Dr. Perry Klein, PhD

Professor - Applied Psychology

Dr. Perry Klein, PhD

Professor - Applied Psychology

I lead a research team investigating “Early Intervention in Writing.” This project, funded by a SSHRC Insight Grant, takes an evidence-based approach to four questions: How can we teach writing strategies and self-regulation to beginning writers? How can we make writing education more effective for struggling writers, including students with learning disabilities? How can writing instruction be organized to make it inclusive and effective? How should instruction in written expression, spelling, and handwriting/keyboarding be sequenced, balanced and integrated?

I began my career as a teacher in North York, Ontario. I completed a PhD in Applied Educational Psychology at the Centre for Applied Cognitive Science at the University of Toronto. I teach courses in educational psychology, and literacy education for struggling readers and writers. I am currently accepting graduate students in School and Applied Child Psychology.

Research

Klein, P. D., Archibald, L. M., & Tucker, W. A. “Early intervention in writing.” Social Science and Humanities Research Canada Insight Grant. Funded for $238,307.00. March 15, 2018 to March 31, 2023. File number 435-2018-1299.

Klein, P. D. “Can cognitive load theory be used to support nonfiction writing?” Funded for $114, 252. Social Science and Humanities Research Canada Insight Grant. April 01, 2012 to March 31, 2016. Extended to March 31, 2017.

Recent Publications

Klein, P. D., Casola, M., Dombroski, J. D., Giese, C., Sha, K W.-Y., & Thompson, S. C. (early online). Response to intervention in virtual classrooms with beginning writers. Reading & Writing Quarterly

Klein, P. D. (in press). Response to Cummins: The OHRC Right to Read Report will move Ontario into the 21st century. Journal of Teaching and Learning.  

Klein, P., Bildfell, A., Dombroski, J. D., Giese, C., Sha, K. W.-Y., & Thompson, S. C. (2022). Self-regulation in early writing strategy instruction. Reading & Writing Quarterly38(2), 101-125.

Klein, P. D. (2020). Integrating social and psychological perspectives on writing as a learning activity. In Charles Bazerman et al. (Eds.), Conocer la escrita: investigación más allá de las fronteras / Knowing Writing: Writing Research Across Borders (pp. 399-422). Bogota, Colombia: Pontifica Universidad Javeriana and the Writing Across the Curriculum Clearinghouse.

Klein, P. D., Bildfell, A., Archibald, L. M. D. & Auckland, K. (2019, April). Early intervention in writing: Recent research on what works. Presentation at Faculty Research Partners Day. Faculty of Education. London, Ontario, Canada.

Klein, P. D. & van Dijk, A. (2019). Writing as a learning activity. In J. Dunlosky & K. Rawson (Eds.), Cambridge Handbook of Cognition and Education (pp. 266-29). Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, MA.

Haug, K. N. & Klein, P. D. (2018). Learning a writing strategy through speech-to-text software versus handwriting. Reading & Writing Quarterly, 18, 47-62.

Klein, P. D., Haug, K. N., & Bildfell, A. (2018). Best practices in writing to learn. In S. Graham, C. A. MacArthur, & M. Hebert (Eds.), Best practices in writing instruction (3rd ed.; pp. 162-184). New York, NY: The Guilford Press.

Klein, P. D. (2017, October). Writing strategy instruction with the Thames Valley District School Board: What have we learned? Presentation at Faculty Research Partners Day. Faculty of Education. London, Ontario, Canada.

Klein, P. D. (2017, May). Three approaches to collaborating with classroom teachers on writing strategy instruction. Invited talk for research meeting of school speech and language pathologists. Elmhurst Inn and Spa, Ingersoll, Ontario, Canada.

Klein, P. D. (2017, February). Integrating social and psychological perspectives on writing as a learning activity. Plenary talk at Writing Research Across Borders, Meeting of the International Society for the Advancement of Writing Research, Bogota, Colombia.

Arcon, N., Klein, P. D., & Dombroski, J. (2017). Effects of dictation, speech to text, and handwriting on the written composition of English Language Learners. Reading & Writing Quarterly, 33, 533-8.

Klein, P. D., Haug, K. N. & Arcon, N. (2017). The effects of rhetorical and content subgoals on writing and learning. Journal of Experimental Education, 85(2), 291-308.

Klein, P. D., Arcon, N., & Baker, S. (2016). Writing to learn. In C. MacArthur, S. Graham, & J. Fitzgerald (Eds.), Handbook of writing research (2nd edition; pp. 243-256). New York, NY: The Guilford Press.

Klein, P. D., & Haug, K. (2016, July). Writing strategy instruction with forward and backward chaining: Effects on cognitive load and text quality. Paper presented at the European Association for Learning and Instruction, SIG Writing Conference, Liverpool, United Kingdom.

Kirkpatrick, L. C. & Klein, P. D. (2016). High-achieving high school students’ strategies for writing from Internet-based sources of information. Journal of Writing Research, 8(1), 1-47.

Klein, P. D., & Boscolo, P. (2016). Trends in research on writing as a learning activity. Journal of Writing Research, 7(3), 311-350.

 

Teaching and Supervision

Courses

E5437 Supporting Primary and Junior Learners who Struggle with Reading and Writing

E9526 Psychology in Education: Issues, Theories and Practices

Recent Theses

Haug, Katrina. Speech-to-text and the Struggling writer: Effects on learning a new writing strategy. In progress.

Bildfell, Ashley. Assessing self-regulation in Grade 1 writers: An evaluation of the reliability and validity of the Interview on Self-Regulation in Early Writing. (Ph.D. thesis). Western University, London, Canada. Defended June, 2021.

Haug, Katrina. The effect of speech-to-text software on learning a new writing strategy. (M.A. thesis). Western University, London, Canada. Defended June, 2016.

Arcon, Nina. Training the dragon: Facilitating English language learner (ELL) students’ persuasive writing through dictation. (M.A. thesis). Western University, London, Canada. Defended October, 2015.

Knowledge Mobilization

Klein, P. D. (2022). From effective intervention to early intervention: New research on teaching struggling beginning writers. Virtual Conference of the Learning Disabilities Association of Canada. October 21, 2022.

Buckingham, J., Cunningham, T. Joanisse, M., Klein, P. & Malcolm, U, & Smith, A. (2022). The Right to Read Inquiry: Responding to Opposition 2022. Panel discussion hosted by International Dyslexia Association.  

Klein, P. D. (2021). How to teach writing to Grade 1 kids: New strategies for teachers and parents. The Conversation, Link 149309 .