Professor Emeritus Sir James Chapman, of Palmerston North, KNZM for services to literacy education
Professor Emeritus Sir James Chapman has made significant contributions to literacy teaching and learning in New Zealand and internationally since the 1980s, particularly in learning disabilities and dyslexia research. Sir James’ pioneering research in learning difficulties and educational psychology has shaped how children learn to read, influenced national policy, and guided development of structured literacy approaches embedded across New Zealand schools. In 2002, he was part of an international group who urged governments to direct funding into effective interventions for children struggling with reading. He was President of the International Academy for Research in Learning Disabilities from 2006 to 2009 and served on the Executive Board for more than 20 years. His numerous group and editorial board memberships have included the Ministry of Education’s Special Needs Eligibility Criteria and Literacy Experts Advisory Groups, and International Advisor for the Institute of Education. Since formal retirement as Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the College of Education at Massey University from 2002 to 2012, he has continued his research and has been on the Science Advisory Panel for the New Zealand Sciences Challenge, and a Science Advisor for the Better Start Literacy Approach at the University of Canterbury. He was a member of the Ministerial Advisory Group in 2024 that developed an evidence-based framework for teaching literacy and numeracy in primary education. Sir James received the Learning Difficulties Australia Eminent Researcher Award for 2024.