Publications

  • Liang, L.A., *Cromwell, R., & Hacker, D. (in press). The impact of children’s and young adult literature courses on teachers’ selection of global and culturally diverse texts for the classroom. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaal.1341. Published, 02/2024.
  • *Cromwell, R., & Liang, L.A. (2023). What the children chose: An examination of charcteristics in children’s recent award-winning books. The Dragon Lode, 42(1), 9-18. Published, 12/2023.
  • Graff, J. M., Liang, L. A., Martinez, M. G., McClure, A., Day, D., Sableski, M-K., & Arnold, J. (2022). Contemporary children’s literature in education courses: Diverse, complex, and critical. Literacy Practice and Research, 47(3), Article 3. Available at: https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/lpr/vol47/iss3/3. Published, 09/2022.
    https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/lpr/vol47/iss3/3
  • Huang, L., Dias, L., *Nelson, E., Lajoie, S., Liang, L., & Poitras, E. (2022). The role of self improving tutoring systems in fostering preservice teacher self-regulated learning. In C. Troussas, A. Krouska, K. Kabassi, C. Sgouropoulou, & A. L. Cristea (Eds), Artificial intelligence techniques for personalized educational software. Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence, 4:769455. https://doi.org/10.3389/fral.2021.769455. Published, 04/2022.
    https://doi.org/10.3389/fral.2021.769455
  • *Nelson, E.T., Liang, L.A., & Poitras, E. (2022). Making meaning and creativity through makerspaces. Voices from the Middle, 29(3), 28-35. https://doi.org/10.58680/vm202231779 Received the 2022 Linda Rief Voices from the Middle Award Honorable Mention from the National Council of Teachers of English.. Published, 03/2022.
    https://doi.org/10.58680/vm202231779
  • Son, C. S., Butcher, K., & Liang, L. A. (2020). The influence of interactive features in storybook apps on children’s reading comprehension and story enjoyment. Elementary School Journal, 120(3), 422-454. https://doi.org/10.1086/707009 . Received the 2022 Dina Feitleson Research Award from the International Literacy Association. Published, 01/2020.
    https://doi.org/10.1086/707009
  • D.A. Wooten and L.A. Liang (2018). Children’s Literature in the Reading Program: Engaging Young Readers in the 21st Century. (5th ed.). (2018). New York, NY: Guilford. . Guilford Press. Published, 07/2018.
  • Galda, L. & Liang, L.A. and Cullinan, B. (2017). Literature and the child, 9th Edition. Wadsworth-Cengage Learning. Published, 01/2017.
  • Liang, L.A. & Galda, L. (2015). Responding text and image: Building skills for deep understanding. In D.A. Wooten and B.E. Cullinan (Eds.), Children’s Literature in the Reading Program: Engaging Young Readers in the 21st Century, (4th ed., pp. 83-95). Newark, DE: International Literacy Association. Published, 03/2015.
  • *Watkins, N.M. & Liang, L.A. (2014). The literature of literature anthologies: An examination of text types. Middle Grades Research Journal, 9(2), 57-72. Published, 09/2014.
  • *Watkins, N.M. & Liang, L.A. (2014). Exploring the inconsistent labels and definitions of texts used in informational reading and writing. Reading Psychology, 35(7), 666-682. https://doi.org/10.1080/02702711.2013.800175. Published, 06/2014.
    https://doi.org/10.1080/02702711.2013.800175
  • Liang, L.A., *Watkins, N.M., & *Williams, V.S. (2013). A step towards global awareness: An examination of the primary grades USBBY Outstanding International Books. Journal of Children’s Literature, 39(1), 16-24. Published, 04/2013.
  • Galda, L., Sipe, L., Liang, L.A., & Cullinan, B. (2013). Literature and the child, 8th Edition. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth-Thomson. Published, 01/2013.
  • Liang, L.A. (2011). Scaffolding middle school students’ comprehension and response to short stories. Research in Middle Level Education Online, 34(8), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/19404476.2011.11462081. Published, 04/2011.
    https://doi.org/10.1080/19404476.2011.11462081
  • Liang, L.A., *Watkins, N.M., Graves, M.F., Hosp, J. (2010). Postreading questioning and middle school students’ understanding of literature. Reading Psychology, 31(4), 347-364. https://doi.org/10.1080/02702710902754309. Published, 07/2010.
    https://doi.org/10.1080/02702710902754309
  • Liang, L.A., Brendler, B. & Galda, L. (2009). The refugee experience in books for adolescents. Journal of Children's Literature, 35(2), 59-68. Published, 10/01/2009.
  • Liang, L.A. & Galda, L. (2009). Responding and comprehending: Reading with delight and understanding. In D. Wooten and B.E. Cullinan (Eds.), Children's Literature in the Reading Program: An Invitation to Read, 3rd Edition. pp. 99-109. Newark, DE: International Reading Association. Published, 09/01/2009.
  • Graves, M.F. & Liang, L.A. (2008). The many facets of reading comprehension instruction. Middle School Journal, 39(4), 36-45. https://doi.org/10.1080/00940771.2008.11461643. Published, 10/2008.
    https://doi.org/10.1080/00940771.2008.11461643
  • Dole, J., Liang, L.A., *Watkins, N.M., & *Wiggins, C.M. (2006). The state of reading professionals in the states. The Reading Teacher, 60(2), 194-199. https://doi.org/10.1598/RT.60.2.10. Published, 10/2006.
    https://doi.org/10.1598/RT.60.2.10
  • Liang, L.A. & Dole, J.A. (2006). Help with teaching reading comprehension: Comprehension instructional frameworks. The Reading Teacher, 59(8), 742-753. https://doi.org/10.1598/RT.59.8.2. Published, 05/2006.
    https://doi.org/10.1598/RT.59.8.2
  • Liang, L.A., Peterson, C.A., & Graves, M.F. (2005). Investigating two approaches to fostering children's comprehension of literature. Reading Psychology, 26(4-5), 387-400. https://doi.org/10.1080/02702710500285748. Published, 09/2005.
    https://doi.org/10.1080/02702710500285748
  • Galda, L., & Liang, L. A. (2003). Reading as experience or getting the facts? Stance and literature in classrooms. Reading Research Quarterly, 38(2), 268-275. https://doi.org/10.1598/RRQ.38.2.6. Published, 03/2003.
    https://doi.org/10.1598/RRQ.38.2.6

