LENA Foundation

The LENA Research Foundation was established in 2009 through a donation of assets from Infoture Inc. by Terrance and Judith Paul, who were also majority owners of Renaissance Learning Inc. (RLI).

In 1998, Terry Paul, founder of Renaissance Learning Inc., read Meaningful Differences in the Everyday Lives of Young American Children by Betty Hart and Todd Risley. This longitudinal study highlighted the correlation between the number of words spoken to children from birth to age three and their language ability and IQ at age three. Inspired by these findings, Paul founded Infoture, Inc. in 2004 to research and develop the LENA System, hiring a team for this purpose.{{Cite news |date=2013-03-18 |title=(Hart & Risley, 1995) Meaningful Differences in the Everyday Experience of Young American Children |url=https://www.leadersproject.org/2013/03/17/meaningful-differences-in-the-everyday-experience-of-young-american-children/ |access-date=2017-10-06 |work=LEADERSproject |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Sparks |first=Sarah D. |date=2015-04-22 |title=Key to Vocabulary Gap Is Quality of Conversation, Not Dearth of Words - Education Week |url=http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2015/04/22/key-to-vocabulary-gap-is-quality-of.html |access-date=2017-10-09 |work=Education Week}} Infoture launched a pilot version in February 2006. In February 2009, the Pauls donated Infoture's assets and gifted $2 million to establish the LENA Research Foundation, a nonprofit.[http://www.lenafoundation.org/about.aspx] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090217185549/http://www.lenafoundation.org/about.aspx|date=February 17, 2009}} In January 2018, the organization changed its name to LENA and adopted the tagline "Building brains through early talk."{{Cite web|url=https://www.lena.org/just-call-us-lena/|title=Just call us LENA {{!}} LENA|website=www.lena.org|language=en-US|access-date=2018-03-05|date=2018-02-19}}

LENA's programs are based on research suggesting that increased conversational engagement in a child's first four years of life may contribute to improved academic and social outcomes. Research from Harvard University suggests that interactive talk between children and caregivers is a significant factor that affects early brain development.{{Cite news|url=https://developingchild.harvard.edu/science/key-concepts/brain-architecture/|title=Brain Architecture|work=Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University|access-date=2017-10-06|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|url=http://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/conversing-with-child-more-effective-94603|title=Conversing helps language development more than reading alone|last=Anderson|first=Sarah|website=UCLA Newsroom|language=en|access-date=2017-10-09}} Research from MIT published in February 2018 indicated that conversational turns are associated with activation in Broca's area in children.{{Cite news|url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/talking-with-mdash-not-just-to-mdash-kids-powers-how-they-learn-language/|title=Talking with--Not Just to--Kids Powers How They Learn Language|last=Wallis|first=Claudia|work=Scientific American|access-date=2018-03-05|language=en}} LENA offers several programs designed to support interactive talk between children and caregivers.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lena.org/products/|title=Solutions {{!}} LENA Research Foundation|website=www.lena.org|language=en-US|access-date=2017-10-06}}

Research indicates that early childhood includes critical periods for tasks such as language acquisition.{{cite book |last=Purves |first=Dale|date=January 15, 2001 |title=The Development of Language: A Critical Period in Humans |url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK11007/ |location=Sutherland (MA) |publisher=Sinauer Associates |isbn=0878937420}} Interactive talk, specifically conversational turns, has been identified as a factor in stimulating brain growth during these years, according to the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University.{{Cite news|url=https://developingchild.harvard.edu/science/key-concepts/serve-and-return/|title=Serve and Return|work=Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University|access-date=2017-10-06|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/1367-does-experience-change-the-actual-structure-of-the-brain|title=Does experience change the actual structure of the brain?|work=ZERO TO THREE|access-date=2017-10-06|language=en}} Additionally, longitudinal research by LENA suggests that the amount of conversation children experience between the ages of 18 and 24 months is related to their IQ, verbal comprehension, and language skills during adolescence.{{Cite news|url=https://www.lena.org/longitudinal-study/|title=New research says how much you talk with babies is linked to their IQ in adolescence|work=LENA|access-date=2018-09-21|language=en-US}} Research suggests potential outcomes such as reductions in criminal activity, annual returns on investment, and other positive effects.{{Cite news|url=https://heckmanequation.org/resource/research-summary-lifecycle-benefits-influential-early-childhood-program/|title=Research Summary: The Lifecycle Benefits of an Influential Early Childhood Program - The Heckman Equation|date=2017-01-13|work=The Heckman Equation|access-date=2017-10-06|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.lena.org/qa-with-economist-flavio-cunha/|title=Q&A with economist Flávio Cunha {{!}} LENA Research Foundation|website=www.lena.org|language=en-US|access-date=2017-10-06|date=2017-07-17}}{{Cite news|url=http://freakonomics.com/podcast/does-early-education-come-way-too-late-a-new-freakonomics-radio-podcast/|title=Does "Early Education" Come Way Too Late? A New Freakonomics Radio Podcast - Freakonomics|work=Freakonomics|access-date=2017-10-09|language=en-US}}

