45. How babies learn

I’m Christopher Cruise.

 And I’m June Simms.

Today, we explore how intelligence develops¹ in babies. We look at when and how babies learn², and the importance of early contact³ with languages...

Do Babies Begin Learning Even Before Birth⁴? 

Not long ago⁵, many people believed that babies only⁶ wanted food and to be kept warm and dry⁷. Some people thought⁸ babies were not able to⁹ learn things¹⁰ until¹¹ they were five or six months old. But doctors in the United States now say babies begin¹² learning on their first day of life, and even before birth.

The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health¹³ and Human Development¹⁴ is a federal government agency. The Institute says babies are strongly influenced¹⁵ by their environment¹⁶. It says a baby will smile¹⁷ if his or her mother does something the baby likes.

Pope¹⁸ John Paul II and an unidentified¹⁹ baby smile at each other²⁰ in 2001 (AP Photo/Plinio Lepri)

A baby learns to get the best care possible²¹ by smiling to please²² her mother or other caregiver²³. This is how babies learn to connect and communicate with other people.

The researchers²⁴ say this ability²⁵ to learn exists in a baby even before birth. They say newborn²⁶ babies can recognize²⁷ and understand sounds they heard²⁸ while²⁹ they were still developing inside³⁰ their mothers.

                                      

Study: Baby, Sit Up³¹ and You'll Learn Better³²

Recently, an American study of 112 babies found³³ they learned better when they were sitting up, not lying down³⁴. The babies appeared³⁵ to learn better whether³⁶ they were sitting up on their own³⁷, sitting in seats³⁸ or helped to sit up.

Researchers with North Dakota State University and Texas A&M organized the study. The researchers say sitting up had what they called a “profound³⁹” and “significant” effect on the babies’ ability to learn about objects. They say the body position may be linked to⁴⁰ development in the brain⁴¹.

​One organizer⁴² of the study says babies can pay more attention⁴³ to exploring an object if they do not have to worry about⁴⁴ balancing themselves. A report⁴⁵ on the study appeared in the journal Developmental Psychology.  

Underweight⁴⁶ and Iron⁴⁷ Deficient Babies May Suffer⁴⁸ in Long-Term⁴⁹ 

Underweight babies born⁵⁰ with a shortage of⁵¹ the mineral iron may develop⁵² problems with thinking⁵³ and behavior⁵⁴. Studies have shown⁵⁵ that adding iron to the babies’ food prevents⁵⁶ developmental problems⁵⁷ in more than one-third⁵⁸ of those born with an iron deficiency.

Magnus Domellof heads⁵⁹ the pediatrics department at Umea University in Sweden⁶⁰. He says low birth-weight⁶¹ babies -- those weighing from 2,000 to 2,500 grams -- look normal⁶².

Yet⁶³ about⁶⁴ 30 percent of them are iron-deficient at six months of age. Mr. Domellof says 10 percent of them develop a condition called iron-deficient anemia. He says that as the children get older⁶⁵, iron deficiency can lead to behavioral disorders⁶⁶ compared to babies treated with⁶⁷ iron supplements.

VOCABULARY


1. develops  = desenvolve-se
2. how babies learn = como os bebês aprendem
3. early contact = contato inicial
4. Even Before Birth = até mesmo antes do nascimento
5. Not long ago = Há não muito tempo atrás
6. only = somente
7. to be kept warm and dry = para serem mantidos quentes e secos
8. thought = pensavam
9. were not able to = não eram capazes de
10. things = coisas
11. until = até
12. begin = começam
13. Child Health = saúde da criança
14. Human Development = Desenvolvimento humano
15. strongly influenced = fortemente influenciado
16. environment = meio ambiente
17. smile = sorrir
18. Pope = Papa
19. unidentified = não identificado
20. at each other = um para o outro
21. get the best care possible  = obter a maior atenção possivel
22. please = agradar
23. caregiver = cuidador
24. researchers = pesquisadores
25. ability = habilidade
26. newborn = recém-nascido
27. recognize = reconhecido
28. heard = escutaram
29. while = enquanto
30. inside = dentro de
31. Sit Up = sente-se
32. Better = melhor
33. found = descobriram
34. lying down = deitado
35. appeared = pareciam
36. whether = se (ou não)
37. on their own = por eles próprios
38. seats = poltronas
39. profound = profundo
40. may be linked to = pode estar ligado a
41. brain = cérebro
42. organizer = organizador
43. can pay more attention = podem prestar mais atenção
44. worry about = preocupar-se com
45. report = relatorio
46. Underweight = abaixo do peso
47. Iron = ferro
48. May Suffer = podem sofrer
49. Long-Term = longo prazo
50. born = nascidos
51. shortage of = escassez de
52. develop = desenvolver
53. thinking = pensamento
54. behavior = comportamento
55. have shown = tem mostrado
56. prevents = previne
57. developmental problems = problemas do desenvolvimento
58. one-third = um terço
59. heads = chefia
60. Sweden = Suécia
61. low birth-weight = peso baixo ao nascer
62. look normal= parece normal
63. Yet = Porém
64. about = aproximadamente
65. get older = fica mais velho
66. can lead to behavioral disorders = pode levar a disturbios comportamentais

67. treated with = tratado com