Strong beginnings for babies: families’ language stimulation of infants from low-income backgrounds

ABSTRACT

This mixed-methods study investigated a two-year community-based research program, Strong Beginnings for Babies (SBB), designed to support families in using 10 strategies for fostering infant language development. More specifically, the study focused on families of children slated to enter high-poverty schools at kindergarten entry or receiving Medicaid. The research employed Language Environment Analysis (LENA) digital language processors to record the vocalizations/verbalizations of 22 young children as well as those of the older children and adults who interacted with them. Three coaches were hired to work closely with participating families during a series of group sessions, model language promotion strategies, and review LENA reports with families. Analyses of 249 LENA recordings indicated increases in some measures of infants’ home language environments across the program period, particularly in Year One and for families whose initial LENA scores were low. However, there was great variability in the recordings data. The analysis of qualitative data sources, such as parent surveys and interviews with coaches, provided insights into the emotions elicited by LENA data, recording challenges, and additional supports that encouraged family progress.

KEYWORDS:

• Infant language
• language stimulation
• early childhood education
• early intervention
• family engagement
• Language Environment Analysis (LENA)

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes on contributors

Mary Knight-McKenna, PhD, is an associate professor of education and director of the M.Ed. program at Elon University. Her research interests include preventing reading difficulties and fostering partnerships between families of diverse backgrounds and teacher candidates in academic service-learning settings.

Heidi L. Hollingsworth, PhD, is an associate professor of education and program coordinator for early childhood at Elon University. Her research interests include partnering with families in early childhood contexts, children’s early math and science concepts, and personnel preparation — particularly preparation involving academic service-learning and/or study abroad experiences.

Judy Esposito, PhD, is an associate professor of human service studies at Elon University. A licensed professional counselor and former school counselor, Dr. Esposito specializes in clinical supervision, empathy development, and play therapy with children and families.

Notes

1 Throughout this paper we include in the “mother” category one biological grandmother who was raising the infant.

2 The first recording yielded atypically high counts for several children, possibly due to the novelty of the recording experience and equipment. Scores fell to more typical levels in subsequent recordings. Therefore, the first recording was not included in the computation of early scores.

Additional information

Funding

This project was supported by Impact Alamance; and Elon University School of Education.