LENA is an acronym for "Language Environment Analysis". LENA technology provides over 25 metrics on a child's natural language environment, including estimates and percentile scores for adult words spoken to the child, conversational turns, and child vocalizations. The system also generates an expressive language developmental age and percentile score based on a child's voiceprint. Some important language metrics include Adult Word Count (AWC), Conversational Turns (CTs), and Child Vocalizations (CVs). AWCs are the number of words a child hears from an adult within a specific period and CTs occur when a child speaks or responds to an adult and receives a response.{{cite web|url=http://www.lenafoundation.org/Resources/Glossary.aspx|title=www.lena.org|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090216015226/http://www.lenafoundation.org/Resources/Glossary.aspx|archive-date=February 16, 2009|access-date=April 15, 2009}}File:LENADLP.png

A parent or teacher places a LENA device in a child's vest and records a full day of the child's sound environment.{{Cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/radio/spark/344-tech-workers-the-travel-ban-and-more-1.3961425/baby-vest-measures-talk-between-parent-and-child-1.3965522|title=Baby vest measures talk between parent and child|work=CBC Radio|access-date=2017-10-06|language=en}} The device is then connected to a computer with software that processes the recording. It finds the child's exposure to verbal stimulation, the number of child utterances, and other information. The system also generates percentile scores which compare the child's vocalizations with other children of the same age.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/24/magazine/24wwln-essay-t.html?scp=1&sq=lena&st=nyt|title=Baby-Talk Show|newspaper=The New York Times|date=24 February 2008 |access-date=2016-01-16|last1=Bhattacharjee |first1=Yudhijit }}File:LENA Vest with LENA Device.jpg

LENA Start is a program for parents that utilizes regular feedback from the LENA System and 13 weekly group sessions to address the home language environment.{{cite web|url=https://www.lena.org/products/#lena-start|title=LENA Start|access-date=June 17, 2016}} Since its introduction in 2015, LENA Start has been implemented by school districts, library systems, and other organizations in states including Alabama, California, Iowa, Colorado, and Minnesota.{{Cite web|url=http://www.startribune.com/west-metro-program-helps-parents-build-babies-and-toddlers-vocabularies/378502515/|title=West metro program helps parents build babies' and toddlers' vocabularies|website=Star Tribune|date=7 May 2016 |access-date=2016-06-17}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.dailycamera.com/news/ci_31318297/st-vrain-valley-longmonts-our-center-partner-tackle|title=St. Vrain Valley, Longmont's OUR Center partner to tackle the early childhood 'word gap'|access-date=2017-10-09}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.popsci.com/tech-can-make-your-conversations-with-kids-way-more-effective|title=Tech can make your conversations with kids way more effective|work=Popular Science|access-date=2017-10-09|language=en}} Texas Children's Hospital was the first regional healthcare center to adopt the model.{{Cite web|url=https://www.prweb.com/releases/texas_children_s_hospital_becomes_first_healthcare_organization_to_launch_lena_start/prweb13495177.htm|title=Texas Children's Hospital Becomes First Healthcare Organization to Launch LENA Start|website=PRWeb|access-date=2016-06-17}} In October 2020, during the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic, Read Aloud Delaware began a virtual LENA Start program with families statewide where parents received feedback and participated in one-hour Zoom workshops each week during the 10-week program.{{Cite web |title=Read Aloud Delaware seeks families for next LENA Start session |url=https://www.capegazette.com/article/read-aloud-delaware-seeks-families-next-lena-start-session/212037 |access-date=2025-05-07 |website=Cape Gazette}}

