Leadership Team Member
Joshua Lawrence
Dr. Joshua Lawrence is a researcher, innovator, and leader in literacy education and adult learning. With extensive experience in school-based research and professional development, he is committed to bridging the gap between research and practice. His work spans natural language processing (NLP), assessment development, and large-scale educational interventions, all aimed at improving literacy outcomes. He has held faculty positions at the University of Oslo and the University of California, Irvine, and has led multiple grant-funded research initiatives. Joshua’s expertise drives the vision of Reading Ways, ensuring that the platform remains at the forefront of literacy education innovation. Learn more about his work at www.joshualawrence.com. (GOAL is to build cross site traffic and give an authoritative pitch at the website)
- Improving the Accuracy of Academic Vocabulary Assessment for English Language Learners, $1,600,000. (David Francis, PI). Role: Co-PI. US Department of Education, IES Goal 3, #R305A120045.
- Randomized Trial of the Word Generation Program, $2,853,517. (Catherine Snow, PI). Role: Coordinator.US Department of Education, IES Goal 3, # R305A090555. 2009 – 2013.
- Academic research site http://readingresearch.info/
- Lawrence, J.F., Knoph, R., McIlraith, A., Kulesz, P., & Francis, D. (in press). Reading Comprehension and Academic Vocabulary: Exploring Relations of Item Features and Reading Proficiency. Reading Research Quarterly.
- Hagen, Å, Knoph, R., Hjetland, H.N., Rogde, K., Lawrence, J.F., Lervåg, A., Melby-Lervåg, M. (in press). Measuring Listening Comprehension and Predicting Language Development in At-Risk Preschoolers Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research (CSJE). https://doi.org/10.1080/00313831.2021.1939136 .
- Lawrence, J. F., Hagen, Å.M., Hwang, J.K., Lin, G., & Lervåg, A. (2019). Academic vocabulary and reading comprehension: exploring the relationships across measures of vocabularyknowledge. Reading and Writing. https://rdcu.be/OzX9
- Taylor, K. S., Lawrence, J. F., Connor, C. M., & Snow, C. E. (2018). Cognitive and linguistic features of adolescent argumentative writing: Do connectives signal more complex reasoning?Reading and Writing. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-018-9898 Argumentative Organizer
- †Hwang, J. K., Lawrence, J. F., & Snow, C. E. (2017). Defying expectations: Vocabulary growth trajectories of high performing language minority students. Reading and Writing, 30(4), 829–856. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-016-9703-3 (online first edition)
- Lawrence, J. F., Francis, D., Paré-Blagoev, E.J., & Snow, C. E. (2017). The Poor Get Richer: Heterogeneity in the Efficacy of a School-Level Intervention for Academic Language. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 10(4), 767–793. https://doi.org/10.1080/19345747.2016.1237596 (online first edition)
- † Hwang, J. K., Lawrence, J. F., Collins, P., & Snow, C. (2017). Vocabulary and reading performances of redesignated fluent English proficient students. TESOL Quarterly, 51(4), 757–786. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesq.346
- † Lin, A.R., Lawrence, J.F., Snow, C.E., & † Taylor, K. (2016). Assessing adolescents’ communicative self-efficacy to discuss controversial issues: Findings from a randomized study of the Word Generation program. Theory and Research in Social Education, 44(3), 316-343 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00933104.2016.1203852
- Lawrence, J. F., ‡ Niiya, M., & Warschauer, M. (2016). Narrative writing in digital formats: Interpreting the impact of audience. Psychology of Language and Communication, 20(1). http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/plc-2015-0012