Ana Taboada Barber
Professor
Ph.D.
,
University of Maryland, College Park
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 is a Professor in the Department of Counseling, Higher Education and Special Education.
She studies reading comprehension through both cognitive and motivational lenses, focusing on how factors such as autonomy support and self-efficacy, alongside cognitive skills like executive function and inference-making, shape literacy and language development in elementary and middle school students. She examines reading comprehension both as something shaped by classroom instruction and as a trait that differs from student to student.
A former ESL teacher in full language immersion settings, Ana's research is rooted in the experiences of Emergent Bilinguals in the United States, and has recently grown to include Spanish-speaking students in South American countries like Chile and Argentina. Her work has also expanded to explore how executive function skills—working memory, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility—function as part of a broader self-regulation system that supports reading comprehension and language development in both Emergent Bilinguals and English-only speaking children.
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).