Understanding how knowledge helps struggling middle school readers make inferences
Official title: The Role of Knowledge Retrieval in Inference-making among Rural, Middle Grade Struggling Readers
Funded at William Jewell College · NIH-10435063 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how well struggling middle school readers can remember what they know and how that helps them make sense of what they read, with the aim of finding ways to help them improve their reading skills.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R15 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | William Jewell College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Liberty, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2018 |
| Project end | August 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2022 |
| Award (this year) | $329,868 |
| NIH project number | 2R15HD092922-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10435063 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are rural middle school students in grades 5-8 who are identified as struggling readers.
✕Less likely to help
Students who are proficient readers or those outside the middle school age range may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how the ability to retrieve knowledge affects the inference-making skills of struggling readers in rural middle schools. It involves two experimental studies: one examining the relationship between knowledge retrieval and inferencing, and another testing an intervention designed to enhance these skills. The study will involve 316 students in grades 5-8, focusing on their reading comprehension and the speed and accuracy of their knowledge retrieval. The goal is to identify effective strategies to support these students in improving their reading abilities.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved reading comprehension and academic performance for struggling middle school readers.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that interventions targeting reading comprehension and inferencing can be effective, suggesting potential for success in this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
William Jewell College
Liberty, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Barth, Amy Elizabeth — William Jewell College
- Study coordinator: Barth, Amy Elizabeth
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.