1st year is critical to brain growth & language development

Towards the end of the first year of life, infants show decreased sensitivity to phonetic differences not used in their native language (Werker & Tees, 1984) and increased sensitivity to the differences that are used (Polka, Colontonio, & Sundara, 2001). http://convention3.allacademic.com/meta/p_mla_apa_research_citation 0/9/4/0/5/p94052_index.html?phpsessid=b42046a0893bff2b106ae275f6a98662

The growth of language cell synapses in the brain explodes after birth and peaks out in the 8th month. (Newsweek International 15.8.2005).

All researches seem to support the theory that the sensitive period for language learning is in the first 8 months after birth. Your baby will be able to pick up the different languages he is exposed to effortlessly.

The brain grows fastest in the 1st year. This is also the sensitive period for emotional development and IQ. The growth environment for a baby in the 1st year is therefore very important. When both parents are away at work, and if the helper only feeds and changes diapers for the baby, your baby is at risk of growing up in acute deprivation of social interaction and language stimulation.

Le Beaumont's Gifted Babies program is to create a highly interactive play environment for babies to stimulate brain growth, with a chance to take part in programs run by native teachers from 5 different countries.

Does a baby need to learn 5 languages? Your baby will grow up speaking only one language, 3 or 5 languages, all at the native level, depending on his exposure in the critical early months and years! It all depends on how you would like to optimize the opportunity during the sensitive period of your baby's growth.

The Gifted Babies program is evidence based. It has built up a large number of successful cases over the past 5 years. It is in essence a brain development program. The additional languages that the child picks up is just an extra bonus.

Le Beaumont is leading the world in the application research in early brain development and language acquisition. Share this information with your friends and colleagues. Find out more at this week's Parenting Seminar on Saturday. Tel:2866 2028 (office hours) or leave a note at giftedbabies@gmail.com