OxEd founder honoured with 2025 Samuel Torrey Orton Award
This award recognises the outstanding contribution Prof Hulme has made in our understanding of how oral language skills underpin reading development.
The International Dyslexia Association (IDA) has named Prof Charles Hulme, Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Education at the University of Oxford and co-founder of OxEd & Assessment, as the recipient of the 2025 Samuel Torrey Orton Award, one of the IDA’s highest honours.
The award recognises individuals who have made transformative contributions to advancing the scientific understanding of dyslexia. Prof Hulme is recognised for his groundbreaking research into the cognitive foundations of reading and for advancing understanding of how oral language skills underpin reading development and comprehension, research that has led to measurable impact for thousands of students worldwide.
“Prof Hulme’s research has revolutionised how we understand the role of language in reading development,” said the IDA. “As a professor, author, and founder of OxEd & Assessment, his work has led to real change, including the creation of the NELI Programme.”
Along with Prof Maggie Snowling, Prof Hulme’s research helped establish the Reading is Language model, a framework that places oral language at the heart of learning to read. Reading and language are deeply interconnected, and one cannot develop without the other. Without strong language skills, word reading, reading comprehension, and written expression will not develop effectively.
“This award is an incredible honour,” said Prof Hulme. “For too long, reading has been viewed as separate from language, when in fact the two are deeply intertwined. This award highlights the growing recognition that oral language is the foundation on which all reading and learning are built.”
Through his work at OxEd & Assessment, Dr Hulme continues to translate cutting-edge research into practical tools, including digital screeners, whole class and targeted intervention programmes, and online professional development, that enable schools to identify and support students with oral language delays early, improving reading outcomes at scale.
Prof Hulme received his award at the Annual IDA Conference: Reading, Literacy, and Learning in Atlanta, GA, where he also gave the Samuel Torrey and Joan Lyday Orton Memorial Lecture.