Subventions et des contributions :

Subvention ou bourse octroyée s'appliquant à plus d'un exercice financier (2017-2018 à 2018-2019).

Literacy forms the foundation for most academic learning, and ultimately for economic and societalx000D
participation. However, an estimated 5-15% of Canadian children have dyslexia, which impedes theirx000D
education and limits their ability to reach their full potential as productive members of society; as well theyx000D
suffer social stigma and lower self-esteem. Statistics Canada has quantified that each 1% improvement in thex000D
national average literacy rate would translate into an $18 billion increase in annual GDP. Reading interventionx000D
programs are a critical tool to help children who are struggling with their reading to close the gap with theirx000D
peers. One highly successful program is SpellRead, delivered by Halifax Learning Centre (HLC). Over the pastx000D
20 years, HLC has successfully delivered SpellRead to over 3000 clients and has seen very positive outcomes,x000D
which have been verified in a handful of empirical studies. At this point in time, HLC has developed a 5-yearx000D
strategic plan for growth. This includes national expansion and the development of mobile apps to supplementx000D
their teacher-delivered program. Key to their plans for growth are (1) further independent, empirical validationx000D
of the efficacy of the SpellRead program; (2) a better understanding of the neuro-cognitive mechanisms byx000D
which SpellRead works; and (3) assistance in the development and validation of the mobile apps. Thisx000D
ENGAGE grant with the NeuroCognitive Imaging Lab at Dalhousie University represents the first stage of ax000D
new industry-university partnership aimed at supporting HLC's research and development. In the initial projectx000D
we will assess reading outcomes and brain activity in a 6-month longitudinal study of children going throughx000D
the SpellRead program, and a matched group of control children. This work will lay the groundwork for furtherx000D
collaboration between the partners in future projects. This is a joint NSERC-Mitacs application; the projectx000D
also includes a Mitacs Accelerate internship to support a computer science intern who will develop a researchx000D
database/analysis portal to complement the ENGAGE-funded work.