are as young as 6 months; they become interested in objects and pictures at this time.