The Institute for Reading Research
In a world in which
the ability to read has become increasingly important to academic,
personal, and professional success, poor literacy levels among diverse
populations remain high. In 2002, SMU responded to this crisis with the
creation of the Institute for Reading Research, whose primary mission is
to promote reading skills through research in the areas of developing
reading interventions for children at-risk for failing to learn to read,
children with mild to moderate mental retardation, and children who are
either bilingual or who speak Spanish exclusively in the early primary
grades. The Institute seeks to carry out this mission by focusing on
three main objectives:
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To conduct and disseminate cutting edge research related to reading and reading disabilities, language acquisition, and teaching and learning.
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To provide leadership on a local and national level through the publication of research manuscripts, curricula and coursework packages, and through the delivery of staff-development workshops.
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To provide leadership training to future educators, researchers, and statisticians through applied experiences in the execution of large-scale field-based research while also being committed to the delivery of programs and activities that serve the reading-enhancement needs of the community at large.
The Institute is part of SMU’s Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development. Its faculty teaches in the teacher education program, including Preschool Teacher Education, Learning Therapy, the Master Reading Teacher program, and the Bilingual Education program.
The Institute was made possible, in part, through the support of the Texas Instruments (TI) Foundation, which endowed the faculty chair and directorship of the Institute, a position presently held by Dr. Patricia Mathes. The TI Foundation has long been active in creating and funding programs that address the needs of academically at-risk children at the most critical points in their education.
In 2003 the Institute and
its collaborating faculty sought and received approximately $7million in
external funding for various research studies. The initial funding allowed for
the creation of a data center designed for the management and analyses of large
sample size (n) studies through the application of leading-edge
technology. Likewise, the Institute has quickly gained national recognition as
members of its faculty disseminate findings at national venues and collaborate
with “sister” research centers, including the Florida Center for Reading
Research (FCRR), the Texas Center for Reading and Language Arts (CARS), the
Texas Center for Academic and Reading Skills (TCLRA), and the Texas Institute
for Measurement, Evaluation and Statistics (TIMES).