Reading Development

The NeuroCognitive Imaging Lab at Dalhousie University is looking for English speaking children in grades 2 and 3 to participate in a research study about reading and the brain. This study is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

What Is This Study About?

We are doing this study to learn more about how children’s brains change as they learn to read. More specifically, we are interested in individual differences between children. Although all children are taught to read in elementary school, each child progresses at a different speed. Some children learn to read quickly, while others have more challenges. Even when children learn a bit slower, or struggle, the kinds of challenges they face are not always the same. We are interested in understanding these differences better, and how they relate to brain activity.

In our study we are looking at different skills that contribute to reading ability, and using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to understand how differences in these skills relate to differences in brain activity.

Right now, our research is not looking at children with diagnosed reading disorders (like dyslexia), just at kids who are learning to read at more or less the expected level for their grade. In the long run, we hope this research will help us understand what causes delays or disabilities in reading, to better diagnose reading problems earlier in development, and to assist in designing individually tailored programs for reading development.

Who Are We Looking For?

We are currently recruiting participants in grades 2 and 3, who speak English at home and at school. We also require that participants have no problems with their vision or hearing (wearing glasses is OK).

What Will Children Do?

This study will be conducted at our lab at Dalhousie University.

The first study visit will be a behavioural assessment of reading and related skills. We’ll conduct assessments of children’s reading and related skills using tasks designed to measure changes in reading ability as children mature. The second study visit will be functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) recording. The first two visits will occur within one week of each other. The children will repeat these two visits, one and two years after the first visit.

About Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Imaging (fNIRS)

fNIRS is a non-invasive and child-friendly brain imaging technique that shines near-infrared light on the scalp to record changes in the amount of oxygen in the brain’s blood.

Will the study cost me anything and, if so, how will I be reimbursed?

There will be an honorarium (thank-you payment) for each study visit attended, regardless of whether your child completes the entire session. In appreciation for their participation, your child will receive 30 dollars per study visit. As well, we will pay the parent/guardian of the child 20 dollars to cover any expenses you might have for participating in this study, such as transportation and parking costs. Payments for each session will be paid at the conclusion of each study visit, even if your child chooses to stop participating in that study visit before it is completed.

Interested? Want to learn more?

If you are interested in joining our study, you can contact us by email ([email protected]) or by phone (902-494-1911). We look forward to hearing from you!