Research

How to Speak to Babies

The way we speak to babies is referred to as Infant-Directed Speech (IDS). IDS typically involves exaggerated intonation and longer vowels, which help to direct infants' attention and may facilitate their later language development. Using home-recordings, we analyze the acoustic properties of IDS and hope to identify factors in the sound patterns of speech that will predict their language development.

What to Read to Young Children

How much do young children internalize the stories that are read to them? Does it matter who the protagonists are and what they look like? Do children then expect to see the same in real life? Are they inspired to carry out similar actions? We are interested in addressing these questions by reading stories to children and asking them to engage in play sessions afterwards.

Children vs. Adults -- A Learning Competition

Young children learn new languages effortlessly, which is something that most adults can only wish for themselves. In a series of experiments, we are aiming to examine the differences that underlie the learning mechanism of children vs. adults when they encounter a new language.