Research Statement

Lauren Aimonette Liang is an associate professor in Educational Psychology at the University of Utah and teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in children’s and young adult literature and reading instruction. Her research focuses on the interrelated areas of selection and evaluation of children's literature and K-12 students’ understanding and engagement with specific texts. Within the overlap of the two she investigates educational uses of children’s literature to support meaning-making processes, text characteristics as related to children's and teens' response and comprehension of texts, and the role of children’s literature in teacher preparation programs.

Research Keywords

  • Young Adult Literature
  • Student Engagement
  • Reading
  • Pre-service and In-Service Teachers
  • Literacy
  • Education
  • Comprehension
  • Children's Literature

Research Equipment and Testing Expertise

  • Extensive children's literature collection. Contact: Lauren Aimonette Liang , 801-455-5364 , 3220 SAEC .

Grants, Contracts & Research Gifts

  • The READ-U (Reading with Empathy, Awareness, and Diversity with U) Program. PI: Lauren Liang. Beverley Taylor Sorenson Foundation, 12/2022 - 05/2024. Total project budget to date: $50,000.00
  • Crosswalk Collaboration Group. PI: Lauren Aimonette Liang. Co-PI(s): Naomi Watkins. Utah State Board of Education, 09/2020 - 05/2022. Total project budget to date: $2,500.00
  • READ-U: Reading with Empathy, Awareness, and Diversity with U. PI: University of Utah Center for Latin American Studies and Asia Center. Title VI National Resource Center and Foreign Language and Area Studies , 07/01/2018 - 07/01/2022. Total project budget to date: $6,800,000.00
  • Storybook app interactions: What do young readers do? University of Utah, College of Education. PI Lauren A. Liang: $4,000. PI: Lauren A. Liang. College of Educaiton, 06/2017 - 06/2019. Total project budget to date: $4,000.00
  • Early literacy outreach: The Wild Rumpus Project. PI: Linda St. Clair. Co-PI(s): Lauren Aimonette Liang. ASPIRE Training Grant, University of Utah, 08/2016 - 05/2017. Total project budget to date: $3,994.00
  • Literacy development for 21st century learners: Investigating the impact of book apps. PI: Lauren Aimonette Liang. Co-PI(s): Seung-hee Claire Son; Kirsten Butcher. University of Utah, 02/2016 - 05/2018. Total project budget to date: $6,000.00

Research/Scholarship Projects

  • Middle Grades Soccer Study. PI: Lauren A. Liang. 10/2023 - 11/2024.
  • Nonfiction Adult Readers. PI: Lauren Liang. Co-PI(s): Anne Cook, Melissa Stewart, Xenia Hadjioannou. 08/2022 - 06/2024.
  • PURPOSE-ful Framework for Text Sets. PI: Lauren A. Liang. 02/2022 - 06/2024.
  • WRRESS Template for Guided Reflection and Inquiry. PI: Lauren A. Liang. Co-PI(s): Elizabeth Nelson Thackeray. 01/2022 - 12/2024.
  • Children’s Literature Courses Across the United States. PI: Miriam Martinez. Co-PI(s): Lauren A. Liang, Jennifer Graff. 12/2018 - 12/2021.
  • The Literature Makerspace Laboratory Project (The LML Project). PI: Liang, L.A. and Poitras, E. 11/2018 - 12/2021.

Geographical Regions of Interest

  • Germany
    International Youth Library.
  • Philippines