How Word Features Make Learning to Read Easier or Harder for Kids and Adults
Official title: Using Machine Learning to Understand and Predict the Difficulty of Learning to Read Individual Words from Their Features
Funded at Florida State University · NIH-11452589 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant tests how different word features affect how hard it is for people to learn to read individual words, with a focus on children in school and adults with varying literacy levels.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Florida State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tallahassee, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $423,500 |
| NIH project number | 1R21HD119536-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11452589 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include elementary-aged children (grades 1-5) and adults with a range of literacy levels.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals with typical literacy who are not focused on reading development may experience limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers will examine how specific word features influence reading difficulty in 1st–5th graders using the d-ELP database, and they will create 12 new word-feature variables to see how these features relate to how hard a word is to read. The study uses machine learning to model the relationship between word features and reading difficulty, aiming to reveal which features most strongly predict learning challenges. The goal is to identify ways to tailor reading instruction to help students achieve better word-reading skills and literacy outcomes. This project leverages existing large datasets and modern analytics to inform educational approaches and support literacy development. Participation involves analysis of de-identified data and may inform future educational interventions without requiring individuals to enroll as subjects at this stage.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could guide personalized reading instruction and interventions to improve word reading skills for children and adults with lower literacy.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown that word features influence reading; this project builds on established data to refine predictive models and expand understanding.
Where this research is happening
-
Florida State University
Tallahassee, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Edwards, Ashley — Florida State University
- Study coordinator: Edwards, Ashley
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.