Yeatman
Reading & Dyslexia
Research Program
We study the factors that contribute to differences in how all children and adults learn to read — and use what we learn to design innovative, personalized education for the full diversity of learners.
Reading & Dyslexia Research Program Publications ↓Lab
Brain Development &
Education Lab
Neuroscience as a tool for improving education — and education as a tool for understanding the brain.
Brain Development & Education Lab Publications ↓The Program
Why This Research Matters
Reading is at the foundation of academic success, and children who struggle to learn to read are at a disadvantage throughout their academic careers. Our program exists to change that.
Who We Study
We run studies with a broad range of participants across childhood and adulthood — not just people with dyslexia — to understand the full diversity of how people learn to read.
An Interdisciplinary Team
A collaboration between the Division of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics at Stanford's School of Medicine and the Graduate School of Education, spanning education, pediatrics, psychology, neuroscience, and engineering.
From Findings to Practice
What we learn directly shapes ROAR, our reading assessment platform now used in thousands of schools, and the guidance we share with families below.
Curated guides, advocacy groups, and intervention programs for families navigating a dyslexia diagnosis.
Building bridges from the lab to the classroom and back — inspiring a virtuous cycle between research and practice
ROAR — Rapid Online Assessment of Reading
An open-access, fully automated reading assessment platform grounded in our ongoing research. Rostered in 2,500+ schools and community organizations across 39 states — including as one of California's four approved dyslexia screening tools — with real-time score reports for teachers and no test administrator required.
Visit roar.stanford.edu ↗Figures from ROAR's norming & technical documentation ↗
Beta · Parent Research Portal
ROAR@Home
Democratizing access to validated assessments. ROAR@Home gives families direct access to the same validated reading assessment and dyslexia screener used in hundreds of U.S. schools — plus new assessments still under active research — while helping us investigate what factors help children learn to read.
Participate in Research
Register to help us investigate the factors that contribute to reading difficulties and design personalized approaches to education.
Real Score Reports
Learn about your child's reading skills with ROAR@Home score reports, scored and validated the same way as the version used in schools.
Built for Families
A Family Guide, Next Steps Guide, Technical Manual, and video walkthroughs help you interpret your child's results.
Resources from ROAR@Home
ROAR Family Guide ↗
An introduction to ROAR · PDF
What ROAR measures, and why we built it.
Next Steps Guide ↗
Understanding your child's score report · PDF
What to do after you get your results.
Strategic Decision-Making ↗
For educators · PDF
How schools turn ROAR scores into a support plan.
Technical Manual ↗
Norms & validation details
The research and psychometrics behind every score.
Score Report Video ↗
Guide to your child's report
A short walkthrough of what each score means.
Introduction to ROAR ↗
Video walkthrough for families new to ROAR
What to expect before your child gets started.
Stanford News Feature ↗
How ROAR helps schools spot struggling readers
A short, plain-language look at ROAR's story.
Older Struggling Readers ↗
ROAR for teens & older kids, not just early readers
Screening isn't just for kindergarten and 1st grade.
Special Ed & 504 Guidance ↗
For students with IEPs & 504 accommodations · PDF
How ROAR adapts — and where it doesn't — by need.
Requires a parent or legal guardian's consent · needs a computer or tablet (no mobile) · currently U.S. only
Resources for Parents
A starting point for families navigating a dyslexia diagnosis or wondering whether one fits.
Reading Rockets
Intervention strategies & classroom resources
Dyslexic Advantage
Reframing dyslexia's strengths, reducing stigma
Decoding Dyslexia
A parent-run, grassroots advocacy movement
Children's Health Council
Evaluation, coaching & clinical services
Florida Center for Reading Research
Research-backed student activities
Foundations of Literacy
Free I-LABS training module
Lindamood-Bell
Intervention & tutoring centers
WA State Dyslexia Resource Guide
State-level guidance for families & schools
Meet the Lab
Lab Alumni
Publications
In the Media
Participate in Research
Families, schools, and adult readers help drive our work — studies are open to a broad range of participants, not just people with dyslexia. Participant sign-up is coming soon.
Join the Lab
Postdoc, student, and staff openings span both programs.
View openings on the Brain Development & Education Lab page →