Personal profile
Current research
CE's main research areas are reading and reading difficulties, including dyslexia and specific comprehension difficulties. He also works on the development of methods in applied psycholinguistics.
CE is a member of the editorial boards of Scientific Studies of Reading and Annals of Dyslexia, he is also on the scientific board of Mål og Mæle. He is the founder of Centre for Reading Research at the University of Copenhagen, and Dansk Videnscenter for Ordblindhed ('The Danish Dyslexia Information Centre').
Selected research projects
In Search of Early Predictors of Reading Comprehension Difficulties in Chinese Hong Kong (Co-Investigator, PI: Connie Ho), Hong Kong Research Grants Council, #17614517. Sep. 2017-Sep. 2020.
An investigation of causal relationship between reading comprehension difficulties and inference abilities. (Co-investigator, PI: Yuhtsuen Tzeng), Taiwan. Taiwan Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST). Aug. 2017 - July 2020.
Enrichment of poor readers. (Co-investigator, PI: Nicolai Kristensen, VIVE). The Danish Research Council 1/4 2019-1/4 2023.
What is in ba, be, bi, bo, bu, etc.? A cross-linguistic study of verbal learning and blending (Co-Investigator, PI: Barbara Arfé). Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova. 1/10 2019 – 31/12 2020.
Courses
Læsning 1 (literacy)
Læsning 2 (literacy difficulties)
Sprog og psykologi 2 (language and psychology): Introduction to psycholinguistics
CV
Academic qualifications
- MA, Danish and English (1984), University of Copenhagen.
- Dr. phil. (1990) thesis “Differences in dyslexia”. University of Copenhagen.
Academic career
- Since1997 Professor of applied linguistics at University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
- 2015 Visiting Professor at Université de Paris.
- 2004-2010 Professor II at the reading research centre at University of Stavanger, Norway.
- 1992-1997 Research professor, University of Copenhagen.
- 1982-1986 Teaching assistant, The Royal School of Educational Studies.
- 1998 Founder of Centre for Reading Research, University of Copenhagen.
- 1993 Founder of The Danish Information Centre for Dyslexia.
CE has acted as participant and chair on several committees for the Danish Ministry of Education and the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Development: e.g., the committee on quality in education with regard to reading (1992-93), the teaching material prize committee (1994-2006); the committee for the preparation of a national plan of action to develop reading abilities (2005).
He has been the advisor of 7 successful PhD students and participated in doctoral examination committees in 7 different countries, and co-organised 3 European graduate summer schools.
Keywords
- Faculty of Humanities
- Reading
- Reading difficulties
- Reading comprehension difficulties
- Psycholinguistics
- Dyslexia
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
-
Styrket indsats mod ordblindhed i 1. klasse giver færre ordblinde i 3. klasse
Gellert, A. S., Elbro, C., Petersen, D. K., Borstrøm, I. & Poulsen, M., 2026, Københavns Universitet: Center for LæseforskningResearch output: Other contribution › Communication
File417 Downloads (Pure) -
Læsning
Gellert, A. S. & Elbro, C., 2025, Lex: Danmarks Nationalleksikon. lex.dk - Danmarks NationalleksikonResearch output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Encyclopedia chapter › Communication
Open Access -
Ordblindetesten hele året. Teknisk rapport
Juul, H., Elbro, C. & Poulsen, M., 19 Dec 2025, 21 p.Research output: Book/Report › Report › Research
File710 Downloads (Pure) -
Rapport om projekt vedrørende tidlig opsporing og indsats mod ordblindhed
Gellert, A. S., Elbro, C., Petersen, D. K., Borstrøm, I., Poulsen, M. & Stidsen, M., 2025, København: Center for Læseforskning, Københavns Universitet. 72 p.Research output: Book/Report › Report › Research
Open AccessFile432 Downloads (Pure) -
Children’s understanding of referential nominal metaphors: a path to the heart of text comprehension
Seigneuric, A., Elbro, C., Oakhill, J. & Megherbi, H., 2024, In: Discourse Processes. 61, 9, p. 462–477Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
-
Ordblindhed
Elbro, C. & Gellert, A. S., 2024, Lex: Danmarks Nationalleksikon. København: lex.dk - Danmarks NationalleksikonResearch output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Encyclopedia chapter › Research
Open Access -
Rapport om projekt vedrørende udvikling og afprøvning af ordblindetest til elever med begrænset dansk ordforråd
Gellert, A. S., Elbro, C. & Stidsen, M., 2024, 58 p.Research output: Book/Report › Report › Research
Open AccessFile258 Downloads (Pure) -
Tidlig indsats mod ordblindhed – en effektundersøgelse med elever i 1. klasse
Gellert, A. S., Petersen, D. K., Borstrøm, I., Poulsen, M. & Elbro, C., 2024, In: NyS - Nydanske Sprogstudier. 66, p. 36-65Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile23 Downloads (Pure)
Activities
-
Text structure understanding as a causal factor in reading comprehension
Elbro, C. (Keynote)
18 Nov 2023Activity: Talk or presentation types › Lecture and oral contribution
-
Inference making as a causal factor in reading comprehension
Elbro, C. (Keynote)
17 Nov 2023Activity: Talk or presentation types › Lecture and oral contribution
-
Learning to read syllables. - A longitudinal study using dynamic assessment in a shallow and a deep orthography
Elbro, C. (Lecturer) & Arfé, B. (Lecturer)
20 Jul 2023Activity: Talk or presentation types › Lecture and oral contribution
-
Effects of inference training on reading comprehension– what works and why?
Elbro, C. (Keynote)
Jun 2023Activity: Talk or presentation types › Lecture and oral contribution
-
Børne- og Undervisningsministeriet (External organisation)
Elbro, C. (Member)
1 Apr 2023 → 30 Sept 2023Activity: Membership types › Membership in committee, council, board
-
Læsevanskeligheder. Hvad ved vi, og hvad ved vi ikke?
Elbro, C. (Keynote)
14 Sept 2022Activity: Talk or presentation types › Lecture and oral contribution
-
Medier kommer og går. Læsning består
Elbro, C. (Keynote)
25 Nov 2021Activity: Talk or presentation types › Lecture and oral contribution
-
Changing demands for reading ability and how teaching can help students meet them
Elbro, C. (Keynote)
4 Aug 2019Activity: Talk or presentation types › Lecture and oral contribution