About the CHYS Reading Project Team

Dr. John McNamara CHYS Reading Project Director

Ashley Graham Executive Director, LDA-N

CHYS Reading Project Research

The research associated with the CHYS Reading Project is funded by a number of grants including the most recent grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Our Project team is continually engaged in research associated with understanding language and learning disabilities. Listed here are publications, grants and research projects associate with the CHYS Reading Project

Research Grants:

McNamara, J. K. & Van Lankveld (April 2009 – April 2011). Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada ($37,000). “Closing the Summer Learning Gap for Vulnerable Learners.”

Previous Grants

McNamara, J. K. (April 2006 – Decl 2008). Canadian Council for Learning ($84,000). “Emergent Literacy in Preschool Children with Language Disabilities.”

McNamara, J. K. (April 2002 – April 2006). Social Science and Humanities Research Council Standard Research Grant ($44,359). “A Longitudinal Study of Phonological Processing and Working Memory as Early Identification Measures for Students At-risk for Learning Disabilities.”

McNamara, J. K., Lesaux, N., Siegel, L. & Zumbo, B (April 2002 – April 2003). Canadian Institute of Health Research Development Grant ($19,000). “Developmental Health of Children with Exceptionalities.”

Scholarly Publications:

Graham, A., McNamara, J. K., & Van Lankveld, J. (in press). Closing the Summer Learning Gap for Vulnerable Learners: An Exploratory Study of a Summer Literacy Program for Kindergarten Children At-risk for Reading Difficulties. Early Child Development and Care.

McNamara, J.K., & Willoughby, T. (2010). A longitudinal study of risk taking behaviors in adolescents with learning disabilities. Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, 25 (1, 11-24.

McNamara, J. K., Van Lankveld, J., Vervaeke, S.L., & Gutknecht, N. (2010). A study of preschool children with speech and language delays. Journal of Applied Research on Learning, 3 (1).

McNamara, J. K., Vervaeke, S.L., & Willoughby (2008). Learning disabilities and risk-taking behavior in adolescents: A comparison of those with and without comorbid attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 41, 561-574.

McNamara, J. K., Vervaeke, S.L., & Van Lankveld, J. (2008). An exploratory study of emergent literacy intervention for preschool children with language impairments. Education Exceptionalities Canada, 18 (1), 9 - 32 .

Vervaeke, S.L., McNamara, J. K., & Scissons, M. (2007). Kindergarten screening for learning disabilities. Journal of Applied Research on Learning, 1(1), 1-13.

McNamara, J. K. (2006). Human rights of children with learning disabilities: Meeting needs and preventing failure. Education Exceptionalities Canada ,16( 1), 9 - 24.

McNamara, J.K., Willoughby , T., & Chalmers, H. (2005). Psychosocial status of adolescents with learning disabilities with and without comorbid attention deficit hyperactivity disorder . Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, 20(4), 234-244.

McNamara, J. K., Scissons, M., & Dahlen, J. (2005). A longitudinal study of early identification markers for children at-risk for reading disabilities: The Matthew effect and the challenge of over-identification. Reading Improvement, 42(2), 80 - 96.

McNamara, J. K. , Scissons, M., & Siminot, S. (2004). Should we redshirt in kindergarten? A study of the effect of age on kindergarten students' reading readiness. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 50(2), 1-13.