The sound of language is important for comprehension. The brain uses special tricks to discriminate and translate fast-moving spoken syllables into meaningful words and to convert patterns of letters on a printed page into meaningful spoken words. In both cases, the ability to hold sounds in short-term "working" memory is crucial.
To understand the meaning of any sentence, the brain must hold in memory the idea started by the words in the first part of the sentence while the eyes or ears are taking in the words in the last part of the sentence- just as you did when you read this one. If a child who is learning to read, can also hear the words in his "mind's ear, " he can hold in memory the sound of the beginning of the sentence long enough to add meaning to what the second half of the sentence expresses.
Brain Building Games Allen D. Bragdon and David Gamon, PH.D, Barnes & Noble Books, 2001
An infant's memory on an object (where two or more actions occur) is easily forgotten once distracted, usually taking 4 seconds because the infant's brain hasn't matured enough to hold new data, only holding the first action. Brain Building Games Allen D. Bragdon and David Gamon, PH.D, Barnes & Noble Books, 2001
Many sex differences can be documented shortly after birth. Baby boys tend to get up, walk, run, develop motor and spacial abilities earlier than girls. Baby girls show greater reaction to faces, more sensitive to language sounds, tend to speak earlier and complete sentences earlier than boys. Brain Building Games Allen D. Bragdon and David Gamon, PH.D, Barnes & Noble Books, 2001
