The Integrating Literacies Project
explores the nature of work and communication in the lives of
Latinx youth. Our aim is to generate knowledge about young
people’s work-related communication skills and strengths, and the
conditions that encourage their development. The project’s
practical goal is to inform programs and policies that shape
the career opportunities and trajectories of Latinx youth.
Our research focuses on the
language and literacy development of young children, particularly
dual language learners. We have several ongoing projects. The lab
is supported by grants from the National Institute of
Health, Foundation for Child Development, Language Learning,
and Yolo Community Foundation.
With Youth-focused Citizen and
Community Science (YCCS), youth contribute to authentic science.
They can do this through data collection, but also interpreting
or sharing findings. But what does this mean for science
learning? To answer this question, we began conducting case
studies with YCCS projects in Northern California and bringing
together key stakeholders to explore when and how YCCS works
best.