About Lesly

My research interests focus broadly on reading development and reading difficulties. My most recent work has involved an exploration of linguistic stress, and how suprasegmental information such as prosody may be implicated in reading development and fluent reading.  Much of my past work has centred on investigations of these issues in individuals who are reading in a non-native language. Over the years, this has involved English language learners, both children and adults (including speakers of Russian learning Hebrew and English, and Japanese speakers learning English), children in French Immersion, and children learning to read in English and Hebrew concurrently.  I also work with schools and school boards that are interested in programs to prevent reading failure, and I have been consulted by the Ontario Ministry of Education to serve on expert panels on reading and special education (Early Reading Strategy, Education for All). From time to time, I do contract work for the Educational Quality Assurance Organization and the Ministry of Education.  Like all academics, I review a lot of manuscripts, and am on the editorial board of Scientific Studies of Reading and Reading and Writing.

I am a member of the Society for the Scientific Studies of Reading, the American Educational Research Association, the American Psychological Association, and the International Dyslexia Association. A member of the Canadian Language and Literacy Research Network, I also chair the Network’s Highly Qualified Personnel Committee. Closer to home, I am a member of the Queen’s Biological Communication Centre and am cross-appointed to the Department of Psychology.