Sarah Powell, Ph.D.

Research Interests and Expertise

Developing and testing interventions for students with mathematics difficulties

Research Projects and Grants

Supporting Teaching of Algebra: Individual Readiness (Project STAIR), Office of Special Education Programs, 2018–2021
Developing, Implementing, and Evaluating Interactive Read-Alouds for Prekindergarten and Kindergarten Children to Improve Literacy and Numeracy Skills, T.L.L. Temple Foundation, 2017–2022
Promoting Scientific Explorers Among Students With Learning Disabilities: The Design and Testing of a Grade 2 Science Program Focused on Earth’s Systems, National Science Foundation, 2017–2021
Developing Connections Between Word Problems and Mathematical Equations to Promote Word-Problem Performance Among Students With Mathematics Difficulty, Institute of Education Sciences, 2015–2019

Review Boards

Assessment for Effective Intervention
Exceptional Children
Journal of Learning Disabilities
Learning Disabilities Research and Practice
Learning Disability Quarterly
Teaching Exceptional Children

Recent Awards

Distinguished Early Career Research Award, Division for Research, Council for Exceptional Children, 2018
Early Career Publication Award, Division for Research, Council for Exceptional Children, 2011
Dissertation Award, Division for Learning Disabilities, Council for Exceptional Children, 2010

Representative Publications

Powell, S. R., Cirino, P. T., & Malone, A. S. (2017). Child-level predictors of responsiveness to evidence-based mathematics intervention. Exceptional Children, 83, 359–377. doi:10.1177/0014402917690728

Powell, S. R., Driver, M. K., Roberts, G., & Fall, A.-M. (2017). An analysis of the mathematics vocabulary knowledge of third- and fifth-grade students: Connections to general vocabulary and mathematics computation. Learning and Individual Differences, 57, 22–32. doi:10.1016/j.lindif.2017.05.011

Powell, S. R., Hebert, M. A., Cohen, J. A., Casa, T. M., & Firmender, J. M. (2017). A synthesis of mathematics writing: Assessments, interventions, and surveys. Journal of Writing Research, 8, 493–526. doi:10.17239/jowr-2017.08.03.04

Powell, S. R., & Nelson, G. (2017). An investigation of the mathematics-vocabulary knowledge of first-grade students. The Elementary School Journal, 117, 664–686. doi:10.1086/691604

Hughes, E. M., Powell, S. R., & Stevens, E. A. (2016). Supporting clear and concise mathematics language: Instead of that, say this. Teaching Exceptional Children, 49, 7–17. doi:10.1177/0040059916654901

Powell, S. R., & Hebert, M. A. (2016). Influence of writing ability and computation skill on mathematics writing. The Elementary School Journal, 117, 310–335. doi:10.1086/688887

Powell, S. R., Kearns, D. M., & Driver, M. K. (2016). Exploring the connection between arithmetic and pre-algebraic reasoning at first and second grade. Journal of Educational Psychology, 108, 943–959. doi:10.1037/edu0000112