Reference number : GC-2017-Q3-00503, amendment number : , agreement type : G, recipient legal name : Newman, Aaron (Dalhousie University), recipient country : CA, recipient province : nan, recipient city : Nova Scotia|Nouvelle-Écosse, recipient postal code : nan, program name english : Engage Grants for universities, program name french : Subventions d'engagement partenarial pour les universités, program purpose english : Literacy forms the foundation for most academic learning, and ultimately for economic and societal_x000D_
participation. However, an estimated 5-15% of Canadian children have dyslexia, which impedes their_x000D_
education and limits their ability to reach their full potential as productive members of society; as well they_x000D_
suffer social stigma and lower self-esteem. Statistics Canada has quantified that each 1% improvement in the_x000D_
national average literacy rate would translate into an $18 billion increase in annual GDP. Reading intervention_x000D_
programs are a critical tool to help children who are struggling with their reading to close the gap with their_x000D_
peers. One highly successful program is SpellRead, delivered by Halifax Learning Centre (HLC). Over the past_x000D_
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-year_x000D_
strategic plan for growth. This includes national expansion and the development of mobile apps to supplement_x000D_
their teacher-delivered program. Key to their plans for growth are (1) further independent, empirical validation_x000D_
of the efficacy of the SpellRead program; (2) a better understanding of the neuro-cognitive mechanisms by_x000D_
which SpellRead works; and (3) assistance in the development and validation of the mobile apps. This_x000D_
ENGAGE grant with the NeuroCognitive Imaging Lab at Dalhousie University represents the first stage of a_x000D_
new industry-university partnership aimed at supporting HLC's research and development. In the initial project_x000D_
we will assess reading outcomes and brain activity in a 6-month longitudinal study of children going through_x000D_
the SpellRead program, and a matched group of control children. This work will lay the groundwork for further_x000D_
collaboration between the partners in future projects. This is a joint NSERC-Mitacs application; the project_x000D_
also includes a Mitacs Accelerate internship to support a computer science intern who will develop a research_x000D_
database/analysis portal to complement the ENGAGE-funded work., program purpose french : Literacy forms the foundation for most academic learning, and ultimately for economic and societal_x000D_
participation. However, an estimated 5-15% of Canadian children have dyslexia, which impedes their_x000D_
education and limits their ability to reach their full potential as productive members of society; as well they_x000D_
suffer social stigma and lower self-esteem. Statistics Canada has quantified that each 1% improvement in the_x000D_
national average literacy rate would translate into an $18 billion increase in annual GDP. Reading intervention_x000D_
programs are a critical tool to help children who are struggling with their reading to close the gap with their_x000D_
peers. One highly successful program is SpellRead, delivered by Halifax Learning Centre (HLC). Over the past_x000D_
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-year_x000D_
strategic plan for growth. This includes national expansion and the development of mobile apps to supplement_x000D_
their teacher-delivered program. Key to their plans for growth are (1) further independent, empirical validation_x000D_
of the efficacy of the SpellRead program; (2) a better understanding of the neuro-cognitive mechanisms by_x000D_
which SpellRead works; and (3) assistance in the development and validation of the mobile apps. This_x000D_
ENGAGE grant with the NeuroCognitive Imaging Lab at Dalhousie University represents the first stage of a_x000D_
new industry-university partnership aimed at supporting HLC's research and development. In the initial project_x000D_
we will assess reading outcomes and brain activity in a 6-month longitudinal study of children going through_x000D_
the SpellRead program, and a matched group of control children. This work will lay the groundwork for further_x000D_
collaboration between the partners in future projects. This is a joint NSERC-Mitacs application; the project_x000D_
also includes a Mitacs Accelerate internship to support a computer science intern who will develop a research_x000D_
database/analysis portal to complement the ENGAGE-funded work., agreement title english : Building Better Readers: Characterizing the Neurological Effects of the SpellRead Reading Intervention Program, agreement title french : Building Better Readers: Characterizing the Neurological Effects of the SpellRead Reading Intervention Program, agreement number : EGP, agreement value : 25000.0, agreement start date : 2017-11-08, agreement end date : nan, description english : nan, description french : nan, expected results english : nan, expected results french : nan, additional information english : Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year (2017-2018 to 2018-2019)., additional information french : Subvention ou bourse octroyée s'appliquant à plus d'un exercice financier (2017-2018 à 2018-2019)., owner organization : nserc-crsng, owner organization title : Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada | Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada