Scientists say babies understand a lot more than we think. What's your experience?
Most of us have no memories before the age of three or four. So you might be tempted to think there's not that much going on in a baby's brain. But researchers at the UW say it's just the opposite--that babies are absorbing more than we ever thought. They may not be speaking, but they're learning the basics of language, culture and emotions. Here's what we want to hear: What are your experiences? How much do you think babies really "get"? Any telling stories from raising your kids?
My son is now 4 years old and when he was a baby we went through the testing at the UW. Testing in mangarid. I did not think he really learned alot then but in all reallity it helpd him in making his speech clearer. You have always been able to understand him. He is now in head start and has been in it for 2 years. The first year and a 1/2 of head start he did not do much as in learning wise he continud on the track he was before headstart he has been able to do puzzles at 2 years old that a 5 year old still has to get help with. But we then switched providers. He has been there for 3 mths and in that 3 monthes he has learned how to say his ABC's with out any problems he has learned how to spell his name he has learned how to sing bingo and a bunch of other songs i dont even remember from my childhood. He has became potty trained, learned how to build castles and animals parking lots shops ect with lego's and blocks. His art work it is actully shows his imagination. I was a high school drop out and strugled in school never gtting over a 2.0 went to college after getting my ged and get 4.0's. College teachers are willing to help you. I never had that in high school. My son can be tested in to school early if i want him to. He is advansed anough that he will be as smart or smarter then those in kendergarden next year. My little sister who is 4 mths older then him will be in kendergarden next year and he wont make it do to the cut off date but he is smarter then her in alot of educational areas and she has never had pre school or day care. I think headstart is wonderful they have been so helpful to us as a family let alone depending on the teacher/ provider they are so into the kids and want them to learn. Its wonderful i love it to know my son is smart coming from 2 highschool drop outs.
ashlea simpson said:
I am 66 years old. I can still remember some events that happened to me and around me when I was a baby in England, still too young to talk. I could understand what my mother and grandmother were saying, perfectly, however. In later years, they both confirmed what had transpired. They were greatly surprised to learn that I had understood. Also, at age two my mother started talking to me in German (she was English, my father was German but away in a camp in Canada because of the war). It was not at all difficult to learn the alphabet and numbers up to 100, as well as tell the time, in both languages. I have always wondered why American children are not sent to school until they are 6 yrs old - we were 4 yrs old and that's when we have a great capacity to learn, as long as the classes are not too long.
monop said:
It's hardly surprising that humans absorb culture, including language, before they can speak, and that we're in fact hardwired to absorb those things - otherwise, how could we learn to speak? What's most telling about your report, though, is the importance of research on early learning, and of public funding for it. There's clearly much that isn't understood, but that intuitively we might suspect is there to be discovered. Of course, unfortunately our state has lost much of its appetite for funding education (and the roads to take people to it, but that's another matter). I suspect that if we put education to a popular, Eyman-sponsored initiative, it might lose out even more sadly. So it's great to have researchers pressing ahead with demonstrating just how important, and essentially human, early learning is. Here's hoping that the state and we its people can realize this more fully, and help them along.
Aileen said:
This show was fascinating! It's great to know that there is something that parents can do, such as participating in research, to help find out what kids know. And if that can lead to building a better educational system for children in this state, I'm all for it.
Csmom said:
Great topic. Thank you for condensing many stories out of the U's testing into one show.
Will said:
Great program on a brilliant UW project. We must continue to support these ventures as well as support the governor in her proposal to increase funding for early education. Keep up the good work and keep us updated on the work being done in Dr. Kuhl's lab!
Jennifer West said:
I remember getting my photo taken at the photographers at 2 years of age, and watching my mother make my twin sister and I little dresses from fabric that had been our kitchen curtains for our birthday present. They were sheer organza with red swiss dots. I have the photos and can't believe how young we were. I also remember our house being built, so had to be only 1 year old. I woke up in the car, and asked "where is Daddy?" Grandma and Momma were in the car, and said "he is over there putting the roof on our new house." I felt very loved and comforted. That is my earliest memory. I also remember being potty trained!
My oldest daughter at 18 months of age, recognized a blouse that an aunt had worn in Minnesota. We moved away from there, and she saw it on another Aunt in Alaska, and said "Joan has a blouse like that." It was true!
I used to say Ah goo! kissing and hugging playing with my 2nd tiny baby. At 3 months of age, she was repeating ah goo! over and over, and all the time. I think I could have said any word and she would have copied it. Both my children were very early talkers and very verbal. The oldest is now an Architect, the younger, an English Teacher.
When my oldest daughter was 3 she could not comprehend tv being on film. She used to watch reruns of "Leave it to Beaver." When they repeated the series, starting over from when Beaver was very small, she asked me "How did he get so little? Did he drink coffee?"
