Rauno K. Parrila

Professor

Educational Psychology
rauno.parrila@ualberta.ca

See Reading Research Laboratory website at rrl.educ.ualberta.ca for more information

Research and Interests

Dr. Rauno Parrila received his Ph.D. from University of Alberta in 1996 with specialization in Learning and Development. After graduating from University of Alberta, Dr. Parrila worked as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Queen’s University in Kingston, and as an Associate Professor of Educational and Cognitive Psychology at the University of Tromsø, Norway. He is a member of Special Education area.

Dr. Parrila is interested in psychological, linguistic, and social correlates of both typical and atypical development of academic skills, particularly reading. Dr. Parrila’s current research projects examine (a) the cognitive, linguistic, and social compensation mechanisms of high-functioning adult dyslexics, (b) linguistic and cognitive correlates of individual differences in reading acquisition, (c) the development and remediation of different subtypes of developmental dyslexias, and (d) the effect of seductive details in text or pictures on comprehension and retention of central information when reading expository texts. He also has a keen interest in identification and remediation of reading, attention, and problem solving difficulties in children.

His research has been funded by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Canadian Language and Literacy Research Network, and Norwegian Research Council.

Some Recent Publications

Roman, A., Parrila, R., Kirby, J. R., Wade-Woolley, L., & Deacon, S. H. (in press). Towards a comprehensive view of the skills involved in word reading in grades 4, 6, and 8. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology.

Georgiou, G. K., Parrila, R., & Papadopoulos, T. C. (in press). Predictors of word decoding and reading fluency across languages varying in orthographic consistency. Journal of Educational Psychology.

Deacon, S. H., Parrila, R., & Kirby, J. R. (in press). A review of evidence on morphological processing in dyslexics and poor readers. In A. Fawcett, F. Manis, G. Reid, & L. Siegel (eds.), Dyslexia Handbook. Sage Publications.

Georgiou, G., Parrila, R., & Liao, C,-H., (in press). Rapid naming speed and reading across languages that vary in orthographic consistency. Reading & Writing.

Georgiou, G., Parrila, R., Kirby, J. R. & Stephenson, K. (in press). Rapid naming components and their relationship with phonological awareness, orthographic knowledge, speed of processing, and different reading outcomes. Scientific Studies of Reading.

Liao, C.-H., Georgiou, G., & Parrila, R. (in press). Rapid naming speed and Chinese character recognition. Reading & Writing.

Kirby, J. R., Silvestri, R., Allingham, B., Parrila, R. & La Fave, C. (2008). Learning strategies and study approaches of college and university students with dyslexia. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 41, 85-96.

Stephenson, K. A., Parrila, R. K., Georgiou, G. K. (2008). Effects of Home Literacy, Parents’ Beliefs, and Children’s Task-Focused Behaviour on Emergent Literacy and Word Reading Skills. Scientific Studies of Reading, 12, 24-50.

Corkett, J., Parrila, R., & Hein, S. (2007) Learning and study strategies of high-functioning developmental dyslexics in post-secondary education. Developmental Disabilities Bulletin, 34, 57-79.

Parrila, R., Georgiou, G., & Corkett, J. (2007). University students with a significant history of reading difficulties: What is and is not compensated? Exceptionality Education Canada, 17, 195-220.

Deacon, S. H. Parrila, R., & Kirby, J. R. (2006). Processing of derived forms in high-functioning dyslexics. Annals of Dyslexia, 56, 103-128.

Georgiou, G. K., Parrila, R., & Kirby, J. R. (2006). Rapid naming speed components and early reading acquisition. Scientific Studies of Reading, 10, 199-220.

Parrila, R., Aunola, K., Leskinen, E., Nurmi, J.E., & Kirby, J. R. (2005). Development of individual differences in reading: Results from longitudinal studies in English and Finnish. Journal of Educational Psychology, 97, 299-319.

Parrila, R. K., Kirby, J. R., McQuarrie, L. (2004). Articulation rate, naming speed, verbal short-term memory, and phonological awareness: Longitudinal predictors of early reading development? Scientific Studies of Reading, 8, 3-26.

Kirby, J. R., Parrila, R. K. & Pfeiffer, S. L. (2003). Naming speed and phonological awareness as predictors of reading development. Journal of Educational Psychology, 95, 452-464.

Papadopoulos, T. C., Das, J. P., Parrila, R. K. & Kirby, J. R. (2003). Children at-risk for developing reading difficulties: A remediation study. School Psychology International, 24, 356-382.

Courses Taught

• EDPY 458  Advanced Assessment and Instruction of Exceptional Learners 
• EDPY 549  Advanced Assessment and Intervention for Reading Disabilities 
• EDPY 560  Seminar on Research in Special Education 
• EDPY 697  Special Seminars: Research in Special Education 
• EDPY 697  Special Seminars: Advanced Research in Special Education