Using technology to support an embedded coaching model
As Co‑Founder and CEO of Reading Ways, I lead strategy, funding, and delivery of literacy innovations that move research into district and state practice. This includes managing cross‑functional teams, aligning evidence with product development, and guiding implementation at scale. Our model pairs research‑based resources with AI support for literacy coaches to strengthen adoption across content areas.
I’ve led grant development and execution (including a federal competitive research award from IES), coordinated partnerships with state education agencies, and sustained 17 distinct district and agency customers since 2021, including state and federal contracts.
BEAM
Bridging Education, AI, and Measurement
BEAM is four-year, University of Oslo-funded group bringing together experts in education, AI, and measurement. Approved and funded in 2026 for four years this research group focuses on building AI‑enabled assessment, inclusive measurement, and multilingual literacy infrastructure. The work aligns psychometrics, learning science, and policy to create scalable, equitable tools that can be implemented across systems. BEAM positions UiO as a European hub for next‑generation assessment research, with a clear pathway for major funding (RCN and Horizon). It also builds open resources, shared item banks, and practitioner‑ready outputs that connect research to school‑level impact. I co-lead this research group with Åste Hagen.
Word Generation Weekly: A Scalable, Research-Based Approach to Academic Language and Adolescent Literacy
I’ve had the privilege of working with the Strategic Education Research Partnership (SERP) for over a decade on Word Generation, a discussion-rich, cross-disciplinary academic language program that supports vocabulary development, reading comprehension, and classroom discourse.While I was previously part of an IES-funded randomized controlled trial evaluating Word Generation, my current work focuses on supporting schools in implementation and leading new research on how the program can be adapted and sustained. For example, in a recent experimental study, I examined how structured vocabulary review can extend learning within the WordGen framework. The findings showed that thoughtful, repeated exposure to academic terms significantly boosts retention and student confidence.
👉 Access the free Structured Review Materials and findings: joshualawrence.com/structured-vocabulary-review
👉 Explore the curriculum and find open resources at serpinstitute.org/wordgen-weekly
Research on Word Generation
ROAR
Diagnostic Insights for Adolescent Readers
The Rapid Online Assessment of Reading (ROAR) is a fast, flexible tool developed by researchers at Stanford University, including Dr. Jason Yeatman and Dr. Rebecca Silverman, to identify the strengths and needs of eaders. I am working closely with the Stanford ROAR team and district partners to support ROAR use in secondary school settings—analyzing results and supporting schools in turning data into targeted instructional decisions for adolescents.
ROAR measures key literacy domains such as vocabulary, sentence comprehension, morphology, and inference. I’ve been using ROAR data to uncover reader profiles and help educators move beyond general “reading levels” and focus on specific, teachable skills. Working with the Reading Ways team, we are using ROAR-based profiles to tailor coaching and professional learning. If a class is struggling with inferencing, we focus on modeling and scaffolding higher-order reasoning. If students need help with foundational language, we prioritize vocabulary development and decoding strategies.
📣 Are you part of a district, regional team, or research-practice partnership? If you're exploring ways to use ROAR to support instruction, deepen diagnostic insights, or strengthen a grant application, I’d be happy to connect.
👉 Reach out to start a conversation.
