The Amazing Developing Brain Pat Wolfe, Ed.D. Project GLAD September, 2008

The Developing Brain

Synaptogenesis

Genes & Environment as Partners

Myelination Myelin…. is a fatty substance (glial cells) that coats axons and speeds the electrical impulse. appears to develop in a preset pattern from birth to about age 30.

Why Myelin?

Development of Vision

Vision (continued)

Hearing and Language The critical period for learning a spoken language is totally lost by about age ten.The critical period for learning a spoken language is totally lost by about age ten. When a child is born deaf, the 50,000 neural pathways that would normally carry sound messages from the ears to the brain are silent.When a child is born deaf, the 50,000 neural pathways that would normally carry sound messages from the ears to the brain are silent.

Second Language Development The learning of a second language is also dependent upon the stimulation of the neurons for the sounds of that language. Learning a second language after age 10 to 12 is not only more difficult, it is highly unlikely that it will be spoken without an accent.

Vocabulary Babies whose mothers talk to them more have a bigger vocabulary. At 20 months, babies of talkative mothers knew 131 more words than infants of less talkative moms. At 24 months the difference was 295 words. Janellen Huttenlocher, University of Chicago

Syntax The critical period for learning syntax is before age 3. Everyone can learn to use nouns and verbs correctly throughout childhood. But the critical period for learning the correct use of articles, conjunctions, and prepositions seems to be much shorter. Helen J. Neville, Helen J. Neville, Salk Institute, San Diego

Endangered Minds

“The biology of our species makes necessary a huge parental investment in order to achieve the fulfillment of each child’s potential.” David Hamburg, Carnegie Corporation of New York The lack of stimulating experiences and intellectual enrichment is a problem not only in poor neighbor- hoods. Many parents, regardless of their income, do not have enough time or knowledge to organize a stimulating environment for their children.

Intellectual Development The I Q’s of children born into poverty, or of those who were premature at birth, can be significantly raised by exposure to toys, words, proper parenting and other stimuli.

Abecedarian Project Craig and Sharon Ramey, exposed a group of impoverished inner-city children (beginning as young as 6 weeks) to an enriched environment, 5 days a week, 50 weeks a year. A control group received no intervention other than nutritional information for parents.

Results IQs of children in this group were significantly higher than in the control group to 30 points higher! At 12 years of age, the benefits of the early intervention endured. “The bottom line is that we now have clear and strong evidence that if we begin early intervention in the first years of life, we can prevent a very substantial amount of mental retardation and developmental disabilities.” Craig Ramey, quoted in “Inside the Brain” by Ronald Kotulak

Emotional Development

Notes from Bruce Perry * We are social animals. We have no natural body armor to protect us. Our connections with other people is our protection. * The brain is created....the product of learning. We don’t just learn geography, we learn how to read the context...how close to stand to someone, how long to maintain eye contact, etc.

* The brain is not fully functional at birth; it is tremendously malleable. The experiences of childhood determine its potential. * Consistent relationships are necessary. The child who has never been loved will not know how to love. * Healthy children are not just bright; they are attached, productive members of society.

Romanian Orphan Brain & Normal Brain at 3

Normal & Neglected Brains

Aside from parents, teachers have more influence on our culture than any other group. Dr. Bruce Perry

The better we understand the brain, the better we’ll be able to educate it.