Thousands of miles from the MGH Institute, members of the Speech and Language (SAiL) Literacy Lab recently presented their research at the 31st annual Society for the Scientific Studies of Reading conference, which took place in Denmark’s capital city of Copenhagen. All seven SAiL lab members attended the conference to share their research on improving literacy among school-age children.   

"The Society for the Scientific Studies of Reading is the premier international conference to present reading-focused studies,” lab director Tiffany Hogan said. “It was remarkable, and a first, to have my entire lab present with each member presenting their scientific study of reading. I'm proud of each of them!"  

Hogan attended the conference alongside Lab Manager Mary Rasner, and researchers Tim DeLuca, Kate Radville, Norma Hancock, Melissa Feller, and KaRynn Sheranian. Two colleagues from schools where the SAiL Lab has conducted their research also attended the conference: Tim Borges and Margaret Goldberg. Borges is the executive director of literacy and academic intervention services for New York City Public Schools, and Goldberg is a literacy coach at Nystrom Elementary School in Richmond, California. 

Together, they presented research on how to improve literacy skills in school-age children, through better assessments and interventions.  

When not participating in sessions throughout the four-day conference, attendees from the MGH Institute explored the city of Copenhagen and networked with colleagues conducting research on literacy around the world. 

“A major takeaway from the conference is the importance of researchers working together with school-based educators to ensure the work we do is immediately applicable to children,” Hogan said.