Jj is for Jottings 155. Auditory Discrimination and Sound Errors.
When children make speech sound errors, we need to consider auditory discrimination and speech sound errors. A child needs to be able to discriminate the difference between the correct sound and what they are saying instead. Otherwise they don’t have much chance of replacing the error sound with the correct (target) sound. Continue reading
Jj is for Jottings 154. How Smartphones Affect the Brain.
In this article we will cover some of the latest research on how smartphones affect the brain. We have previously discussed the effects of screen time on children. Amongst other aspects, this included language delay in children exposed to screens at an early age. We have also discussed the effects of digital distraction, which relates to a range of technological devices. Here we will look into the specific effects on the brain of smartphones, rather than screens in general. Continue reading
Jj is for Jottings 153. Speech Sound Problems: /k,g/
We have previously learned about /s/ as a speech sound problem. Let us now focus on speech sound problems: /k,g/. As always, if your child makes speech errors, you need to know whether the error is actually appropriate for age. (In which case, is it actually an error? Perhaps an “age-appropriate substitution”!) You can find out the rough developmental ages for speech sounds here. Continue reading
Jj is for Jottings 152. The Effects of Watching Violence.
Did you know that the effects of watching violence are different from the effects of simply reading about violence? Researchers consistently find that, the more often you watch disturbing scenes, the more anxious you become. This can result in forming long-term traumatic memories. Your brain is unable to distinguish between reality and fiction when viewing violence on screen. Continue reading
Jj is for Jottings 151. Daily Reading Time.
Daily reading time for children is much more important than just reading books leading to a longer life. It makes sense that children who read more have better vocabulary, reading skills, fluency, reading comprehension and overall literacy. It can also strengthen family relationships and helps children to understand the world outside. So just how many minutes per day should we be reading with our children? Continue reading
Jj is for Jottings 150. Reading Books=Longer Life.
Research – some but not all – is now telling us that reading novels leads to a longer life. On the other hand, it is well known that long periods of sitting increases health risks and reduces life span. Researchers from Yale University set out to investigate three things:
Jj is for Jottings 147. The Effects of Noise on Hearing.
Many of us have heard about the effects of noise on hearing – noise is a significant source of hearing loss. But we need to understand how noise causes hearing loss and about different noise levels if we are to prevent noise-induced hearing loss.
Jj is for Jottings 144. Place of Articulation.
We classify the spoken aspects of consonants across 3 dimensions:
The voicing dimension specifies whether or not the vocal folds (or cords) are vibrating. It has already been discussed in Voiced vs voiceless minimal pairs. And I have outlined the rules for when we voice the normally voiceless /s/ (resulting in /z/). Most people are completely unaware of doing this, and would be surprised to learn that they are correctly following the rules. The voicing dimension is rounded off by the article on partial devoicing of consonants. Continue reading
Jj is for Jottings 143. Mouth Breathing.
Mouth breathing – breathing through the mouth instead of through the nose – seems like a harmless enough sort of habit. But its effects turn out to be quite far-reaching. I referred to mouth breathing as a potential side effect of tongue tie, but that is only a tiny piece of the puzzle. I’m talking here of chronic mouth breathing, not the times when we all breathe through our mouth. Continue reading
Jj is for Jottings 142. Critical Thinking.
I was thinking the other day about how the world would be much better if more people applied critical thinking skills in their daily lives. Also about how we can introduce critical thinking to children. Funnily enough, the very next morning I read an article in the newspaper citing the results of a study into conspiracy theorists and critical thinking skills. More of that later. I took that as a sign to write this article. Continue reading
