Rebecca Silverman

My research is focused on the language and literacy development and instruction of early childhood and elementary age children from diverse backgrounds. I am particularly interested in how to best support children who may have difficulty in learning to read and write. I conduct both exploratory and experimental research. In my exploratory work, I have studied the relationship between language skills and reading and writing outcomes. I have also examined the association between instructional practice and students literacy development. In my experimental work, I have investigated interactive and extended read alouds, peer learning, multimedia supports, and small group intervention for diverse learners. In both my exploratory and experimental research, my goal is to shed light on innovative ways for facilitating the language and literacy development of diverse learners in order to ensure that all children have the opportunity to become proficient readers and writers in school and beyond.