Enhancing effective communication skills begins with simple practices like tuning in, engaging in dialogue, and sharing conversational turns.
This approach is at the heart of an initiative named “Tune In, Talk More, Take Turns,” developed by the TMW Center for Early Learning + Public Health at the University of Chicago.
The program targets equitable language development in children, especially focusing on the challenges faced by those from low-income families.
Linking Knowledge and Action for Parents
Research consistently highlights that meaningful conversations between children and their caregivers significantly boost language skills, vocabulary, and cognitive growth.
A remarkable study spanning ten years by the LENA Foundation demonstrated a clear relationship between how often infants engage in conversation with adults and the verbal abilities and IQ of those same children as they matured.
While every family communicates, children from lower-income backgrounds often encounter fewer words and simpler language at home.
This creates widening gaps that can impede academic and social progress later on.
Despite some ongoing debate about the specifics of the so-called “word gap,” there is a growing consensus that tailored support for families is crucial in nurturing early language skills.
This mission resonates deeply with Suskind and her team.
The TMW Center is committed to providing educational tools that enhance caregivers’ understanding of brain development.
The heart of this effort is the 3Ts program, which features resources like a comprehensive curriculum for families, a home-visiting version, and an online learning course for educators—all available for free.
Evaluating the 3Ts Program
A 2018 study published in the Early Childhood Research Quarterly analyzed the impacts of the 3Ts-HV curriculum.
It found that caregivers who participated in bi-monthly visits showed significant improvements in their understanding of early childhood development and in their engagement with their children.
These caregivers provided more praise, asked more open-ended questions, and generally employed less critical language during their interactions.
Impressive changes in parental interaction emerged within just six months of joining the 3Ts-HV program.
More recently, a longitudinal study featured in the Journal of Academic Pediatrics in October further confirmed these findings, showing that the benefits of the program extended beyond toddlerhood into vocabulary and literacy growth as children approached kindergarten.
According to Christy Leung, the research director at the TMW Center and a co-author of the study, the intervention led to measurable increases in parents’ knowledge when their children were approximately 26 months old, resulting in more frequent conversations by the time they reached 38 months and enhanced language skills by 50 months.
This highlights the role of parents as essential educators in their child’s early learning journey.
Focusing on Prevention Instead of Remediation
Research reveals that the early years of a child’s life are marked by rapid brain growth, making early experiences crucial for future learning opportunities.
Deficits in language development during these formative years can accumulate, setting a course for long-term challenges.
The team at the TMW Center, under Suskind’s leadership, advocates for a preventative model that recognizes parents as underutilized assets in this journey.
Their research promotes a public health approach aimed at equipping families with the skills needed for lifelong learning.
The TMW Center aims to reach 15,000 families across the United States with the 3Ts program by the end of 2024.
Local organizations, including schools and community centers, can access the 3Ts website, where they can find free resources for implementing the curriculum.
Feedback from families has been overwhelmingly positive, with many parents expressing that the program has been a transformative experience.
One mother’s enthusiasm in sharing her newfound insights with another parent illustrates the program’s potential for broadening its impact.
This encouraging feedback not only delights the TMW team but also fuels new strategies for spreading the word about the program’s benefits.
Source: The74million