Language: Key to Literacy
How listening and talking help children connect words on a page with words they know. See why language matters from the start.
The research behind StoryWorld
What happens when children have stories they want to read, with support when they need it? Explore what researchers, teachers, and families found while using StoryWorld.
These studies examine StoryWorld’s existing school platform. They offer useful background for families, but do not establish results for the new homeschool curriculum.
More stories. More time reading.
In spring 2019, WestEd explored how StoryWorld worked in first- and second-grade classrooms. The study looked at classroom use, engagement, and children’s attitudes toward reading.
Children chose to keep reading
Many students read more than the one book required in a session. Researchers observed strong engagement as children explored stories and used the audio support.
Practice became something to share
Students tried again to improve their quiz scores and helped classmates who needed support. Teachers described an enjoyable way to fit more reading into the school day.
Reading attitudes showed promise
Students’ average scores for how much they valued reading rose after two weeks. The change was statistically significant; the increase in their view of themselves as readers was not.
Sources: 2019 feasibility report and 2020 AERA paper, which describe the same classroom study.
How to read these findings. This was a small exploratory study without random assignment. Results varied between classrooms, and technical difficulties affected some activities. The findings do not show that StoryWorld caused the changes in reading attitudes.
What families experienced at home
WestEd also studied StoryWorld during school closures in 2020, with four teachers and 26 parents or guardians. Children used the platform for two weeks within the four-week study.
Parents and teachers reported engaged readers, families reading together, and children using narration and recording activities. Teachers used the dashboard to follow students’ work from a distance.
This feasibility study reports family and teacher experiences; it is not a controlled test of learning gains. Read the distance-learning report.
Read the research for yourself
Start with a summary or explore the original reports. These five resources are also listed on StoryWorld’s main research page.
- 2020
AERA paperRead PDF ↗Language learning through a multimodal platform
The paper describes StoryWorld’s approach and the 2019 classroom study, including methods, reading-attitude findings, and limitations. It is another account of that study, not a separate trial.
- 2020
Distance learningRead PDF ↗StoryWorld as a tool for distance learning
How teachers and families used stories, language support, and progress information during school closures. Findings draw on reported experiences with the existing platform.
- 2019
Classroom useRead PDF ↗Usability and feasibility research
WestEd’s summary of classroom observations and teacher feedback: engagement, reading attitudes, ways to use the platform, and practical challenges.
- 2018
Study of promiseRead PDF ↗Early research in bilingual classrooms
A summary of research conducted in Spanish–English classrooms in 2017. Reading motivation increased; overall English and Spanish reading-test changes were not statistically significant.
- 2017–2019
Educator voicesRead PDF ↗Teachers’ observations from the research
Selected comments about engagement, language support, ease of use, and planning instruction. These are educator experiences, rather than a separate outcomes study.
From the StoryWorld blog
Browse all articles ↗Explore the ideas behind how children learn to read. These StoryWorld perspectives connect early reading skills with the stories and conversations you share at home.
Articles share our approach to literacy. See the reports above for studies of the StoryWorld platform. Blog links open in a new tab.
What is Scarborough’s Rope…and Why Does it Matter?
Reading draws on two sets of skills: knowing the words and knowing what they mean. This model shows how those skills grow together.
Speaking Skills Build Reading Skills!
Why speaking and listening belong alongside phonics. Explore how using words aloud helps children make sense of what they read.
The Learning Power of Stories
Why stories hold children’s attention and give new words meaning. Read about their role in learning and understanding how others feel.
Two Digital Promise certifications
In 2020, Digital Promise recognized the research behind StoryWorld’s design and its support for different learner needs.
August 4, 2020
Research-Based Design
StoryWorld submitted evidence connecting research on how children learn with the design of its product.
Read the certification announcement (PDF) ↗October 8, 2020
Learner Variability
StoryWorld was among the first 15 products recognized for features that support learners’ different strengths and needs.
Read the certification announcement (PDF) ↗Research support. The 2019 report describes development supported by an Institute of Education Sciences Small Business Innovation Research grant. IES is part of the U.S. Department of Education. Funding, product certifications, and study results each tell a different part of the story.
These certifications refer to the existing platform in 2020; they do not certify the new homeschool curriculum. Read about the research support.
Questions about StoryWorld for your family?
Talk with us about your child’s reading and how the homeschool program works.
Contact us