Motivation and Literacy, Reading Comprehension and Differentiated Instruction, Cognitive and Motivational Reading Development of Children from Diverse Language Backgrounds or Emergent Bilinguals, Reading Comprehension of Children with Literacy Related Learning Difficulties

Ana Taboada Barber serves as Professor in the Department of Counseling, Higher Education and Special Education. 

Ana Taboada Barber studies reading comprehension from a cognitive and motivational perspective. Her work centers on studying the influence of specific motivational variables (e.g., autonomy support, self-efficacy) and cognitive variables (e.g., executive function skills; inference making) on the literacy and language development of  elementary and middle school students. She studies reading comprehension within classroom instructional contexts as well as an individual difference variable. As a former English as a Second Language teacher in full language immersion settings, Ana's work in reading comprehension development is principally concentrated within the population of Emergent Bilinguals (EBs)  within the United States. More recently she has extended her focus to include Spanish-speaking students in South American countries (e.g., Chile and Argentina). Ana has also turned her attention to the possible roles that executive function skills (i.e., working memory, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility) as one component of a larger system of self-regulation, play in the reading comprehension and language development of Emergent Bilinguals and of English-only speaking children. 

 

http://blog.umd.edu/diversereaderslab/

 

    Fortalecimiento de Redes de Colaboración Académica Internacional, Visiting Professorship and Research Award on International Collaboration, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile (May-June 2018; May-June 2019)

Programa Becas Fellowship (1998-2000). Ministry of Education, Argentina

Fulbright Fellow (1996-1998). United States Information Agency and Fulbright Commission, Argentina,

Multicultural research award, (December, 2008). Ethnicity, Race, and Multilingualism Committee Scholarship. National Reading Conference.

research award for Tenure Track Faculty, Office of the Provost, George Mason University (2007)

Visiting scholar award, Catholic University of Argentina, June-August 2003, May-August 2006

Multicultural education scholarship, College of Education (2001; 2003). University of Maryland, College Park, MD.

jacob k. goldhaber Award (2000; 2003). Travel Grant, University of Maryland, Graduate School.

 

Taboada Barber, A., Klauda, S. L., & Wang, W. (2021). Reading anxiety, engagement, andachievement: A comparison of emergent bilinguals and English monolinguals in the elementary grades. Reading Research Quarterly. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.398

Taboada Barber, A., Cartwright, K.B., Hancock, G. R., & Klauda, S. L. (2021). Beyond the Simple View of Reading: The role of executive function in emergent bilinguals’ and English monolinguals’ reading comprehension [Special Issue: The Science of Reading]. Reading Research Quarterly. Advance online publication https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.385

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., Wang, W., Cartwright, K. B., & Cutting, L. E. (2020). Emergent bilinguals with specific reading comprehension deficits: A comparative and longitudinal analysis. Journal of Learning Disabilities. Advance online publication.  https://10.1177/0022219420983247

Townsend, D., Taboada Barber, A., Carter, H. & Salas, R. (2020) More than Words: Older Adolescents’ Linguistic Resources in the Contest of Disciplinary Achievement and Academic Risk.  Reading Psychology. DOI:10. 1080/02702711.2020.1782291   

 Klauda, S. L., Taboada Barber, A., & McAllen, E. B. (2020). Reading motivation in Spanish-speaking dual language learners: Comparing two types of student report. Reading Psychology (Themed issue: Affective dimensions of student literacy learning) 41, 6, 605-630  DOI: 10.1080/02702711.2020.1783144              

Taboada Barber, A., Lutz Klauda, S. & Stapleton, L. M. (2020) Cognition, Engagement, and Motivation as Factors in the Reading Comprehension of Dual Language Learners and English Speakers: Unified or Distinctive Models? Reading and Writing, 33, 2249 –2279. DOI: 10.1007/s11145-020-10034-4

Taboada Barber, A., Cartwright, K.B., Stapleton, L.M., Lutz Klauda, S., Archer, C. & Smith, P. (2020). Direct and Indirect Effects of Executive Functions, Reading Engagement, and Higher Order Strategic Processes in the Reading Comprehension of Dual Language Learners and English Monolinguals. Contemporary Educational Psychology 61. 1-17. DOI: 10.1016/j.cedpsych.2020.101848

Wu, Y., Barquero, L.A., Pickren, S.E., & Taboada Barber, A. & Cutting, L.E. (2020). The relationship between cognitive skills and reading comprehension of narrative and expository texts: A longitudinal study from Grade 1 to Grade 4. Learning and Individual Differences, 80, 1-14. DOI: 10.1016/j.lindif.2020.101848

Taboada Barber, A. & Lutz Klauda, S. (2020). How Reading Motivation and Engagement Enable Reading Achievement: Policy Implications. Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences 7, (1), 27-34. DOI: 10.1177/2372732219893385

 

Taboada Barber, A. (PI), Cartwright, K. & Hancock, G. (Co-PIs) (2019-2023). Project CLIMB: Capturing Language Immersion Benefits. Goal 1, Exploration, Special Topics: Foreign Language Instruction Research Grants Competition, Institute of Education Sciences (IES; $1,400,000)

Taboada Barber, A., Meneses, A.A., & Montenegro, M.M. (2018-2019). Language and Literacy in Science: Toward Reducing Learning Gaps. University of Maryland - Pontificia Universidad Catolica, Santiago, Chile- Seed Grant Proposal. Borderless Research Administration Knowledge Exchange (BRAKE) Program. Division of Research, Office of the Provost, UMD and Pontificia Universidad Catolica ($20,000).

Edwards, J., (PI) & Taboada Barber, A., Harring, J., Silverman, R., (Co-PIs) (2017- 2021). A randomized control trial of Toggle Talk. Reading & Writing Grants Competition, Institute of Education Sciences (IES, $3,296,094)

Taboada Barber, A. (PI), Cartwright, K. & Stapleton, L. (Co-PIs) (2016-2020). Cognitive and Motivational Contributors to Reading Comprehension in English Learners (ELs) and English Monolinguals (EMs): Different or Similar Growth Patterns. English Learners Research Grants Competition, Institute of Education Sciences (IES; $1,399,985)

Silverman, R.D., Cummings, K., De La Paz, S., Taboada-Barber, A., & Wexler, J. (2015-2020) Preparing Practice Based Researchers with Expertise in Language and Literacy (ProPELL). The United States Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). $1,249,385. Role: Co-Director.

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, ($50,000).

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 (IES). ($1,566,603).

 

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 ($ 5,000).

 

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 ($ 4,650).

 

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. ($112,000).

 

 

Reading, Engagement and Diversity Lab (READ)