John Kirby smiling at the camera with a grey background

John Kirby

Professor Emeritus of Psychology of Education

Faculty

People Directory Affiliation Category

BA (McGill), PhD (Alberta)

Professor Emeritus of Psychology of Education, Graduate Faculty
Cross-Appointed to Psychology and the Centre for Neuroscience Studies

Research Interests

  • Cognitive processes in reading
  • Learning disabilities
  • Spatial cognition
  • Educational psychology

Biography

Dr. John Kirby earned an Honours degree in Psychology at McGill University (1972) and a PhD in Educational Psychology at the University of Alberta (1976). He taught in Australia for eleven years in the Faculty of Education at the University of Newcastle. In 1987 he returned to Canada to Queen's University where he was Professor of Educational Psychology in the Faculty of Education, cross-appointed to the Department of Psychology, and a member of the Centre for Neuroscience Studies. He is a member of the Cognitive Studies group and a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science. He was named Professor Emeritus in 2014.

Dr. Kirby's research concerns the applications of cognitive psychology to educational issues and has three major thrusts:

  • Cognitive processes underlying successful reading. Processes such as phonological awareness, naming speed, orthographic processing, and morphological awareness are examined in learning to read. Other research concerns reading to learn, addressing comprehension processes and instructional conditions. This research has been supported by grants from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and has involved numerous graduate students.
  • Conceptions of learning. This research explores students' and workers' understanding of learning, for instance with regard to deep and surface learning, lifelong learning, and self-regulated learning, and the effects these conceptions have on the quality of learning in school and the workplace. Current topics include critical thinking, continuing professional education, and the use of information technology in learning.
  • Spatial cognition. This research investigates how students learn to use and think about maps, graphs and three-dimensional visual displays.

Dr. Kirby taught in the Educational Psychology/Cognitive Studies area. At the graduate level, his courses included Cognitive Studies, Psychological Foundations of Learning, Psychology of Reading and Psychology of Learning Disabilities, as well as Quantitative Research Methods. He continues to advise and supervise students at the Honours, Master's, and Doctoral levels. His students have a strong record of completion and success, and have won thesis prizes.

Professional Activities

Member of editorial boards for:

  • Journal of Research in Reading
  • Scientific Studies of Reading

Publications since 1991

Kirby, J. R. (2023). The reading wars, reading science, and the right to read. Knowledge Forum, 15-16. Faculty of Education, Queen’s University.

Kirby, J. R. (in press). Morphology in reading and writing. English version of Η Μορφολογία στην Ανάγνωση και Γραφή. In S. Tsesmeli & G. Manolitsis (Eds.), Morphological processes in written language acquisition for the Greek language. Epikentron, Thessaloniki, Greece.

Georgiou, G. K., Vieira, A. P. A., Rothou, K. M., Kirby, J. R., Antoniuk, A., Martinez, D., & Kan, G. (2023). A meta-analysis of morphological awareness deficits in developmental dyslexia. Scientific Studies of Reading, 27(3), 253-271. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888438.2022.2155524

Li, M., Georgiou, G., Kirby, J. R., Frijters, J. C., Zhao, W., & Wang, T. (in press). Reading fluency in children with reading disabilities and/or ADHD: A key role for morphology. Journal of Learning Disabilities. https://doi.org/10.1177/00222194221131569

Li, M., Chan, J. S., & Kirby, J. R. (in press). The summary writing performance of bilingual learners with reading difficulties. Annals of Dyslexia, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11881-022-00258-0

Merchant, S., Kirby, J. R. & Klinger, D. (2023). Assessment of self-regulation in Ontario secondary schools. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 69(1), 20-40. https://doi.org/10.11575/ajer.v69i1.72647

Uyar, M., Kirby, J. R., Maclean, J. J., & Eriksen, J. L. (2023). Phonological memory and naming speed predict response to intervention in elementary school-aged children with word-level reading difficulties. Global Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 11(2), 555810. https://doi.org/10.19080/GJIDD.2023.11.555810

Das, J. P. & Kirby, J. R. (2022). The story of PASS Theory: Origin and applications. Academia Letters, Article 5196. https://doi.org/10.20935/AL5196.

