UT Dallas’ Center for Children and Families (CCF) plans to focus on school readiness and achievement during its annual spring lecture series.
Dr. Candice Mills
Dr. Andrea Warner-Czyz
The talks start Jan. 25 with “Life After Preschool: Supporting Skills that Help Children Thrive,” by Dr. Candice Mills, an associate professor in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences (BBS). Her talk will discuss building key skills in children that encourage them to ask questions, enjoy learning and respond with resilience when faced with obstacles.
“Early Communication and Academic Success in Children With and Without Communication Disorders” will be the topic for Feb. 15. The lecture by Dr. Andrea Warner-Czyz, an assistant professor in BBS, will offer ways for parents to facilitate communication among children with typical development and children who have communication disorders. Communication abilities often play a large role in determining success in school and adult life.
The topic on March 22 will be “Succeeding Despite the Obstacles: Closing the Education Gap for Children in Poverty” by Dr. Margaret Caughy of the UT-Houston School of Public Health. Dr. Caughy will address how children living in poverty are at increased risk for academic problems and how characteristics within communities and families can help build resilience.
The final lecture, on April 26, is “Bilingualism and School-Age Children: What We Know and Where We Go From Here.” Dr. Raul Rojas, a BBS assistant professor, will discuss the challenges faced by children who are learning English but expected to perform on the same academic level as their peers. Rojas will discuss the rapid expansion of bilingualism, recent research findings and the outlook for the future.
Dr. Margaret Caughy
Dr. Raul Rojas
Dr. Margaret Owen, director of CCF and Robinson Family Professor of Psychological Sciences, said the series is an important way for local researchers affiliated with the center to share their expertise with parents, educators, and other professionals and child advocates.
“The foundations for success in school are laid early in children’s lives,” Owen said. “The spring series will be addressing many of the factors involved and the latest research pointing out how we can foster school readiness and academic success for all children.”
The fifth annual lecture series is free and open to the public. CEU credits are available.
Sessions will take place Friday mornings, in the Naveen Jindal School of Management, SOM 2.106, on the UT Dallas campus in Richardson. The lectures are scheduled for 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., followed by a reception.
The Center for Children and Families focuses on providing families with education and support to help foster success. It supports a wide range of developmental research and community outreach programs.
Children's Medical Center is a sponsor of the spring lecture series.