Edmond J. Safra Brain Research Center for the Study of Learning Disabilities, University of Haifa

The Edmond J. Safra Brain Research Center for the Study of Learning Disabilities at the University of Haifa is an international leader in its field, pursuing cutting-edge research in reading and writing, numerical cognition, and motor skills and learning. The Center implements its findings through the development of novel pedagogical tools to improve reading and numeracy skills in classrooms throughout the world, enabling teachers to diagnose, intervene, and help all students reach their academic potential.

The Edmond J. Safra Center has recently led a pioneering study that follows the evolution of the academic, cognitive, and emotional abilities of children in both the Hebrew- and Arabic-speaking communities in Israel, from kindergarten to second grade. The study charts the natural course of early development in reading, writing, and arithmetic; identifies kindergarten precursors of later learning difficulties; and examines children who face multiple simultaneous learning challenges (literacy, numeracy, language, and attention). The study has been tracking over 2,000 Hebrew- and Arabic-speaking children and will continue to follow them through the sixth grade.