Li, M., Kirby, J. R., Geva, E., Koh, P., & Zhang, H. (2022). Profiles of poor decoders, poor comprehenders, and typically-developing readers in adolescents learning English as a second language. Journal of Learning Disabilities. doi:10.1177/00222194211023200

Merchant, S., Klinger, D., & Kirby, J. R. (2022). Assessing Learning Skills and Work Habits: What do report cards tell us? Canadian Journal of Education, 45 (3), 670-702.

Al Dahhan, N. Z., Kirby, J. R., Hung, R., Johns, C. A., Coe, B. C., Armstrong, I., Munoz, D. P. (2021). Eye movements of dyslexic and average readers in meaningful and pseudoword passage reading

Kirby, J. R., Georgiou, G. K., Chen, X., Parrila, R. & Das, J. P. (2021). Professor C. K. Leong: in memoriam. Annals of Dyslexia, 71, 1–4.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s11881-021-00216-2

Kotzer, M., Kirby, J. R., & Heggie, L. (2021). Morphological awareness predicts reading comprehension in adults. Reading Psychology, 42(3), 302-322. https://doi.org/10.1080/02702711.2021.1888362

Tibi, S., Edwards, A. A., Schatschneider, C., Lombardino, L. J., Kirby, J. R., & Salha, S. H. (2021). IRT analyses of Arabic letter knowledge in Kindergarten. Reading and Writing, 34, 791–816. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-020-10086-6

Kirby, J. R. & Merchant, S. (2021). Assessment for learning and self-regulation. In L. Zhang (Ed.), Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Education (Vol. 1, pp. 66-91). New York: Oxford University Press. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190264093.013.933

Easson, K., Al Dahhan, N., Brien, D. C., Kirby, J. R., & Munoz, D. (2020). Developmental trends of visual processing of letters and objects using naming speed tasks. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 14:562712. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.562712

Al Dahhan, N. Z., Kirby, J. R., Brien, D. C., Gupta, R., Harrison, A., & Munoz, D. P. (2020). Understanding the biological basis of dyslexia at a neural systems level. Brain Communications, fcaa173, https://doi.org/10.1093/braincomms/fcaa173

Tibi, S., Edwards, A. A., Schatschneider, C., & Kirby, J. R. (2020). Predicting Arabic word reading: A cross-classified generalized random-effects analysis. Annals of Dyslexia, 70, 200-219. DOI: 10.1007/s11881-020-00193-y

Al Dahhan, N. Z., Kirby, J. R., Chen, Y., Brien, D. C. & Munoz. D. P. (2020). Examining the neural and cognitive processes that underlie reading through naming speed tasks. European Journal of Neuroscience, 51, 2277–2298.

Chan, J. S., Wade-Woolley, L., Heggie, L., & Kirby, J. R. (2019). Understanding prosody and morphology in school-age children’s reading. Reading and Writing: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 33, 1295–1324. doi.org/10.1007/s11145-019-10005-4

Beach, P., Kirby, J. R., McDonald, P., & McConnel, J. (2019). How do elementary teachers study and learn from a multimedia model of reading development? An exploratory eye-tracking study. Canadian Journal of Education, 42, 1022-1058.

Kirby, J. R. (2019). Word knowledge quality and literacy. In J. Orrell & H. Askell-Williams (Eds.), Problem solving for teaching and learning: A festschrift in honour of Emeritus Professor Mike Lawson (pp. 48-66). New York: Routledge.

Tibi, S., Tock, J. L. & Kirby, J. R. (2019). The development of a measure of root awareness to account for reading performance in the Arabic language: A development and validation study. Applied Psycholinguistics, 40, 303-322.

Inoue, T., Georgiou, G. K., Parrila, R., & Kirby, J. R. (2018). Examining an extended home literacy model: The mediating roles of emergent literacy skills and reading fluency. Scientific Studies of Reading, 22, 273-288.

Kirby, J. R. & Bowers, P. N. (2018). The effects of morphological instruction on vocabulary learning, reading, and spelling. In R. Berthiaume, D. Daigle, & A. Desrochers (Eds.), Morphological processing and literacy development: Current issues and research (pp. 217-243). New York: Routledge.

Tibi, S. & Kirby, J. R. (2018). Investigating phonological awareness and naming speed as predictors of reading in Arabic. Scientific Studies of Reading, 22, 70-84

Youmans, A. S., Kirby, J. R., & Freeman, J. G. (2017). How effectively does the full-day, play-based kindergarten program in Ontario promote self-regulation, literacy, and numeracy? Early Child Development and Care, DOI:10.1080/03004430.2017.1287177

Tibi, S. & Kirby, J. R. (2017). Morphological awareness: Construct and predictive validity in Arabic. Applied Psycholinguistics, 38, 1019-1043.

