Infant behavioral responses to infant-directed singing and other maternal interactions

Cognitive and Socioemotional Caregiving in Developing Countries

“…Singing also modulates arousal reactions considered essential for affect regulation (Thompson, 1994). Maternal sensitivity and child affect regulation play important roles in the development of secure attachment (de l’Etoile, 2006), and singing consolidates this vital feature of the mother–child relationship (Standley & Whipple, 2003). …”

Empirical Criteria for Establishing a Classification of Singing Activity in Children and Adolescents

“…Singing is a fundamental human ability to express emotions even in childhood [1][2][3] ; it can facilitate social integration 4 and has positive effects on language development, among other things. [5][6][7] For these reasons, singing on the part of children and adolescents is systematically cultivated in numerous countries, whereby the singing activities concerned span a range from occasional singing to professional children's and adolescents' choirs.…”

Reading Aloud with Infants: The Controversy, the Myth, and a Case Study

“…A more recent study indicates that eight to 10 month old infants who listened to taped stories read aloud for 10 consecutive days were more able to recognize complex words found in those stories than infants who did not listen to stories on tape (Jusczyk and Hohne 1997). In addition, De l'Etoile (2006) reported that six to nine month olds were more attentive while their mother read an assigned book aloud than listening to recorded music. Many child care teachers are not providing literacy experiences for infants, which is illustrated in this case study.…”