Three experiments found that (1) nine-month olds listened more to two-syllable words with strong-weak stress patterns than weak-strong stress patterns; (2) six-month olds showed no preferences for stress patterns; and (3) nine-month olds showed preferences for strong-weak over weak-strong stress patterns in speech sounds passed through a low-pass…

When vocalizations of three-month-olds (N=40), experiencing either conversational turn-taking or random responsiveness of an adult, were counted and categorized, results indicated that turn-taking caused changes in the quality of vocal sounds. When the adult maintained a give-and-take pattern, the infants produced a higher ratio of…

Shared book reading in families is strongly linked with successful school literacy and thus with identity, belonging and participation in literate societies. From an "emergent" perspective, literacy is recognised as beginning from birth. However, despite exceptions such as research into the UK program, "Bookstart", most…