Baby Talk: Resources to support the people who work with infants and toddlers
Issue No. 14, July 2012
Optimal Learning for Baby
Infants ignore information that is too simple or too complex, focusing instead on situations that are “just right.” The study described at the URL below suggests “that babies are not only attracted by what is happening, but they are able to predict what happens next based on what they have already observed,” says Celeste Kidd, the study’s lead author. “They are not passive sponges. They are active information seekers looking for the best information they can find.” Dubbed the “Goldilocks effect” by the University of Rochester team that discovered it, the attention pattern sheds light on how babies learn to make sense of a world full of complex sights, sounds, and movements. http://www.medicaldaily.com/news/20120524/10023/goldilocks-effect-babies-learning-attention-just-right-focus.htm
Recorded Webinar on the Use of Assistive Technology in Early Intervention
A 60 minute webinar, The Use of Assistive Technology in Early Intervention, presented by Philippa H. Campbell on March 27, 2012, is now available online. The webinar provides information about how assistive technology (AT) may be used to support the development of infants and toddlers in early intervention and includes information on resources that are available to help providers or caregivers increase children’s learning and participation. The webinar was hosted by the Early Intervention/ Early Childhood (EIEC) Special Interest Group of the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD).
http://www.aucd.org/template/event.cfm?event_id=2825&id=740&parent=740
New Fact Sheet About Low-Income Children Under Age 3
Census numbers for 2010 show that the official child poverty rate in the United States increased for the fourth year in a row. The National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP) has published the following updated fact sheets describing the demographic, socioeconomic, and geographic characteristics of young children and their families–highlighting important factors that appear to distinguish low-income and poor children from their less disadvantaged peers.
http://www.nccp.org/publications/pub_1056.html
Language and Early Literacy Activities: Free and Reproducible
Looking for evidence-based language and literacy resources in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Somali, Burmese, or Russian? These materials include home and community activities for adults and young children (birth to five) that encourage early language and literacy development. They are appropriate for children with disabilities as well as children who are developing typically. Each of the activities includes an activity description, and hints for making the activity fun and developmentally appropriate. An activity checklist may be used to help family members and caregivers notice their emerging skills. To download materials go to http://www.walearning.com and click on the button that says “Literacy Resources” on the home page. You will need to create a logon account using your email address and a password.
Baby Talk is a free, one-way listserv that is distributed monthly. Each issue features one or more resources, the majority of which are available to download at no cost. To join the listserv, send an email with no message to subscribe-babytalk@listserv.unc.edu. For additional information (or to offer suggestions), please contact Camille Catlett at camille.catlett@unc.edu or (919) 966-6635.