Faculty Research Highlights

Zoi Traga Philippakos, Ph.D.

2025

Traga Philippakos, Z. A., Rocconi, L., & Voggt, A. (2025). Effects of online professional development on first-grade writing instruction: Coaching plus manual improves teachers’ implementation, confidence, and students’ writing quality. Written Communication. https://doi.org/10.1177/07410883241303915

Traga Philippakos, Z.A., Quinn, M., & Davis, A. (in press). Upper elementary students’ self-efficacy, affect, and avoidance associated with multisyllabic words: an exploratory study. Frontiers in Psychology-Quantitative Psychology and Measurement.

Traga Philippakos, Z.A., Quinn, M., & Rocconi, L. (in press). Multisyllabic instruction for fifth-grade struggling learners. Early Childhood Journal.

2024

Deane, P., & Traga Philippakos, Z. A. (2024). Writing and Reading Connections: A before, during, and after Experience for Critical Thinkers. The Reading Teacher, 77(5), 770–780. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.2284

Traga Philippakos, Z. A., Quinn, M. F., & Rocconi, L. M. (2024). Developing Multisyllabic Decoding and Encoding Skills with Upper Elementary Learners: Reporting Two Cycles of Design-Based Research. Reading & Writing Quarterly, 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1080/10573569.2024.2406005

2023

MacArthur, C. A., Traga Philippakos, Z. A., May, H., Potter, A., Van Horne, S., & Compello, J. (2023). The challenges of writing from sources in college developmental courses: Self-regulated strategy instruction. Journal of Educational Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000805

Traga Philippakos, Z. A., MacArthur, C. A., & Rocconi, L. M. (2023). Effects of genre-based writing professional development on K to 2 teachers’ confidence and students’ writing quality. Journal of Teaching and Teacher Education. 135(1), 104-145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2023.104316

Traga Philippakos, Z. A., & Secora, K. (2023). From Sounds to Letters to Words to Sentences to Genres: Oral Language and Writing. The Reading Teacher, 77(3), 290–299. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.2236

Traga Philippakos, Z. A. Wang, C., & MacArthur, C. (2023). Writing motivation of college students in basic writing and first-year composition classes: Confirmatory factor analysis of scales on goals, self-efficacy, beliefs, and affect. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 56(1), 72–92. https://doi.org/10.1177/00222194211053238

Marianne Rice, Ph.D.

2024

Rice, M., Wijekumar, K. Lambright, K., & Stack, A. (2024). Promoting inference generation: Using questioning and strategy instruction to support upper elementary students. The Reading Teacher, 78(2), 121-130. http://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.2353

Rice, M., Lambright, K., & Wijekumar, K. (2024). Professional development in reading comprehension: A meta-analysis of the effects on teachers and students. Reading Research Quarterly, 59(3), 424-447. http://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.546

Rice, M., & Wijekumar, K. (2024). Inference skills for reading: A meta-analysis of instructional practices. Journal of Educational Psychology, 116(4), 569–589. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000855

Rice, M., Erbeli, F., Truckenmiller, A., & Morris, J. (2024). Universal screening in kindergarten: Validity and classification accuracy of Istation’s Indicators of Progress- Early Reading. School Psychology, 39(1), 72-80. https://doi.org/10.1037/spq0000549

2022

Rice, M., Erbeli, F., Thompson, C., Sallese, M. R., & Fogarty, M. (2022). Phonemic awareness: A meta-analysis for planning effective instruction. Reading Research Quarterly, 57(4), 1259-1289. https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.473

Samantha Cooper, Ph.D.

Cooper, S., Reed, D. K., & Gibbs, A. S. (2023, December 6).Multimorphemic word reading lessons: Unit 1-lesson 1.Tennessee Reading Research Center. trrc.utk.edu/multimorphemic-lesson-1

Hebert, M., Kearns, D. M., Hayes, J. B., Bazis, P., & Cooper, S. (2018). Why children with dyslexia struggle with writing and how to help them. Language, speech, and hearing services in schools, 49(4), 843-863.https://doi.org/10.1044/2018_LSHSS-DYSLC-18-0024

Amanda Hufstedler

Philippakos, Z, Hufstedler, A., (2024, September). Flipped Model of Instruction Utilizing Foundational Skills Integrated Content Modules. [Co-Presenter]. Tennessee Association of Colleges and Teacher Education, Fall Conference, Franklin, TN.

Outreach: Serving Literacy Across Communities

Literacy education faculty host free virtual literacy series (#UTLitSeries)! Sessions occur once a Month and have a one-hour duration. Topics address literacy development and instruction (e.g., phonological awareness components with practices, oral language). Be sure to check out our social media pages for more information on topics and faculty hosts. All sessions are offered via Zoom, and are open to educators, parents, and policymakers. You may also access previous recordings at