KING 5 News Up Front with Robert Mak 
Scientists say babies understand a lot more than we think. What's your experience?
Most of us have no memories before the age of three or four. So you might be tempted to think there's not that much going on in a baby's brain. But researchers at the UW say it's just the opposite--that babies are absorbing more than we ever thought. They may not be speaking, but they're learning the basics of language, culture and emotions. Here's what we want to hear: What are your experiences? How much do you think babies really "get"? Any telling stories from raising your kids?
My son is now 4 years old and when he was a baby we went through the testing at the UW. Testing in mangarid. I did not think he really learned alot then but in all reallity it helpd him in making his speech clearer. You have always been able to understand him. He is now in head start and has been in it for 2 years. The first year and a 1/2 of head start he did not do much as in learning wise he continud on the track he was before headstart he has been able to do puzzles at 2 years old that a 5 year old still has to get help with. But we then switched providers. He has been there for 3 mths and in that 3 monthes he has learned how to say his ABC's with out any problems he has learned how to spell his name he has learned how to sing bingo and a bunch of other songs i dont even remember from my childhood. He has became potty trained, learned how to build castles and animals parking lots shops ect with lego's and blocks. His art work it is actully shows his imagination. I was a high school drop out and strugled in school never gtting over a 2.0 went to college after getting my ged and get 4.0's. College teachers are willing to help you. I never had that in high school. My son can be tested in to school early if i want him to. He is advansed anough that he will be as smart or smarter then those in kendergarden next year. My little sister who is 4 mths older then him will be in kendergarden next year and he wont make it do to the cut off date but he is smarter then her in alot of educational areas and she has never had pre school or day care. I think headstart is wonderful they have been so helpful to us as a family let alone depending on the teacher/ provider they are so into the kids and want them to learn. Its wonderful i love it to know my son is smart coming from 2 highschool drop outs.
I am 66 years old. I can still remember some events that happened to me and around me when I was a baby in England, still too young to talk. I could understand what my mother and grandmother were saying, perfectly, however. In later years, they both confirmed what had transpired. They were greatly surprised to learn that I had understood. Also, at age two my mother started talking to me in German (she was English, my father was German but away in a camp in Canada because of the war). It was not at all difficult to learn the alphabet and numbers up to 100, as well as tell the time, in both languages. I have always wondered why American children are not sent to school until they are 6 yrs old - we were 4 yrs old and that's when we have a great capacity to learn, as long as the classes are not too long.
It's hardly surprising that humans absorb culture, including language, before they can speak, and that we're in fact hardwired to absorb those things - otherwise, how could we learn to speak? What's most telling about your report, though, is the importance of research on early learning, and of public funding for it. There's clearly much that isn't understood, but that intuitively we might suspect is there to be discovered. Of course, unfortunately our state has lost much of its appetite for funding education (and the roads to take people to it, but that's another matter). I suspect that if we put education to a popular, Eyman-sponsored initiative, it might lose out even more sadly. So it's great to have researchers pressing ahead with demonstrating just how important, and essentially human, early learning is. Here's hoping that the state and we its people can realize this more fully, and help them along.
This show was fascinating! It's great to know that there is something that parents can do, such as participating in research, to help find out what kids know. And if that can lead to building a better educational system for children in this state, I'm all for it.
Great topic. Thank you for condensing many stories out of the U's testing into one show.
Great program on a brilliant UW project. We must continue to support these ventures as well as support the governor in her proposal to increase funding for early education. Keep up the good work and keep us updated on the work being done in Dr. Kuhl's lab!
I remember getting my photo taken at the photographers at 2 years of age, and watching my mother make my twin sister and I little dresses from fabric that had been our kitchen curtains for our birthday present. They were sheer organza with red swiss dots. I have the photos and can't believe how young we were. I also remember our house being built, so had to be only 1 year old. I woke up in the car, and asked "where is Daddy?" Grandma and Momma were in the car, and said "he is over there putting the roof on our new house." I felt very loved and comforted. That is my earliest memory. I also remember being potty trained!
My oldest daughter at 18 months of age, recognized a blouse that an aunt had worn in Minnesota. We moved away from there, and she saw it on another Aunt in Alaska, and said "Joan has a blouse like that." It was true!
I used to say Ah goo! kissing and hugging playing with my 2nd tiny baby. At 3 months of age, she was repeating ah goo! over and over, and all the time. I think I could have said any word and she would have copied it. Both my children were very early talkers and very verbal. The oldest is now an Architect, the younger, an English Teacher.
When my oldest daughter was 3 she could not comprehend tv being on film. She used to watch reruns of "Leave it to Beaver." When they repeated the series, starting over from when Beaver was very small, she asked me "How did he get so little? Did he drink coffee?"
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