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Newsletter, August 2021
Recruiting Children Ages 3-5 for Noise and Language Processing Study
The Developmental Neurolinguistics Lab at UT Dallas is recruiting Spanish-speaking children between the ages of 3-5 years old with normal hearing and typical development for a study about noise and language processing. Participants will be asked to complete two home audio recordings and listen to some sentences while wearing a net in the lab and do some language and thinking tasks. Participants will be compensated $150 for completion of the entire study. Contact carlos.benitez-barrera@utdallas.edu if interested in participating.
Meet the REU Students!
Over the next several months, we look forward to introducing you to all of the 12 National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates students who will be working with us over the next year. Please join us in welcoming them!
Venise Shaw

“I am truly excited about so much, but I am anxious, in a good way, to get to know the faculty and other students involved in this program, along with the children and families. I'm also eager to gain hands-on experience in the world of research.”
Aurora Rochin

“I'm excited to be part of something bigger than myself! My hope is that through my participation and contribution, I will be able to help shape the CCF REU Program for years to come!”
Enrico Young

“What really drove me to apply to the program was the ability to provide help to families in my community; and the opportunity to add my voice and perspective to an academic community that is mainly accessible to those who hold privilege.”
Helping Children With Homework is Important to Their Success
Research shows that being involved in your child's education can have many positive benefits on their learning and academic achievement. Active involvement with your child's learning at home (including homework!) is especially important. UTD master's student Sydney Washington recently produced the following tips for promoting parental engagement to improve children's academic success (full version here):

  1. Parental engagement is active involvement in your child's learning at home.
  2. Creating education-related rules at home, communicating openly with your child's teachers, and talking with your child about their school successes and struggles can all help promote your child's academic success. Do homework with them (but not for them).
  3. Stay engaged and involved in your child's academic life by volunteering in your child's school, building relationships with their teachers, and connecting with other parents to improve outcomes for all children.
Sowing Seeds Initiative
As we start the new academic year, WE NEED YOU to help strengthen the foundation for our research, training, and outreach work. The Sowing Seeds initiative will support the staff, research, and operations of the Center for Children and Families to help GROW our impact. When you give to CCF's Sowing Seeds initiative, you are planting a seed that will impact children, parents, students, researchers, and the field of developmental science for years to come.

From the Director
The start of the academic year is just around the corner and we are looking forward to meeting again with students and families in person. Unfortunately, it's also a time of great uncertainty with the latest wave of COVID-19 cases. We remain flexible in our planning and have contingency plans for virtual connections should the need arise. In the meantime, we encourage everyone to stay safe by getting the vaccine shot if possible, washing your hands, and wearing your mask. Families with young children remain vulnerable to the spread of the virus, and we need to do all we can to protect them. Stay well.