How to Spark Language Everywhere — Even Supermarkets
An intervention implemented in Philadelphia recently increased conversations between parents and children by 1/3 while parents shopped at the supermarket. The average cost of the intervention was only $20/store!
The supermarket study is part of a larger initiative to increase the opportunities for parents and children to have positive interactions in areas where they already spend time — like bus stops, laundromats, and waiting rooms. The group is exploring creative ways to measure their impact through analyses of natural language environments — including a “laughometer” to measure emotion in the spaces.
