LRDC People

Research Interests

• The acquisition of vocabulary in school-age children, its relation to general verbal functioning, and instructional strategies for enhancing verbal functioning through vocabulary development.
• The effects of learner and text characteristics on learning in verbal domains.
• Instructional design and teacher professional development based on principles of cognitive theory and research.

Projects

Developing Effective Instruction and Building Teacher Knowledge for Vocabulary Development

Efficacy Trial of Robust Vocabulary Instruction Significance

Improving Science Learning through Tutorial Dialogues

Measuring Classroom Discussions in Mathematics and Literacy

Robust Instruction of Academic Vocabulary for Middle School Students

Robust Vocabulary Instruction

Publications

Beck, I. L, McKeown, M. G, & Kucan, L. (2013). Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction (2nd Edition). New York: Guilford Press

Apthorp, H., Randel, B., Cherasaro, T., Clark, T., McKeown, M., & Beck, I. (2012). Effects of a Supplemental Vocabulary Program on Word Knowledge and Passage Comprehension. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 5, 160-188.

Crosson, A.C., McKeown, M.G., Beck, I.B., & Ward, A. (2012a). Development of an Innovative Assessment of Vocabulary Depth. Paper presented at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association.

Crosson, A.C., McKeown, M.G., Beck, I.B., & Ward, A. (2012b). Developing an Assessment to Measure Depth of Knowledge of Academic Vocabulary. Interactive Paper presented at the 19th Annual Meeting of the Society for the Scientific Studies of Reading.

McKeown, M. G., Beck, I. L., & Sandora, C. (2012). Direct and Rich Vocabulary Instruction Needs to Start Early. In E. J. Kame'enui & J. F. Baumann, (Eds.), Vocabulary instruction: Research to practice (2 ed.). (pp. 17-33). New York: Guilford Publications, Inc.

McKeown, M.G, Crosson, A.C., Beck, I.B. Sandora, C. & Artz, N. (2012). Development of an academic word vocabulary intervention to enhance word knowledge and comprehension for middle school students. Paper presented at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association.

McKeown, M. G. (2011). Reflections on what's proven and where the promise lies. In J. Levin (Ed.), Instructional Strategies for Improving Students' Learning (pp. 53-63). Scottsdale, AZ: Information Age Publishing.

McKeown, M. G., & Beck, I. L. (2011). Making vocabulary interventions engaging and effective. In R. E. O'Connor & P. F. Vadasy (Eds.), Handbook of reading interventions (pp. 138-168). New York: Guilford Press.

McKeown, M. G., Beck, I. L. (2011, April). Two approaches to vocabulary instruction for kindergarteners: Comparing effects on comprehension. Poster talk presented at the American Educational Research Association Conference, New Orleans.

McKeown, M. G., Beck, I. L., & Apthorp, H. (2011, April). Examining depth of processing in vocabulary lessons. Poster talk presented at the American Educational Research Association Conference, New Orleans.

McKeown, M. G. (2010, April). Robust vocabulary affects comprehension. Keynote Address, Maryland International Reading Association Annual Meeting, Hunt Valley, MD.

McKeown, M. G., & Kucan, L. (Eds.). (2010). Bringing reading research to life: Essays in honor of Isabel Beck. NY: Guilford Press.

McKeown, M. G., & Beck, I. L. (2009). The role of metacognition in understanding and supporting reading comprehension. In D. J. Hacker, J. Dunlosky, & A. C. Graesser (Eds.), Handbook of Metacognition in Education. The Educational Psychology Series (pp. 7-25). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

McKeown, M. G., Beck, I. L., & Blake, R. G. K. (2009). Rethinking comprehension instruction: Comparing strategies and content instructional approaches. Reading Research Quarterly, 44(3), 218-253.

McKeown, M. G., Beck, I. L., &. Blake, R. G. K. (2009). Reading comprehension: Focus on content or strategies? Perspectives (International Dyslexia Association), 35(2), 28-32.

Beck I. L., McKeown, M. G., & Kucan, L. (2008). Creating robust vocabulary: Frequently asked questions and extended examples. NY: Guilford Publications, Inc.

Beck, I. L., & McKeown, M. G., (2007). Different ways for different goals, but keep your eye on the higher verbal goals. In R. K. Wagner, A. Muse, & K. Tannenbaum (Eds.), Vocabulary and reading (pp. 182-204). NY: Guilford Publications.

Beck, I. L., & McKeown, M. G., (2007). Increasing young low income children's oral vocabulary repertoires through rich and focused instruction. Elementary School Journal, 107(3), 251-271.

Beck, I., & McKeown, M. G. (2007). How teachers can support productive classroom talk: Move the thinking to the students. In R. Horowitz (Ed.), Talking texts: How speech and writing interact in school learning (pp. 207-220). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

McKeown, M. G., & Beck, I. L. (2006). Issues in the advancement of vocabulary instruction: Response to Stahl and Fairbanks's meta-analysis. In K. A. D. Stahl & M. C. McKenna (Eds.), Reading research at work: Foundations of effective practice (pp. 262-271). NY: Guilford Press.

News and Awards

News

Moddy McKeown and NAEP vocabulary development featured
December 26, 2012
Pittsburgh Post Gazette
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Two Pitt Professors Named 2010 Fellows of the American Educational Research Association
March 22, 2010
American Educational Research Association (AERA)
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Awards

IRA selected Margaret McKeown and Isabel Beck''s paper "Rethinking Comprehension Instruction: Comparing Strategies and Content Instructional Approaches," for their cross-journal virtual issue on comprehension. The editors chose articles based on interest and potential impact on both literacy scholarship and practice, their article was one of three chosen.
July 2012
International Reading Association
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Fellow
2010
American Educational Research Association (AERA)

Member, International Reading Association
May 2008
Reading Hall of Fame

Pitt Innovator Award
2007
University of Pittsburgh

National Academy of Education Spencer Fellowship
1988-89

International Reading Association Outstanding Dissertation Award
1985