What are "learning windows"?
A series of periods in which a child can best learn or refine a particular ability, such as speech.
What do you need to do first in order to produce language?
You need to be able to understand language before you can produce it.
How can you stimulate more language comprehension?
By providing environmental stimuli for the child to interact with.
What happens when a child misses a window?
It means it'll take more effort and time on your child's part to learn that particular ability.
How many neurons does a baby's brain contain at birth?
At birth a baby's brain contains 100 million neurons - as many as there are stars in the Milky Way.
What are the consequences of lack of playing to children?
Children who do not play much or who are rarely touched develop brains that are 20% to 30% smaller than normal for their age.
How much can a baby see, smell, and respond to touch at birth?
Only very little right after birth.
Which is, perhaps, the most magical moment of childhood?
At around 12 months the speech centers of the brain are ready to produce the first word, which marks the onset of language acquisition.
What is parentese?
A rythmic, high-pitched speaking style that parents use to talk to babies.
When does the window for acquiring sintax close?
As early as five or six years of age. The window for acquiring new words may never close.
When is the ability to learn a second language the highest?
Between birth and the age of six, and then it steadily declines.
What is one of the conclusions that is closely related to your job, according to the article?
The article makes it clear that foreign languages should be taught in elementary school.
