Nature or nurture?

Is a genius by nature or by nurture?

After 10,000 hours of research, I tend to believe that it is largely by nurture.

Yes, given favourable environment, we can nourish another Einstein. But the developmental process that Einstein had gone through from infancy to his early school years are difficult to replicate. Even his parents would not be aware that some of their casual conversation, the stories they told and the games they played had stimulated an active, inquisitive and imaginative brain. The education system we are brought up with today stiffles initiative, imagination and innovation.

The latest research on early brain development indicates that a baby is born with over a hundred billion synapses, not yet wired. Wiring takes place upon suitable stimulation.

Adaptability is the hallmark for the survival of species, like the flu virus. If the majority of synapses have already been wired before birth, it would be hard for the human species to weather through the myriads of changes taken place in 600,000 years of evolution.

If a genius is born, retarded brain development should not have happened to highly successful parents in affluent societies. Research indicates that babies from high income, highly educated families are more succeptible to developing language impairment than babies from poor families. The successful parents are too busy. Acute deprivation of language stimulation, not language confusion as prviously believed, leads to retarded brain development and the inability by the baby to develop a voice recognition system during the critical period for language development.

The Abecedarian Project was conducted by the North Carolina University over a period of 35 years (1972-2007). The research proves that early language training boosts IQ, academic studies and future career.

Le Beaumont Language Centre in HK is probably the first teaching and research centre in the world to focus on the study of early brain development and language acquisition.

Found in 2004, its Gifted Babies program enrolls babies 4 weeks and after. The majority join the program at 3 months. Many parents accept our recommendation to join the program an hour a day, 3, 4 or 5 times a week. Infants and toddlers join an Aladin type of tour on their magic play mats, visiting different countries on different days of the week.

We set up dedicated playrooms in English, Putonghua, French, Spanish and Japanese. Babies moved to different rooms on different days of the week and are entertained by a local guide, a graduate teacher from the respective country. The native teacher entertains the young visitors with songs, stories, games and interactive activities to involve the babies.

Initially, we see little change. But back-up by massive research findings, we know that our research-based program is actively exercising the babies' brain.

Through language, we have reached the inner most part of the brain that deals with sounds, images, emotion, memory, association, logical sequencing and interacting with people. We know that the wiring of synapses is taking place at a phenomenal rate.

Two months after joining the program, there are many observable behavioural changes among the babies, notably their attention span, concentration, curiosity, eye contact and smiles.

After 6 months, even though the babies are not yet able to speak, parents can observe for themselves that their babies are much more alert, responsive and intelligent than babies of the same age. They have higher mental age.

By the 13th month, when babies begin to utter their first word, the difference is breath taking. Babies who have joined the program for 9 months are able to utter their first words in the languages they are exposed to with impeccable clarity and confidence. Toddlers who join the program not until after they begin to talk take months to master the exact pronunciation of the words.

We have proven beyond doubt that rich language stimulation in early years, facilitated by a team of highly professional teachers from 5 countries, can boost the IQ, EQ & LQ of infants and toddlers. The program help to realize more potential of your child and make your child more gifted in learning, social skills and in languages.