A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Prevention of Reading Difficulties in Young Children

Susan Burns
National Research Council

The Committee on Prevention of Reading Difficulties in Young children is conducting a study of the comparative effectiveness of interventions for young children who are at risk of having problems learning to read. The goals of the project are three: (1) to comprehend a rich but fragmented research base; (2) to translate the research findings into advice and guidance for parents, educators, publishers, and others involved in the care and instruction of the young; and (3) to convey this advice to the targeted audiences through a variety of publications, conferences, and other outreach activities.

The committee will:

• Synthesize the research on reading from relevant scholarship in cognitive science, developmental psychology, and related fields.

• Review and synthesize research on factors associated with reading difficulties stemming from cognitive, perceptual, neurological, and environmental causes.

• Evaluate and compare the effectiveness of existing modes of prevention, program intervention, and instruction for the various populations of children at risk of reading failure, and characterize a range of successful interventions.

• Highlight the strengths and limitations of specific interventions for particular groups of children, including those with cognitive or neurological deficiencies, those from impoverished environments or from a distinct subculture.

• Highlight effective organizational structures, capacity-building strategies, support systems, and learning environments that are conducive to good instructional practice, proper diagnosis, and effective interventions for children at risk of reading problems.

• Highlight key research findings that should be integrated into existing and future program interventions to enhance the reading abilities of young children, particularly instruction at the preschool and early elementary levels.

• Draw out the major policy implications of the research findings in such areas as prevention, inclusion, and categorical programs.

For more information please contact Susan Burns at (202) 334-3462

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