Research interests are in psycholinguistics, with an emphasis on reading acquisition, reading difficulties and language development. In studying reading, our research group has gathered data in the form of laboratory analogues to the acquisition process, in small-scale experiments with preschool and kindergarten children, in larger-scale studies of children in primary grades, and in studies of children at risk for developmental dyslexia. We successfully developed and conducted trials of teaching material for preschool children to prepare them for school-based reading instruction. Current studies being conducted are on the genetics of reading ability using twin methodology, in cooperation with staff at the University of Colorado and University of Linköping. The group has also begun investigation of genetic and environmental influences on second language acquisition
