With French-immersion programs and immigration the number of Canadian readers of French has expanded in recent years. While there are ample tests to assess the specific skills of English readers in the Canadian context, there are no comprehensive tools for readers of French in a similar context or in relation to North American culture.

Network researchers Alain Desrochers, Pierre Cormier and Monique Sénéchal are working to fill the void by providing a high-quality reading test battery for Canadian readers of French. This instrument will be used to carry out more precise reading assessments in schools and guide the implementation of remedial programs when problems are found.

"It will also help researchers investigate reading disability classifications," says Desrochers. It could even be used to investigate the relationship between reading skills and other intellectual abilities such as holding information in memory, performing arithmetic operations or logical reasoning."

Desrochers sees the work of his team as a contribution to the collective efforts of everyone involved in language and literacy development. Adding French completes the Canadian picture and provides a scientific basis for comparison between the two official languages.