LENA Grow is a professional development program for teachers in early childhood classrooms.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lena.org/products/#lena-grow|title=Solutions {{!}} LENA Research Foundation|website=www.lena.org|language=en-US|access-date=2017-10-05}} According to LENA's website, "LENA’s talk reports for teachers focus primarily on conversational turns, a strong measure of interactive talk." The program trains teachers to increase conversational turns, noting that children can spend up to 60 percent of their time in childcare settings. The program was first piloted in Escambia County, Florida before launching at sites around the country.{{Cite news|url=http://www.pnj.com/story/news/education/2016/11/25/escambia-county-blazes-early-education-trail/94078998/|title=Escambia County blazes early education trail|work=Pensacola News Journal|access-date=2017-10-06|language=en}}{{Cite press release|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wearable-technology-helps-enrich-the-linguistic-diet-for-young-learners-in-virginia-300602725.html?tc=eml_cleartime|title=Wearable Technology Helps Enrich the "Linguistic Diet" for Young Learners in Virginia|last=Strategies|first=Teaching|website=www.prnewswire.com|language=en|access-date=2018-03-05}}

LENA Home is a supplement to existing parent coaching curricula.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lena.org/parents-as-teachers/|title=Parents as Teachers Affiliates Add an Early-talk Focus {{!}} LENA|website=www.lena.org|language=en-US|access-date=2018-03-05|date=2018-02-28}} Typically, home visitors facilitate the use of the LENA System to help parents track their progress towards increasing interactive talk in their homes.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lena.org/products/|title=Solutions {{!}} LENA Research Foundation|website=www.lena.org|language=en-US|access-date=2017-10-09}}

The LENA Developmental Snapshot, based on a 52-question parent survey, assesses both expressive and receptive language skills and provides an estimate of a child's developmental age from 2 months to 36 months.{{cite web|url=http://www.lenababy.com/DevSnapshot/what-is-lena-developmental-snapshot.aspx|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121217173941/http://www.lenababy.com/DevSnapshot/what-is-lena-developmental-snapshot.aspx|url-status=dead|title=What Is LENA Developmental Snapshot|date=17 December 2012|archive-date=17 December 2012|website=archive.is}}

• Parental Perception vs. Reality: Parents often estimate they talk more with their children than they actually do.
• Maternal Contribution: Mothers are often the primary source of language input, contributing about 75 percent of the total talk in a child's environment.
• Gender Differences: Mothers tend to talk approximately 9 percent more to their daughters than to their sons.
• Firstborn Advantage: Parents tend to engage more in conversation with their firstborn child compared to their subsequent children.
• Timing of Conversations: Most adult talk in a child's environment occurs during the late afternoon or early evening.
• Influence of Talkative Parents: Children of talkative parents are often more likely to be talkative themselves.
• Impact of Television: Increased television viewing correlates with lower language ability scores in children in some studies.
• Autism and Communication: Some studies suggest parents of children with autism tend to speak less as the severity of their child’s symptoms increases, while parents may talk more when their child demonstrates stronger language abilities.{{cite web|url=https://www.lena.org/research/#tech-reports|title=Technical Reports|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090223104856/http://www.lenafoundation.org/Research/TechnicalReports.aspx|archive-date=February 23, 2009|url-status=dead|access-date=April 24, 2009}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.lena.org/ LENA]
• [http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2010/07/08/1003882107.full.pdf+html?sid=594c9e74-5c80-444e-af1c-e7cceebfdb8f PNAS study on automated vocal analysis]
• [https://www.idealist.org/en/nonprofit/3c9db0e8be174d47a74260d3d903171b-lena-foundation-boulder LENA Foundation]

{{Pervasive developmental disorders}}

{{Autism resources}}

Category:Communication disorders

Category:Computational linguistics

Category:Early childhood educational organizations

Category:Companies based in Colorado

Category:Pervasive developmental disorders

Category:Speech recognition

Category:2009 establishments in the United States