Turns Are Low. Are the Devices Broken?

When Turns are low, dig into the data to rule out user error and room factors.

Q: When Conversational Turns are low – especially if you have personally observed a nice amount of talk – does that mean the devices are broken?

A: A broken device is possible, but it's important to rule out other more likely reasons.

The two parts of a Conversational Turn are Child Vocalizations and Adult Words. If either measure is "off," Turns can be impacted. Let's see what the data can tell us.

Look at the Individual Reports. Compare the daily counts for Adult Words and Child Vocalizations to the "typical range" bands that run horizontally across each graph. Are they both low? Is one measure high and the other low?

Here are patterns you might see with low Turns, and what to investigate next:

Typical/high Adult + Low Child

Device is not broken. Rule out...

Device not worn properly, so LENA can’t identify the “key child” to count vocalizations.
- Vest backward, device on child’s back.
- Device not in LENA vest - e.g., was worn in pants pocket, or placed on the table, or child removed device from pocket.
- Child not wearing vest - e.g., vest placed near child but not worn, vest worn by doll or stuffie.

Adults talking at children, not engaging in back-and-forth with children.
Adults talking amongst themselves near children, not engaging with children.

Low Adult + Low Child

Device could be broken. Rule out...

Vest worn inside out to hide the pocket. Microphone can’t “hear” through the foam padding.
Device backward in pocket, mic facing child’s body. Microphone can’t “hear” a clear sound for analysis.
Extra layers of clothing over device. Microphone can’t “hear” through the layers.
Very noisy environment. Other sounds and voices compete with the key child and adult voices so much that LENA can only identify “overlapping voices and sounds,” which don’t count.
Device was started but left in box (because child left, or it was forgotten).

If you can rule out the above, and especially if the pattern is limited to one child, you may have a device problem. Use a different device for the next LENA Day, and contact LENA Support with the serial number.

Low Adult + Typical/high Child

Device is probably not broken. Rule out...

Adults are far away from children, speaking from across the room.
Competing sounds are about as loud as the adults' voices.

Typical/high Adult + Typical/high Child

Device is definitely not broken. This pattern is uncommonly associated with low Turns, but possible causes for low Turns here could include:

Child and adult voices are spaced too far apart in time to count as turns. Remember: the response must be detected within 5 seconds to count as a Turn.
Very noisy environment. LENA can only identify little snips of child and adult voices amid lots of overlap, and those small segments of voices are too far apart in time to count as Turns.

coaching teacher illustration For more recommendations about strengths-based coaching when Conversational Turns are low, see Overcoming Common Coaching Challenges. Spoiler alert: an approach based in curiosity, finding the small "wins," and collaborative problem solving is best!

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For recommendations regarding excessive noise, see LENA Grow Noise Recommendations.