Pelusa Orellana, Associate Researcher at the Human Development Lab and faculty member at Universidad de los Andes (Chile), presented two research papers at the Literacy Research Association (LRA) Conference, held in Las Vegas, United States, from December 3 to 7.
The LRA Conference is one of the leading international academic forums on literacy research, bringing together scholars from around the world to discuss advances in reading development, assessment, and instruction.
The first paper, “Cultural and Language Awareness in Reading Assessment,” was co-authored with Carolina Melo, also a researcher at the Human Development Lab, and presented at the conference by Orellana. The study examines the adaptation of the DIALECT reading assessment across different Latin American contexts, focusing on how linguistic and cultural adjustments can be implemented while maintaining the instrument’s validity and reliability. Based on applications in Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Mexico, the research proposes a structured protocol for adapting vocabulary, expressions, cultural references, and audio components without altering text difficulty or compromising comparability.
Orellana’s second presentation, “Context Matters: An Examination of How Literacy Clinics Elicit Student Growth,” analyzed student learning gains associated with participation in literacy clinics in the United States. The study explores how instructional context and targeted literacy interventions contribute to improvements in students’ reading outcomes, highlighting the role of structured and individualized support.
