Research
Shining a Light on Story Drama
2026-2027
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Funded by a Renée Fleming Neuroarts Investigator Award
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$25,000
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10 neurotypical and neurodivergent preschoolers
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Big Question: Can we use functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) in the classroom to understand how drama shapes emotion processing in neurodiverse children's brains during storytime?
EYEPlay for Everyone: An Innovative Approach to Providing Professional Development in Drama-Based Instruction to Teachers and Caregivers of High-Needs Learners
2024-2027
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Funded by U.S. ED Education Innovation and Research (EIR) Grant
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$3,999,999
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21 preschool classrooms in Greater Phoenix, Arizona serving students with diverse (dis)abilities
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Big Questions: How do early childhood special educators and parents of preschoolers with (dis)abilities best learn to support their students/children in drama-based, imaginative literacy experiences? How do those experiences support children’s early literacy engagement?
EYEPlay ADAPT (All Different Abilities Participate and Thrive)
2023-2025
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Funded by The Spencer Foundation
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$399,000
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10 preschool classrooms in Phoenix, Arizona serving students with diverse (dis)abilities
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Big Questions: How can we improve EYEPlay to better support all learners' diverse strengths and abilities? How can we improve our research tools to better capture all students' learning through drama?
Drama Frames for K-2
2023-2024
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Funded by Arizona Office of the Governor (American Rescue Plan Act [ARPA]/State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds [SLFRF]: Assistance for Education Addressing Education Disparities - Academic, Social, and Emotional Services Teacher Professional Development Programming
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$326,714
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13 K-2 classrooms and 10 PreK-8th grade teachers at a summer institute in Phoenix Metro Area
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Big Question: How can professional development in drama-based literacy help K–2 teachers strengthen students’ reading skills, story comprehension, and enjoyment of reading?
EYEPlay to Support Learning Loss
2022-2024
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Funded by Arizona Department of Education: Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund III Set-Aside/Statewide Recovery Funds
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$602,076
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30 preschool classrooms in Phoenix Metro Area
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Big Question: How can EYEPlay help preschool teachers use drama to build children’s literacy, language, and social-emotional skills and prepare them for kindergarten in a post-COVID world?
EYEPlay Randomized Control Trial
2019-2023
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Funded by the U.S. ED Arts Education Development and Dissemination program
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$2,228,135
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90 preschool classrooms in Phoenix Metro Area
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Big Question: How does participating in EYEPlay support preschoolers' language, literacy, and socio-emotional development, compared to preschoolers in business-as-usual classrooms in the same districts?
EYEPlay Dual Language
2015-2020
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Funded by the Helios Education Foundation
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$721,000 and $1,590,000
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13 dual language preschool classrooms in Phoenix, AZ and 11 dual language preschool classrooms in Orlando, FL
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Big Question: How does drama-based story time support Spanish and English acquisition for Spanish and English learners in dual language preschool?
Drama Frames for K-3 Multiple Language Streams
2014-2018
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Funded by the U.S. ED Professional Development for Arts Educators Program
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$298,673
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26 K-3 classrooms (mainstream, dual language, and structured English immersion) in Phoenix, AZ
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Big Question: How does participation in drama-based literacy learning support reading achievement for K-3 students in mainstream, dual language, and SEI classrooms, compared to students' in business-as-usual classrooms?
EYEPlay Development
2011-2014
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Funded by the Helios Education Foundation
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$347,000
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37 preschool classrooms in Phoenix Metro Area
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Big Question: How does participating in EYEPlay support students’ literacy skills, measured by teacher observational assessments, compared to a demographically-matched control group?
Drama Frames Development
2006-2010
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Funded by the U.S. ED Arts Integration Model Development and Dissemination Program
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$951,528
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81 4th, 5th, and 6th grade classrooms in Phoenix, AZ
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Big Question: How does participating in Drama Frames support students’ writing skills, measured by district administrated Six Traits of Writing assessments, compared to business-as-usual classrooms?