Independence County: Building Brains in Preschoolers One Conversation at a Time

Preschools in Independence County have adopted innovative technology to support early brain development. LENA – short for Language ENvironment Analysis – is a professional development opportunity for early childhood educators that uses cloud-based software and a small, wearable device – often referred to as a “talk pedometer” – to measure and increase conversational turns that happen between a child and an adult caregiver.

These conversational turns, the simple back-and-forth interactions between a child and an adult, are crucial to early brain development. The brain develops faster from birth to age three than at any period in life, building the foundation for future learning, behavior, and health.