It Confused Them

Here at UVA, there is a child study center. I take the kids to do certain tests when asked. It's simple and fun for the kids.

I was reading today about a study done at a similar center at Johns Hopkins. I think that my kids did the exact study. I can only wonder what the collaboration structure must be. The study found that kids learn words best when allowed to figure out the meaning themselves as opposed to direct instruction. The age group is from 3-3 1/2 years of age.

Inwe was younger than that when she did a similar study. She heard the word "blicket" for this unknown object and got confused. She looked at me wondering where her blanket could be. She knew we hadn't brought it with us. She finally looked at the lady and said, "My blanket isn't here. Why are you asking about it?" We didn't finish the rest of the study. The student was too amazed that Inwe could verbalize so well.

Fast forward a few years later to Larien who did another similar study. She also looked confused at the "blicket" word. She tried to finish the study, but she also kept asking me, "Did you bring my blanket?" Later, I told the researchers that the word was too similar to blanket for my children.

So, when I read the results of the study above (as they were reported in the news brief), I wondered how many children looked around the room for their beloved blanket.