Kirby, J. R. & Bowers, P. N. (2017). Morphological instruction and literacy: Binding phonological, orthographic, and semantic features of words. In K. Cain, D. L. Compton, & R. K. Parrila, (Eds.), Theories of reading development (pp 437-462). Amsterdam, NL: John Benjamins Publishing Company.

Al Dahhan, N. Z., Kirby, J. R., Brien, D. C. & Munoz, D. P. (2017). Eye movements and pause/articulation times during a letter naming speed task: Children with and without dyslexia. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 50, 275-285.

Al Dahhan, N. Z., Kirby, J. R., & Munoz, D. P. (2016). Understanding reading and reading difficulties: Bridging the gaps between neuroscience, cognition, and education. AERA Open, 2, 1–15.

van Zon, L,. Kirby, J. R., & Anderson, N. D. (2016). The efficacy of a volunteer-administered cognitive stimulation program in long-term care homes. International Psychogeriatrics, 28, 995-1004.

Kwiatkowska-White, B., Kirby, J. R., & Lee, E. (2016). A longitudinal study of reading comprehension achievement from grades 3 to 10: Investigating stability, cumulative and compensatory models. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 34, 153 –165.

Simper, N., Reeve, R. & Kirby, J. R. (2016). Effects of concept mapping on creativity in photo stories. Creativity Research Journal, 28, 46–51.

Al Dahhan, N. Z., Brien, D. C., Kirby, J. R., & Munoz, D. P. (2015). Saccadic eye movements and neural correlates involved during letter and object naming speed tasks. Journal of Eye Movement Research, 8 (1), 87. (European Conference on Eye Movements Meeting Abstract).

Al Dahhan, N., Georgiou, G., K., Hung, R., Munoz, D., Parrila, R., & Kirby, J. R. (2014). Eye-movements of university students with and without reading difficulties during naming speed tasks. Annals of Dyslexia, 64, 137–150.

Li, M. & Kirby, J. R. (2015). The effects of vocabulary breadth and depth on second language reading. Applied Linguistics, 36, 611-634.

Papadopoulos, T. C., Parrila, R. K., & Kirby, J. R. (Eds.) (2014). Cognition, intelligence, and achievement: A tribute to J. P. Das. Elsevier.

Kirby, J. R., Kim, H.-J., & Silvestri, R. (2014). Cognitive constructs and individual differences underlying AD/HD and dyslexia: A Cognitive Mosaic approach. In T. C. Papadopoulos, R.  K. Parrila, & J. R. Kirby (Eds.), Cognition, Intelligence, and Achievement: A Tribute to J. P. Das. New York: Academic Press.

Li, M. & Kirby, J. R. (2014). Unexpected poor comprehenders among adolescent ESL students. Scientific Studies of Reading, 18, 75-93.

Papadopoulos, T. C., Parrila, R. K. & Kirby, J. R. (2014). Introduction to cognition, intelligence, and achievement. In T. C. Papadopoulos, R.  K. Parrila, & J. R. Kirby (Eds.), Cognition, Intelligence, and Achievement: A Tribute to J. P. Das. New York: Academic Press.

Papadopoulos, T. C., Parrila, R. K. & Kirby, J. R. (2014). Retrospect and prospect. In T. C. Papadopoulos, R.  K. Parrila, & J. R. Kirby (Eds.), Cognition, Intelligence, and Achievement: A Tribute to J. P. Das. New York: Academic Press.

Steacy, L. M., Kirby, J. R., Parrila, R. & Compton, D. L. (2014). Classification of Double Deficit groups across time: An analysis of group stability from Kindergarten to second grade. Scientific Studies of Reading, 18, 255-273.

Al Dahhan, N., Brien, D. C., Kirby, J. R., & Munoz, D. P. (2012). Saccadic eye movements in young adults performing a letter naming speed task and reading (abstract). Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology, 66, 290.

