Current Projects

MBRC - Monolingual and Bilingual Reading Comprehension

Gray, Shelley; Thompson, Marilyn; Restrepo, M. Adelaida

(Funded by NIH, 2017-2022; 2018-2023)

Purpose

  • This study, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is focused on developing methods for the prevention and treatment of reading comprehension problems.
  • Our goal is to understand problems by understanding the changing structure of reading across development, as well as the cognitive, psychological and ecological mechanisms that contribute to reading comprehension outcomes.
  • We build on the longitudinal work of the LARRC project (see "previously funded projects").


RIDLLS - Doctoral Training Grant

"Research Interventions for Dual-Language Learners with Learning Disabilities"

Dr. Shelley Gray, Dr. M. Adelaida Restrepo, Dr. Steven Graham, Dr. Karen Harris, Dr. Alfredo Artiles

(Training Grant Funded by the US Department of Education)

  • Full-time interdisciplinary doctoral training program in the Department of Speech and Hearing Science at Arizona State University
  • Knowledge, skills, and strategies needed to address the development, scale up, and sustainability of curricula and evidence-based interventions for students with learning disabilities (LDs) who are English-language learners (ELLs) attending high-needs schools.
  • Foundational knowledge in oral language, reading and writing development and disorders, interdisciplinary perspectives on culture, language, literacy, and disability
  • Expertise in research methods, design, and analyses, transfer of research into practice
  • Preparation of teachers and speech-language pathologists to serve students with LDs who are ELLs, and professional skills required for successful careers as faculty scholars
  • Research training activities include opportunities to work in research teams addressing identified priorities in high needs schools
  • Applicants must hold a master’s degree in speech and hearing science, speech-language pathology, education, special education, psychology, or a related field. Please click here for more information.


Puente de Cuentos Project

Spencer, T. ; Peterson, D.; Restrepo, M. A., & Thompson, M.

(Funded by IES, Early Learning Programs and Policies)

  • Promotes academic success among Spanish-speaking English learners and fosters bilingualism
  • Objective is to develop a dual language narrative intervention program, complete with training materials, extension vocabulary activities, and progress monitoring tools, with maximum feasibility in Head Start classrooms
  • Will extend an English-only program called Story Champs (Spencer & Petersen, 2012) to enhance its potential with preschool age Spanish-speaking English learners
  • Three tiers of interventions (large group, small group, and individual) were designed for early childhood Response to Intervention (RTI) models

EMBRACE Project

Glenberg, A., Restrepo, M.A., Walker, E.

(Funded by NSF Cyberlearning program; DIP: EMBRACEing English Language Learners with Technology)

  • Enhanced Moved by Reading to Accelerate Comprehension in English
  • Adaptation of the Moved by Reading (PI Glenberg, A.) intervention targeted at Spanish-speaking English language learners (ELLs)
  • A two-step intervention for enhancing reading comprehension based on an embodied approach to language comprehension - manipulating images on an iPad to simulate sentences they read, and later imagining the manipulation
  • Incorporates intelligent tutoring adaptations to the Moved by Reading intervention

EMBRACE Project Video


EYEPlay Project

Marley, S., Kelley, M.

(Funded by U.S. Dept. of Education)

  • Collaborative project with ASU Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College and Childsplay, Inc.
  • Dr. Restrepo serves as project consultant
  • Preschool students participate in drama-infused literacy instruction
  • Teachers participate in professional development activities
  • Research study aims to quantify the effects on children's language and storytelling abilities following participation in the program.