WHAT IS THE MAIN GOAL OF YOUR RESEARCH?
Our research helps us figure out how kids learn to read and how they keep getting better at reading as they get older. That way, teachers and families can help all kids learn how to read, no matter who they are or where they come from or even if they have a disability.
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO BECOME A RESEARCHER?
When I was a junior in college, I participated in a summer research program in a school that had bilingual students growing up with Spanish at home and English at school. Everyone at that school was working really, really hard to make sure that the kids were learning how to read. But the kids were still struggling. The reason they were struggling had to do, in part, with instruction because it’s hard to teach someone to read in a language they don’t speak very well. But there were also emotional parts. I’ll never forget one of the little boys who said, “I’m not Mexican, I’m American.” His feelings were that him speaking Spanish was a bad thing. He was very defiant and wanted to only use English. But the research is clear: for him, speaking Spanish is a very good thing, in fact it’s a strength. We want him to continue to gain strength and proficiency in his native language, because if he does, he will have a much easier time learning English and reading and writing in English.
So how do you help a 6-year-old understand that? That’s why I wanted to move into a research career. These challenges are not just about running numbers to answer questions. They are about how we can come together to help that 6-year-old, his teacher, his parents, and his community solve this problem.
Denne historien er fra October 2020-utgaven av Muse Science Magazine for Kids.
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Denne historien er fra October 2020-utgaven av Muse Science Magazine for Kids.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Who's Your Cousin?
The great apes are among the most popular animals in most zoos. Their actions, facial expressions, and family life remind us so much of ourselves. Have you ever wondered, though, how we might look to them?
Is it possible to die of boredom?
To figure out if we can die of boredom, we first have to understand what boredom is. For help, we called James Danckert, a psychologist who studies boredom at the University of Waterloo in Canada.
THE PROBLEM WITH PALM OIL
Palm oil is all around you. It’s in sugary snacks like cookies and candy bars. It’s in lipstick and shampoo and pet food.
SERGE WICH
Serge Wich’s favorite days at work are spent out in the forest, studying orangutans in Sumatra and Borneo or chimpanzees in Tanzania.
ELODIE FREYMANN
When you’re feeling sick, it probably doesn’t occur to you to try eating tree bark.
Guardians of the Forest
EARLY, MAKESHIFT WILDLIFE DRONES HELPED TO DETECT AND PROTECT ORANGUTANS.
APE ANTICS
The Whirling World of primate play
Dr. Ape Will See You Now
HUMANS AREN’T THE ONLY PRIMATES THAT USE MEDICATION.
THE LEFT OVERS
A lot has happened for modern humans to get to this point. We lost most of our hair, learned how to make tools, established civilizations, sent a person to the Moon, and invented artificial intelligence. Whew! With all of these changes, our bodies have changed, too. It’s only taken us about six million years.
SO, WHAT IS A PRIMATE?
What do you have in common with the aye-aye, sifaka, siamang, and potto? If you said your collarbone, you re probably a primatologist—a person who studies primates. If you’re not, read on.