Lawson, M. J. & Kirby, J. R. (2012). Introduction. In J. R. Kirby & M. J. Lawson (Eds.), Enhancing the quality of learning: Dispositions, instruction, and learning processes. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Kirby, J. R. & Lawson, M. J. (2012). Future directions. In J. R. Kirby & M. J. Lawson (Eds.), Enhancing the quality of learning: Dispositions, instruction, and learning processes. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Kirby, J. R. & Lawson, M. J. (Eds.) (2012). Enhancing the quality of learning: Dispositions, instruction, and learning processes. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Li, M. & Kirby, J. R. (2012). Breadth and depth of vocabulary knowledge in second language reading. In Avery, J. S. & Stewart, M. H. (Eds.), Language learning: New research. Hauppauge, NY: Nova Publishers.

Kirby, J. R. & Bowers, P. N. (2012). Morphology works: Research into practice. What Works: Research into Practice. Research Monograph #41. Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat, Ontario. www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/inspire/research/WW_Morphology.pdf

Kirby, J. R., Deacon, S. H., Bowers, P. N., Izenberg, L., Wade-Woolley, L., Parrila, R. (2012). Children’s morphological awareness and reading ability. Reading and Writing: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 25, 389-410.

Li, M., Kirby, J. R., Cheng, L., Wade-Woolley, L., & Qiang, H. (2012). Cognitive predictors of English reading achievement in Chinese English-immersion students. Reading Psychology, 33, 423-447.

Georgiou, G. K., Parrila, R., Manolitsis, G., & Kirby, J. R. (2011). Examining the importance of assessing Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN) speed for the identification of children with reading disabilities. Learning Disabilities: A Contemporary Journal, 9, 45-66.

Li, M., Kirby, J. R., & Georgiou, G. (2011). RAN components and reading comprehension in bilingual children. Journal of Research in Reading, 34, 6-22.

Deacon, S. H., Whalen, R. & Kirby, J. R. (2011). Do children see the danger in dangerous? Grade 4, 6, and 8 children’s reading of morphologically complex words. Applied Psycholinguistics, 32, 467-481.

Kirby, J. R., Ball, A., Geier, B. K., Parrila, R., & Wade-Woolley, L. (2011). The development of reading interest and its relation to reading ability. Journal of Research in Reading, 34, 263-280.

Tong, X., Deacon, S. H., Kirby, J. R., Cain, K. & Parrila, R. (2011). Morphological awareness: A key to understanding poor reading comprehension in English. Journal of Educational Psychology, 103, 523-534.

Kirby, J. R., Georgiou, G. K., Martinussen, R., & Parrila, R. (2010). Naming speed and reading: From prediction to instruction. Reading Research Quarterly, 45, 341–362.

Kirby, J. R., Knapper, C., Lamon, P., & Egnatoff, W. J. (2010). Development of a scale to measure lifelong learning. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 29, 291-302.

Bowers, P. N., Kirby, J. R., & Deacon, S. H. (2010). The effects of morphological instruction on literacy skills: A systematic review of the literature. Review of Educational Research, 80, 144-179.

Deacon, S. H., Campbell, E., Tamminga, M., & Kirby, J. R. (2010). Seeing the harm in harmed and harmful: Morphological processing by children in grades 4, 6, and 8. Applied Psycholinguistics, 31, 759-775.

Bowers, P. N. & Kirby, J. R. (2010). Effects of morphological instruction on vocabulary acquisition. Reading and Writing: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 23, 515–537.

Georgiou, G. K., Parrila, R., & Kirby, J. R. (2009). RAN components and reading development from grade 3 to grade 5: What underlies their relationship? Scientific Studies of Reading, 13, 508-534.

Kirby, J. R. (2009). Not learning to read: Diversity among children with reading difficulties. In J. Lupart, A. McKeough, M. Porath, L. Phillips & V. Timmons (Eds.), The challenges of student diversity in Canadian schools: Essays on building a better future for exceptional children. Markham, ON: Fitzhenry & Whiteside.

Deacon, S. H., Wade-Woolley, L. & Kirby, J. R. (2009). Flexibility in young second-language learners: examining the language specificity of orthographic processing. Journal of Research in Reading, 32, 215-229.

Roman, A. A., Kirby, J. R., Parrila, R., Wade-Woolley, L. & Deacon, S. H. (2009). Towards a comprehensive view of the skills involved in word reading in Grades 4, 6, and 8. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 102, 96-113.

