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Adolescent Literacy Research Network

Child ReadingFrom March through May 2002, a series of workshops co-sponsored by multiple federal agencies and professional associations were convened to focus on the under-researched area of adolescent literacy. (Summary documents from these workshops are posted at http://www.nifl.gov/partnershipforreading/publications/adolescent.html.) Based on the research agenda that was developed at these workshops, the NICHD Child Development and Behavior Branch, Office of Vocational and Adult Education, and the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services at the U.S. Department of Education published the request for application HD-03-012. In fiscal years 2003 and 2004, five research project grants (R01) were funded to form the Adolescent Literacy Research Network. These projects are now under way and will study preadolescent and adolescent students. All projects use some experimental methods, as well as descriptive/qualitative research methodologies. Two projects use extant longitudinal cohorts, while three will examine the brain-behavior linkages in reading and reading disabilities to test the effectiveness of reading interventions. One project specifically seeks to study the relations among expectancy values, motivation, and engagement and literacy achievement; another will examine the impact of varying levels of teacher support in an intensive high school literacy intervention. Visit http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ovae/pi/hs/factsh/literacy.html for more information.