Here
are the details of our successful grant:
TITLE: A sound start: Innovative technology to promote speech and pre-literacy
skills in at-risk preschoolers (DP130102545).
INVESTIGATORS: Sharynne McLeod (Charles Sturt University), Elise Baker (The University
of Sydney), Jane McCormack (Charles Sturt University), Yvonne Wren, Sue
Roulstone (University of West of England, UK)
SUMMARY OF THE PROPOSAL: Speech impairment affects one
in five Australian preschoolers. If the problem persists into the school years
between 30% to 77% of these children will have reading difficulties. Without
specialist services, these children face increased risk of life-long social,
educational, vocational limitations. Three challenges exist: identification of
preschoolers most at risk, development of strategies for targeting both speech
and pre-literacy skills, and provision of appropriate specialist services. This
project will determine if an innovative computer-based service, delivered
within preschools, can address these challenges by promoting age-appropriate
speech and pre-literacy skills in children with identified risk of reading
difficulties.
The
news arrived while Elise Baker was visiting me, and we were overwhelmed by the
number of congratulatory emails and phonecalls that arrived from colleagues. We
fitted in a celebratory lunch with Professor Jennifer Sumsion (who was
a chief investigator on another successful application) and Professor Linda Harrison and Associate
Professor Fran Press who found out about their promotions at the same time.
 |
| L-R: Julie Martello, Fran Press, Elise Baker, Jennifer Sumsion, Linda Harrison, Sharynne McLeod |