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Parent Resources

How to make a LENA recording

Your child wears a vest with a small pocket that holds the LENA recorder. LENA counts how much language your child hears and uses over the day.

How to record

  1. The LENA recorder with an arrow pointing to the Power button on its upper right edge

    1. Press and hold the Power button for 3 seconds.

  2. The LENA recorder with an arrow pointing to the Record button on its lower right edge

    2. Press and hold the Record button for 3 seconds.

  3. A LENA recorder tucked into the pocket of a child-sized shirt, next to a vest with the same pocket

    3. Put the recorder in the vest pocket with the silver side facing out, snap it closed, and put the vest on your child.

  4. 4. Leave it on. The recorder turns itself off after 16 hours.

Take the vest off when your child goes in water (bath, pool) or goes to bed for the night, and keep it nearby so you can put it back on in the morning.

Skip recording on days when your child is sick in bed, or spends most of the day at daycare, school, a party, or playing sports outside. Any ordinary day at home is a good day to record.

Download the hourly activity log (PDF)

How to read your LENA report

After a recording day, we send you a report about your child's language environment. It shows:

  • Adult words: how many words adults spoke around your child that day.
  • Conversational turns: back-and-forth exchanges between your child and an adult.
  • Child vocalizations: how much your child vocalized, including babbling, words, and other sounds.

The report includes hourly breakdowns and comparisons to other children the same age. Our team can walk you through the results and help you set goals.

Educational library

Guides and fact sheets for families of children who are d/Deaf or hard-of-hearing.

About signed languages

Signed languages are complete, natural languages, not just gestures. American Sign Language (ASL) has its own grammar and is different from British Sign Language and other signed languages around the world. Early exposure to a signed language supports language development and cognitive growth in deaf children.

Emory, K. (2023). Current Directions in Psychological Science, 32(5), 387–394.

Resources and help

Early Start

California's early intervention program for families with children who are d/Deaf or hard-of-hearing, or who have developmental delays.

Learn more·Referral guide·Guía en español

LEAD-K Family Services

California's center connecting families to local services, schools, coaches, and support.

Website·Resources·My child is deaf

California Hands & Voices

Supports children who are d/Deaf or hard-of-hearing and their families, whatever communication method they use.

Website·Refer a family·Family camps

Questions? Email us at spoglabstanford@stanford.edu or call (323) 639-0119.