Reflecting on the field of adolescent literacy: Perspectives from NICHD Brett Miller, PhD Program Director Reading, Writing, & Related LD Program NICHD

Literacy Activities at NICHD Why NICHD is interested in literacy Brief intro to why NICHD has literacy investments across the lifespan Reflecting on our current investments in adolescent literacy Next steps

How does literacy fit into the mission of the National Institutes of Health?

Mission of NICHD: Where does literacy fit in? Ensure that every person is born healthy and wanted Women suffer no harmful effects from reproductive processes All children have the chance to achieve their full potential for healthy and productive lives, free from disease or disability Ensure the health, productivity, independence, and well-being of all people through optimal rehabilitation.

Why study individuals with and without learning disabilities? Foundational research on human learning and learning disabilities is an integral part of child development and health. Readers who do not struggle help us understand how literacy usually develops ▫This is critical context for understanding research results when working with struggling readers or those with a disability Insufficient to study only one group. We need to understand the needs of all readers/writers regardless of disability or age.

Basic Questions of Interest How do individuals learn to read & write? What goes wrong when they don’t? What can we do about it? (Prevention and remediation)

Current Directions in Adol. Literacy Adolescent Literacy Consortium ▫Interagency effort with OVAE (ED) and OSERS ▫Funded 5 research projects focused on various aspects of adolescent literacy  Range of methodological techniques (behavior and neurobiology)  Includes work on interventions, motivation and engagement, and foundational research on reading comprehension  Interdisciplinary teams

Learning Disabilities Research Centers 3 of 4 centers involve work with pre-adolescents and adolescents Examination of RTI in secondary settings ▫Intervention based studies Generate estimates of prevalence of different types of RD for this age group Examine reading comprehension in skilled and struggling readers

Where we envision moving to Writing and reading-writing relationship Focus on late emerging RD Focus on reading comprehension Continue emphasis on translation (interventions)

Writing and Reading-Writing Connection Workshop on Writing Development and Instruction in May cosponsored by NIFL Products will be forthcoming Continue to encourage work on writing development, interventions, and reading-writing connection

Late emerging RD Build our understanding of reading difficulties and disabilities that emerge later ▫Eye towards understanding the genesis of these problems, how to remediate and to identify these individuals earlier before significant problems arise

Reading Comprehension and Interventions Reading Comprehension ▫Foundational work to inform construct refinement ▫Development of this skill from early readers into adulthood Continued work on interventions! ▫Both in adolescents and with struggling adults

National Academies Work NAS panel activity ▫“Learning Sciences: Foundations and Applications to Adolescent and Adult Literacy”  Sponsored by NIFL ▫This panel will conduct a “study of the scientific foundations of adolescent and adult literacy with implications for policy and practice” ▫Product expected in early 2011

14 Partnering with others IRA-NICHD Partnership ▫Ongoing partnership moving into 7 th year ▫New effort focused on Measuring Classroom Instruction project ▫Revising our normal workshop model to take advantage of technology

Brett Miller