SALEM -- Patton Tabors, a research associate at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and author of "One Child, Two Languages" will discuss recent research on how Spanish-speaking pre-schoolers learn to speak English from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 8 at the Salem State College library.

Part of the Mary Procopio Lecture Series, the Tabors presentation, "Research and Practice: Implications of Findings on the Language and Early Literacy Development of Spanish-Speaking Preschoolers" is sponsored by the Graduate School at Salem State College.

"Many experts view early childhood education as an area where it makes a lot of sense to invest money," said Salem State College professor Clarke Fowler, an organizer for the event. "With these difficult financial times, this is an area where education dollars can be spent efficiently."

Fowler added that Tabors has extensive background in early childhood education and, "can speak to a number of current issues."

A research associate at the Harvard Graduate School of Education since 1987, Tabors has been involved in research related to language and literacy acquisition of both English-speaking and second-language-learning children. She is also co-editor of "Beginning Literacy with Language: Young Children Learning at Home and School."

The Mary Procopio Lecture Series, named after a retired Salem State College professor of early childhood studies, is an endowed speaker series that allows the college to help early childhood and elementary education students integrate content studies with inclusion issues and global concerns.

More information on Tabors can be obtained on the Web at www.gse.harvard.edu/~pild/pattoncv.htm. For more information on Tabors' visit to Salem State College, call Clarke Fowler at (978) 542-7041.