Deacon, S. H., Parrila, R. & Kirby, J. R. (2008). A review of the evidence on morphological processing in dyslexics and poor readers: A strength or weakness? In G. Reid, A. Fawcett, F. Manis, & L. Siegel (Eds.), The Sage Handbook of Dyslexia (pp. 212-237). UK: Sage Publications.

Kirby, J. R. & Hogan, B. (2008). Family literacy environment and early literacy development. Exceptionality Education Canada, 18, 112-130.

Georgiou, G. K., Parrila, R., Kirby, J. R., & Stephenson, K. (2008). Rapid naming components and their relationship with phonological awareness, orthographic knowledge, speed of processing, and different reading outcomes. Scientific Studies of Reading, 12, 325-350.

Desrochers, A., Kirby, J. R., & Thompson, G. (2008). Le développement de la lecture orale chez l’enfant. Canadian Psychology, 49, 111-117.

Kirby, J. R. & Savage, R. S. (2008). Can the Simple View deal with the complexities of reading? Literacy, 42, 75-82.

Kirby, J. R., Desrochers, A., Roth, L., & Lai, S. S. Y. (2008). Longitudinal predictors of word reading development. Canadian Psychology, 49, 103-110.

Stephenson, K. A., Parrila, R. K., Georgiou, G. K., & Kirby, J. R. (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..

Kirby, J. R. (2008). Mental representations, cognitive strategies, and individual differences in learning with animation. In R. Lowe and W. Schnotz (Eds.), Learning with animation: Research implications for design. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

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

Kirby, J. R. (2007). Reading comprehension: Its nature and development. In Encyclopedia of Language and Literacy Development. Canadian Language and Literacy Research Network.

Kirby, J. R. (2007). Higher education students with reading and writing difficulties. Exceptionality Education Canada, 17, 129-134.

David, D., Wade-Woolley, L., Kirby, J. R. & Smithrim, K. (2007). Rhythm and reading development in school-age children: A longitudinal study. Journal of Research in Reading, 30, 169-183.

Deacon, S. H., Wade-Woolley, L. & Kirby, J. R. (2007). Cross-over: The role of morphological awareness in French immersion children's reading. Developmental Psychology, 43, 732-746.

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

Johnston, T. C. & Kirby, J. R. (2006). The contribution of naming speed to the simple view of reading. Reading and Writing, 19, 339-361.

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. K., 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.

MacCoubrey, S. J., Wade-Woolley, L., Klinger, D. & Kirby, J. R. (2004). Early identification of at-risk readers in a second language. Canadian Modern Language Review, 61, 11-28.

Delva, M. D., Kirby, J. R., Schultz, K. & Godwin, M. (2004). Assessing the relationship of learning approaches to workplace climate in clerkship and residency. Academic Medicine, 79, 1120-1126.

Schultz, K. W., Kirby, J. R., Delva, D., Godwin, M., Verma, S., Birwhistle, R. & Knapper, C. (2004). Medical students' and residents' preferred site characteristics and preceptor behaviours for learning in the ambulatory setting: A cross-sectional survey. BMC Medical Education, 4:12. (available at http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6920/4/12)

Deacon, S. H. & Kirby, J.R. (2004). Morphological: Is it more than phonological? Evaluating the roles of morphological and phonological awareness in reading development. Applied Psycholinguistics, 25, 223-238.

Parrila, R., 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.

Evans, C. J., Kirby, J. R. & Fabrigar, L. R. (2003). Approaches to learning, need for cognition, and strategic flexibility among university students. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 73. 507-528.

Kirby, J. R., Parrila, R. & Pfeiffer, S. (2003). Naming speed and phonological processing as predictors of reading development. Journal of Educational Psychology, 95, 453-464.

Kirby, J. R., Knapper, C. K., Evans, C. J., Carty, A. E. & Gadula, C. (2003). Approaches to learning at work and workplace climate. International Journal for Training and Development, 7, 31-52.

Kirby, J. R., Delva, M. D., Knapper, C. K. & Birtwhistle, R. V. (2003). Development of the Approaches to Work and Workplace Climate Questionnaires for Physicians. Evaluation and the Health Professions, 26, 104-121.

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, 340-366.

Delva, M. D., Kirby, J. R., Knapper, C. K. & Birtwhistle, R. V. (2002). Postal survey of approaches to learning among Ontario physicians: Implications for continuing medical education. British Medical Journal, 325, 1218-1222.

