1:55 p.m., May 2, 2007--Lynne Vernon-Feagans, William C. Friday Distinguished Professor of Early Childhood, Families and Literacy, professor of psychology and coordinator of early childhood, family and literacy studies strand in education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, will lecture on "Cumulative Risk, Parenting and Toddler's Language Development in a Sample of Families Living in Rural Poverty,” at 1 p.m., Thursday, May 3, in 207 Willard Hall Education Building.

In her study, a representative sample of all babies born in six rural poor counties was selected, including 1292 children. Mothers and children were videotaped during a wordless picture-book session in the home at 6, 15 and 24 months of age and later transcribed and coded. A variety of other maternal and family measures were collected, including the quality of the home environment. Results highlight the importance of parental language as a mediator of the relationship between cumulative risk and children's early expressive language at 24 months.

Part of UD's School of Education colloquium series, the event is free and open to the public. For more information, call (302) 831-3178.