Psychological Scientists Among UK’s Economic and Social Research Council 2020 Impact Prize Winners
Psychological Science in the Public Interest article recognized for its international influence
The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) announced the winners of its annual “Celebrating Impact Prize” awards. Among this year’s winners were psychological scientists Anne Castles of Macquarie University, Kathy Rastle of the Royal Holloway University of London, and Kate Nation of the University of Oxford, for their recent article on the topic of teaching reading.
Published in Psychological Science in the Public Interest (PSPI) in 2018, “Ending the Reading Wars: Reading Acquisition From Novice to Expert” was recognized with the ESRC’s Outstanding International Impact award. The research, which investigated the science behind how children learn to read, has impacted the way reading is taught worldwide. The authors emphasize the importance of reading skills and assert that illiteracy prevents people from understanding basic health, safety, and social rights information, which contribute to the many associated social and economic costs. ESRC notes that the research has potentially helped millions of children improve literacy skills which can improve their life chances.
A full list of ESRC 2020 Impact Prize winners can be found here.
