I am a researcher interested in educational equity and school and family factors that support children’s language and literacy development. After receiving a PhD in Human Development and Social Policy from Northwestern University, I spent several years doing policy evaluation at MDRC, focusing on early childhood education and home visiting.

At Temple, I work with Barbara Wasik and Annemarie Hindman in the College of Education. My current research focuses on the development and evaluation of text- and video-based tools supporting family-school engagement in children’s language and literacy. I am also interested in the effects of child and family processes and routines (including sleep behaviors) on child development and well-being.

Information about the Text to Talk project, funded by the William Penn Foundation, can be found here.

PUBLICATIONS

Snell, E. K., Wasik, B. A., Hindman, A. H. (2022). Text to talk: Effects of a home-school vocabulary texting intervention on prekindergarten vocabulary. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 60, 67-79. Snell et al. 2022.

Snell, E. K., Wasik, B. A., Hindman, A. H. (2020). Using texting to help parents build children’s vocabulary at home. The Reading Teacher, 74(1), 49-57. Snell et al. 2020

Snell, E. K., Hindman, A. H., & Wasik, B. A. (2020). Exploring the use of texting to support family-school engagement in early childhood settings: teacher and family perspectives. Early Child Development and Care, 190, 447-460. Snell et al. 2020

Snell, E. K., Hindman, A. H., & Wasik, B. A. (2019). A review of research on technology-mediated language and literacy professional development models. Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, 40(3), 205-220. Snell et al. 2019

Wasik, B. A., & Snell, E. K. (2019). Synthesis of preschool dosage: Unpacking how quantity, quality and content impacts child outcomes. In Sustaining early childhood learning gains: Program, school, and family influences. Edited by Arthur J. Reynolds and Judy A. Temple. Wasik & Snell 2019

Hindman, A. H., Snell, E. K., & Wasik, B. A. (2017). Developing vocabulary in the early grades. In L. B. Bailey (Ed.), Implementing a Standards-Based Curriculum in the Early Childhood Classroom. Taylor & Francis.

Wasik, B. A., Hindman, A. H. & Snell, E. K. (2016). Book reading and vocabulary development: A systematic review. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 37, 39-57. Wasik et al. 2016

Hindman, A. H., Wasik, B. A., & Snell, E. K. (2016). Closing the 30 million word gap: Next steps in designing research to inform practice. Child Development Perspectives, 10(2), 134-139. Hindman et al. 2016

Akers, L., Del Grosso, P., Snell, E. K., Atkins-Burnett, S., Wasik, B., Carta, J., … & Monahan, S. (2016). Tailored Teaching: Emerging Themes from the Literature on Teachers’ Use of Ongoing Child Assessment to Individualize Instruction. NHSA Dialog, 18(4). Akers et al. 2016

Snell, E. K., Hindman, A. H., & Belsky, J. (2016). Child effects and child care. Development and Psychopathology, 27, 1059–1076. Snell et al. 2016

Snell, E. K., Hindman, A. H., & Wasik, B. A. (2015). Closing the word gap: Implementing research-based strategies to improve children’s vocabulary development. The Reading Teacher 68, 560-571. Snell et al. 2015

Hindman, A. H., Snell, E. K., Lewis, K. N., Wasik, B. A., Hammer, C. S. & Iannone- Campbell, C. (2015). Research and practice partnerships for professional development in early childhood: Lessons from ExCELL-E. Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk (JESPAR) 20, 12-28.  Hindman et al. 2015

Snell, E. K., Castells, N., Duncan, G., Gennetian, L., Magnuson, K. & Morris, P. (2013). Boosting the well-being of boys in high-poverty neighborhoods: Evidence from four anti-poverty experiments.  Journal of Research on Adolescence, 23, 357–374. Snell et al. 2013

Snell, E. K., Adam, E. K., & Duncan, G. J. (2007). Sleep and the Body Mass Index and overweight status of children and adolescents. Child Development, 78, 309-323. Snell et al. 2007

Adam, E. K., Snell, E. K., & Pendry, P. (2007). Sleep timing and quantity in ecological and family context: A nationally representative time-diary study. Journal of Family Psychology, 21, 4-19. Adam et al. 2007

Snell, E. K., & Duncan, G. (2006). Child characteristics and successful use of housing vouchers:  Estimates from the Moving to Opportunity demonstration. Housing Policy Debate, 17, 727-754.  Snell et al. 2006

Duncan, G. J., Clark-Kauffman, E. & Snell, E. (2006). Residential mobility interventions as treatments for the sequelae of neighborhood violence. In A. Lieberman & R. DeMartino (Eds.) Interventions for children exposed to violence (pp 237-270). Johnson and Johnson Pediatric Institute.

Reed, J. M., Pashup, J., & Snell, E. K. (2005). Voucher use, labor force participation, and life priorities: Findings from the Gautreaux Two Housing Mobility Study.  Cityscape, 8, 219-239.

Knickman, J. R., Hunt, K., Snell, E. K., Alecxih, L., & Kennell, D. (2003). Wealth patterns among elderly Americans: Implications for health care affordability. Health Affairs, 22, 168-174.

Knickman, J. R., & Snell, E. K. (2002). The 2030 Problem: Caring for aging baby boomers. Health Services Research, 37, 849-84.

Leviton, L. C., Snell, E., & McGinnis, M. (2000). Urban issues in health promotion strategies. American Journal of Public Health, 90, 863-6.

REPORTS AND TECHNICAL PAPERS

Michalopoulos, C. Lee, H., Snell, E. K., et al. (2015). Design for the Mother and Infant Home Visiting Program Evaluation-Strong Start. OPRE Report 2015-63. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Filene, J. H., Snell, E. K., Lee, H., Knox, V., Michalopoulos, C., & Duggan, A. (2013). The Mother and Infant Home Visiting Program Evaluation-Strong Start: First Annual Report. OPRE Report 2013-54. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Michalopoulos, C., Duggan, A. Knox, V., Filene, J. H., Lee, H., Snell, E. K., Crowne, S., Lundquist, E., Corso, P. S.,  Ingels, J. B. (2013). Revised design for the Mother and Infant Home Visiting Program Evaluation. OPRE Report 2013-18. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Michalopoulos, C., Duggan, A., Knox, V., Filene, J. H., Lundquist, E., Snell, E. K., Corso, P., Ingels, J. B., Kim, S. & Mello, M. (2011). ACF-OPRE Report 2011-16. Design options for the home visiting evaluation: Draft final report. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Snell, E. K., Castells, N., Gennetian, L., & Morris, P. (2009).  Updating Cost-Benefit Analysis of Early Childhood Programs to Reflect Current Developmental Theory. Prepared for The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Contact: 1301 Cecil B. Moore Ave. Ritter Hall 437. College of Education Philadelphia, PA 19122   emily.snell@temple.edu