Project V: Early Reading, Language and Attention Development

Principal Investigator: Richard K. Olson

Co-investigator: Brian Byrne

Goals of Project V: As a new addition to the CLDRC, this project is a collaboration with the University of New England in Australia. By testing 340 preschool-aged twin pairs in Australia, and combining these data with a companion study in Colorado, the goal of this project is to assess genetic and environmental influences on early reading and attention development, as well as on their responsiveness to instruction, and to identify the specific psychological processes which mediate these influences. In addition, the twins will be retested at the end of kindergarten, first, and second grades, so that growth and development may be monitored during this critical period of early reading development.