Ming from Agents of Speech explains why iPads teach words better than parents: they label repeatedly without demanding responses, keeping kids relaxed and attentive. Parents often ask unanswerable questions that trigger tantrums. Instead, Ming says, show the object, say the word clearly while doing the action, and repeat it.
Why does the iPad work better teaching words than you? Why does your child learn words from the iPad? First of all, the iPad has no commands, no things that they want the child to do. It's all giving. That's one, two is that when they teach a word, they keep on repeating it. It's rewarding and it's fun. It's entertaining to watch. Is it the same way for you? What parents are doing is that they ask questions that you know the child cannot answer anyways, and the only way that can get out of it is to throw a tantrum. So the iPad never does. That lamp is very giving. It's very entertaining. It keeps on going, repeating over and over again. Create routines and so on and so forth. So we have to learn from the iPad because it's doing a better job than us. So instead, what you need to do is, number one, say what you want to hear and do the action. Provide the thing that your child wants. Say it.