Kirby, J. R., Knapper, C. K., Maki, S. A., Egnatoff, W. J. & Van Melle, E. (2002). Computers and students' conceptions of learning: the transition from post-secondary education to the workplace. Educational Technology and Society, 5, 47-53.

Parrila, R. & Kirby, J. R. (2002). Modeling growth in word reading: Using HML to analyse individual differences both in the pattern of growth and performance levels. In X. Ma and L. Hayduk (Eds.), Structural Equation Modeling and Hierarchical Linear Modeling: Communicating Across Fields (pp. 115-137). Edmonton, AB: Population Research Laboratory.

Carson, L., Kirby, J. R. & Hutchinson, N. L. (2000). Phonological processing, family support, and academic self-concept as predictors of early reading. Canadian Journal of Education, 25, 310-327.

Delva, M. D., Woodhouse, R. A., Hains, S., Birtwhistle, R. V., Knapper, C. & Kirby, J. R. (2000). Does PBL matter? Relations between instructional context, learning strategies, and learning outcomes. Advances in Health Sciences Education, 5(3), 167-177.

Hadwin, A. F., Kirby, J. R., & Woodhouse, R. A. (1999). Notetaking and summarization: Individual differences and recall of lecture material. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 45, 1-17.

Kirby, J. R. & Boulter, D. R. (1999). Spatial ability and transformational geometry. European Journal of Psychology in Education, 14, 283-294.

Kirby, J. R. & Parrila, R. K. (1999). Theory-based prediction of early reading. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 45, 428-447.

Kirby, J. R. & Parrila, R. K. (1998). What shapes Canadian children? Canadian Journal of Education, 23, 209-215.

Martinussen, R., Kirby, J. R., & Das, J. P. (1998). Instruction in successive and phonological processing to improve the reading acquisition skills of kindergarten children. Developmental Disabilities Bulletin, 26(2), 19-39.

Nagy, P. N. & Kirby, J. R. (1998). Achievement and its correlates. In G. Orpwood (Ed.), Ontario in TIMSS. Toronto: Education Quality and Accountability Office.

Kirby, J. R. (1997). Measuring environment: Meaningful differences in language experience. Canadian Journal of Education, 22, 323-329.

Boden, C. & Kirby, J. R. (1995). Successive processing, phonological coding, and the remediation of reading. Journal of Cognitive Education, 4(2&3), 19-32.

Lanca, M. & Kirby, J. R. (1995). The benefits of verbal and spatial tasks in contour map learning. Cartographic Perspectives, #21, 3-15.

Kirby, J. R. (1995). Intelligence and social policy. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 41, 322-334.

Kirby, J. R., Booth, C. A., & Das, J. P. (1995). Cognitive processes and IQ in reading disability. Journal of Special Education, 29, 442-456.

Kirby, J. R. (1994). Comprehending and using maps: Are there two modes of map processing? W. Schnotz & R. Kulhavy (Eds.), Comprehension of graphics (pp. 63-76). Amsterdam: Elsevier Science Publishers.

Kirby, J. R. & Woodhouse, R. A. (1994). Measuring and predicting depth of processing in learning. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 40, 147-161.

Schofield, N. J. & Kirby, J. R. (1994). Position location on a topographical map: Effects of abilities, preferences, and instruction. Cognition and Instruction, 12, 35-60.

Kirby, J. R. (1993). Collaborative and competitive effects of verbal and spatial processes. Learning and Instruction, 3, 201-214.

Das, J. P., Mishra, R. K., & Kirby, J. R. (1993). Cognitive patterns of children with dyslexia: A comparison between groups with high and average nonverbal intelligence. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 27, 235-242, 253.

Das, J. P., Naglieri, J. & Kirby, J. R. (1993). Assessment of cognitive processes: The PASS theory of intelligence. New York: Allyn and Bacon. [1999, Chinese translation; Shanghai: East China Normal University Press]

Stein, B. L. & Kirby, J. R. (1992). The effects of text absent and text present conditions on summarization and recall of text. Journal of Reading Behavior, 24, 217-232.

Kirby, J. R. & Williams, N. H. (1991). Learning problems: A cognitive approach. Toronto, Ontario: Kagan and Woo. [2011, Japanese translation; Tokyo, Japan: The English Agency (Japan) Ltd]