Curry School of Education

Education

• Ph.D., Northwestern University, 2009
• M.A., Northwestern University, 2007
• B.A., Brown University, 2001

Personal Statement

Natalia Palacios, Ph.D., Human Development and Social Policy. Palacios is Assistant Professor in the Educational Psychology and Applied Developmental Sciences program in the Curry School of Education. She studies the school readiness and achievement of children from low-income, minority or immigrant backgrounds. Her work aims to improve the developmental and academic outcomes of young immigrant children. Palacios was recently elected as the Student and Early Career representative to the Ethnic and Racial Issues Committee of the Society for Research in Child Development.

Research Interest Statement

In her research, Palacios focuses on the interaction of culture, ethnicity, race, and socioeconomic status. She is currently working on projects that examine how the relationship between home and school environments may promote or hinder young children’s early developmental outcomes, transition to school, and early academic trajectories. The first phase of the study is designed to understand the cultural specific teaching practices that Latino Spanish speaking parents engage in with their young children prior to school entry. The study also explores the role of teachers in serving language minority children.

Research Interests

• Minority and Immigrant Children
• English Language Learners
• Parenting and Cultural Practices in the Home
• Teacher Interactions with Students
• Transitions to School

Sample Recent Publications

Palacios, N. (2011). Reading and math trajectories of Latino preschoolers from low-income families at school entry. Forthcoming in C. García Coll and A. Marks (Eds.), Is Becoming an American a Developmental Risk? Washington, DC: American Psychological Association (APA) Books.
Palacios, N., Gutmannova, K., & Chase-Lansdale, P. L. (2008). Early reading achievement of children in immigrant families: Evidence from the ECLS-K. Developmental Psychology, 44, 1381-1395.