Research Strand 2

Engaging Reading Instruction

Here we focus on how teachers can foster engagement in reading through cognitive strategies, executive function skills, and motivation supports. The emphasis within this strand is as much on teachers as it is on classroom climate and students’ individual differences.

Projects

Guthrie, J.T. (PI), & Taboada, A. (Co-PI) (2005). Student motivation: The role of motivational activities and practices in Reading is Fundamental (RIF) programs. Reading is Fundamental, Inc.

Taboada, A. (PI) (2007). Developing reading comprehension and academic vocabulary for English  language learners through science content. Provost research awards for tenure-track faculty, George Mason University

Taboada, A. (PI) (2009). Middle school reading engagement in social studies. Seed Grant: Research Funding for Faculty, Office of the Vice President for Research & Economic Development, George Mason University, Awarded Fall 2009

Taboada, A. (PI), Buehl, M. M. (Co PI), Kidd, J. (Co-PI), & Sturtevant, E. (Co PI) (2010-2015). Fostering reading engagement in English-monolingual students and English language learners through a history curriculum. Awarded FY 2010, Reading and Writing Education Research grants competition, Institute of Education Sciences

Silverman, R. D. (PI), Taboada Barber A. (Co PI), & Cummings, Kelli (2015-2016). Research-Practice Partnerships in Language and Literacy. Awarded FY 2014, Designated Research Initiative Fund Investment Program. Tier 1: Proof of Concept Program, University of Maryland, College Park, Vice President for Research Office

Select Publications

Books:

Taboada Barber, A. (2016). Reading to learn for ELs: Motivation practices and comprehension strategies for informational texts. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Berkeley, S., & Taboada Barber, A. (2014). Maximizing effectiveness of reading comprehension instruction in diverse classrooms. Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing.

 

Book chapters:

Taboada Barber, A., Klauda, S. L., Kelly, J., & Canizales, M. (in press). The power of multimodal narrative texts for perspective taking in emergent bilinguals. To appear in Brown, S., & Hao, L. (Eds.). Multimodal Literacies in Young Emergent Bilinguals: Speaking Back to Print-Centric Practices. Bristol, UK: Multilingual Matters.

Taboada Barber, A., Levush, K. C., & Klauda, S. L. (2018). The role of motivation in literacy instruction. In D. E. Alvermann, N. J. Unrau, M. Sailors, & R. B. Ruddell (Eds.), Theoretical models and processes of literacy (7th ed., pp. 233-251). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315110592-14

Taboada Barber, A. & Gallagher, M. (2015). Young adolescents’ self-regulated reading in American history: Helping English learners become engaged readers. In T.J. Cleary (Ed.), Self-regulated learning interventions with at-risk youth: Enhancing adaptability, performance, and well-being. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

 

Journal Articles:

Kelly, J. H. & Taboada Barber, A. (2021). Interactive read alouds with narrative text: Teaching inference-making with Theory of Mind. Teaching Exceptional Children. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/0040059920987876

Taboada Barber, A., & Klauda, S. L. (2020). How reading motivation and engagement enable reading achievement: Policy implications. Policy Insights from Behavioral and Brain Science, 7(1), 27-34. https://doi.org/10.1177/2372732219893385

Townsend, D., Taboada Barber, A., Carter, H., & Salas, R. (2020). More than words: Older adolescents’ linguistic resources in the context of disciplinary achievement and academic risk. Reading Psychology, 41(8), 778-802. https://doi.org/10.1080/02702711.2020.1782291

Gallagher, M. A., Taboada Barber, A., Beck, J. S., & Buehl, M. M. (2019). Academic vocabulary: Explicit and incidental instruction for students of diverse language backgrounds. Reading and Writing Quarterly, 35(2), 84-102. https://doi.org/10.1080/10573569.2018.1510796

​Taboada Barber, A., Buehl, M. M., Beck. J. S., Ramirez E. M. Gallagher, M., Richey Nuland, L. N., & Archer, C. J. (2018). Literacy in social studies: The influence of cognitive and motivational practices on the reading comprehension of English learners and Non-English learners. Reading & Writing Quarterly, 34(1), 79-97. https://doi.org/10.1080/10573569.2017.1344942

Beck, J. S., Buehl, M. M., & Taboada Barber, A. (2015). Students’ perceptions on reading and learning in social studies: A multi-method approach. Middle Grades Research Journal, 10(2), 1-16.

Taboada Barber, A., Buehl, M. M., Kidd, J. K., Sturtevant, E. G., Richey Nuland, L. N., & Beck, J. S. (2015). Reading engagement in social studies: Exploring the role of a social studies literacy intervention on reading comprehension, reading self-efficacy, and engagement in middle school students with different language backgrounds. Reading Psychology, 36(1), 31-85. https://doi.org/10.1080/02702711.2013.815140

Taboada, A., Bianco, S., & Bowerman, V. (2012). Text-based questioning: A comprehension strategy to build English language learners’ content knowledge. Literacy Research & Instruction, 51(2), 87-109. https://doi.org/10.1080/19388071.2010.522884

Taboada, A., & Rutherford, V. (2011). Developing reading comprehension and academic vocabulary for English language learners through science content: A formative experiment. Reading Psychology, 32(2), 113 – 157. https://doi.org/10.1080/02702711003604468