Dr. Roth has been interested in identifying aspects of oral language development that predict early reading and writing acquisition. Her longitudinal research has shown, for example, that in addition to phonological awareness, semantic knowledge (oral definitions) and metasemantic knowledge (understanding and use of lexical ambiguities sentences and idioms) in kindergarten predict word reading at first and second grade.
Another area of interest has been on phonological awareness intervention for preschool children with primary speech and language deficits. Along with colleagues, she has developed a training program (Promoting Awareness of Sounds in Speech; PASS) which focuses on training in three areas of phonological awareness: rhyming, blending, and segmenting. This program has been implemented (along with training in the alphabetic principle) using a single subject multiple baseline design with 3-5 year children with speech and language delays. Results indicate that this program is efficacious and effective for young children with communication disabilities.
A relatively new interest for Dr. Roth is the language and literacy development of children who received cochlear implants . She is currently involved in administering a battery of speech, language, and literacy measures to a relatively large sample of these children, ranging in age from 5-14 years, to determine their developmental status and to identify factors that contribute to differential outcomes.
Dr. Roth is the principal investigator on the recently awarded three-year, $2.5 million dollar Early Reading First Grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The goal of the project, "Partnering for Literacy: A Multi-Disciplinary Program for Emergent Literacy and Early Reading Success", is to promote emergent literacy and oral language skills of 3- and 4-year-old preschool children who are at risk for learning to read when they enter first grade. The University of Maryland project will be conducted in collaboration with three public charter schools in Washington D.C.: Bridges Public Charter School, Tri-Community Public Charter School, and E. L. Haynes Public Charter School.
