Anne Castles

Professor Anne Castles is a current Australian ARC Laureate Fellow in the Australian Centre for the Advancement of Literacy. Anne's research focuses on reading and reading disorders. She has a particular interest in variability and causes of different types of reading disorders, including genetic, cognitive, and language factors. Professor Anne Castles received a five-year ARC grant for her project, Literacy in adolescence: The next major challenge in the science of reading. It will investigate secondary school reading achievement, how to improve teaching practices, and strategies for students in need of greater literacy support. The research team has commenced looking at basic processes in adolescent word reading and spelling, focussing on their ability to deal with the kinds of complex and technical words they are faced with in high school. The project will also explore the broader impact of literacy difficulties on children in high school, examining the relationship between literacy, motivation to read, and academic self-concept.