Canadian Centre for Research on Literacy (CCRL)

The Canadian Centre for Research on Literacy (CCRL) is the first formally established academic body in Canada for research on literacy across the continuum from emergent to third-age literacy. CCRL promotes the consolidation of research interests and expertise to create a new substantive research focus within the University. Research on literacy requires insight from many perspectives including anthropological, audiological, educational, historical, legal, linguistic, literary, medical, philosophical, psychological, sociological, and speech pathology because literacy derives its full significance when seen from these viewpoints. The collaborative effort of researchers holding different perspectives increases the quality and breadth of research done by each member.

The Canadian Centre for Research on Literacy is pleased to announce that Dr. Denyse Hayward, Department of Educational Psychology is the CCRL Research Fellow for 2011 - 2012.

Spelling is an indispensable part of language, reading and writing development. Spelling is not merely functional, that is, a means to represent language (orthography) and transmission (reading and writing). Rather, the relationship to reading and writing is both constitutive and reciprocal, wherein spelling is an essential component of language, reading and writing. Historically, spelling was a part of curricula in North America, however, in the last half of the last century spelling was made insignificant and equated with lists of words to be memorized. Yet, there is mounting research evidence showing spelling to be a complex and fundamental language art, one that might help us understand underlying difficulties in reading and writing. Dr. Hayward has proposed to investigate the inclusion of constitutive aspects of spelling in Canadian Spelling Curricula. It is Denyse’s plan to undertake a segment of this research during the tenure of her CCRL Fellowship.          

Please join me in congratulating Dr. Denyse Hayward and wishing her well in this interesting and timely research.