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Melissa Stalega

Assistant Professor

University of North Texas

Department of Educational Psychology

Email: Melissa.Stalega@unt.edu

Education

  • PhD, University of Connecticut, 2024
    Major: Educational Psychology
    Specialization: Special Education
    Dissertation: Exploring the Role of Recording Verification in Reading-Related Tasks Using a Phonological Recovery Task

Professional Positions

    Academic - Post-Secondary

  • Affiliate, University of Connecticut. University of Connecticut. (2025 - 2025).
  • Assistant Research Professor, University of Connecticut. University of Connecticut. (2025 - 2025).

Professional Memberships

  • The Society for the Scientific Study of Reading. (2023 - 2024).
  • The Council for Exceptional Children. (2022 - 2023).

Teaching

Teaching Experience

    University of North Texas

  • EDSP 4350 - Disability as Diversity: Inclusive Pedagogies and Practices for Children and Youth with Disabilities, 2 courses.
  • EDSP 5615 - Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports in Educational and Related Settings, 1 course.

Teaching at Other Institutions

  • University of Connecticut, Spring 2024.

Directed Student Learning

  • Doctoral Comprehensive Exam Member or Grader, "The Impact of Schema-Based Instruction Professional Development on Nigerian Teachers’ Knowledge, Confidence, and Perceptions of Teaching Word Problem Solving to Students with or at Risk of Learning Disabilities," Educational Psychology. (November 17, 2025 - December 11, 2025).

Awards and Honors

  • Nominated for Early Career Outstanding Paper Award, The Society for the Scientific Study of Reading. (2024).
  • Pre-Doctoral Fellow Award, Office of Research. (2024).
  • Conference Participation Award, The Graduate School. (2023).
  • Doctoral Training Fellowship, Office of Special Education Programs. (2020).

Research

Published Intellectual Contributions

    Book

  • Favazza, P., Ostrosky, M., Stalega, M., Yang, H., Aronson-Ensign, K., Block, M., Cheung, C., Akemoglu, Y. (2022). CHAMPPS: CHildren in Action Motor Program for PreschoolerS.

    • Book Chapter

  • Kearns, D., Bayer, N., Stalega, M., McKenna, M. (2025). Multi-Tiered Systems of Support for Improving Literacy Outcomes for Students in Grades 3 through 8.
  • Lyon, C., Fuchs, D., Stalega, M., Kearns, D. (2023). Kindergarten peer assisted learning strategies..

    • Encyclopedia Article

  • Stalega, M., Kearns, D., Landi, N. (2025). Computer-assisted word recognition interventions. In Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development.

    • Journal Article

  • Ostrosky, M., Favazza, P., Yang, H., Stalega, M., Aronson-Ensign, K., Cheung, C., Block, M., Kwan, N. (2024). Investigating the impact of a motor program on preschoolers with disabilities..
  • Stalega, M., Kearns, D., Bourget, J., Bayer, N., Hebert, M. (2024). Is phonological-only instruction helpful for reading?: A meta-analysis..
  • Cheung, C., Ostrosky, M., Favazza, P., Stalega, M., Yang, H. (2023). Exploring the perspectives of preschool teachers on implementing structured motor programs in inclusive classrooms..
  • Kearns, D., Lyon, C., Zagata, E., Stalega, M., Kelley, S. (2022). Teaching syllable division to facilitate polysyllabic word reading: Current research and possible alternatives..
  • Yang, H., Ostrosky, M., Favazza, P., Stalega, M., Block, M. (2019). Embedding motor activities into inclusive preschools..
  • Akamoglu, Y., Ostrosky, M., Cheung, C., Yang, H., Favazza, P., Stalega, M., Aronson-Ensign, K. (2019). Move together, communicate together: Supporting preschoolers’ communication skills through physical activities..
  • Aronson-Ensign, K., Favazza, P., Stalega, M., Ostrosky, M., Yang, H., Akamoglu, Y., Cheung, C. (2018). CHAMPPS: Filling the preschool curriculum gap..
  • Ostrosky, M., Favazza, P., Yang, H., McLaughlin, K., Stalega, M. (2018). Let’s get moving: Using children’s literature to support physical activity and readiness skills..

Presentations Given

    Oral Presentation

  • Stalega, M. (Presenter), Connecticut State Department of Education Bureau of Special Education-funded professional development delivered to Connecticut Public Schools (5 districts), Analyzing Response to Intervention and Making Adaptations., United States of America. (2025 - 2025).
  • Stalega, M. (Presenter), Connecticut State Department of Education Bureau of Special Education –funded professional development delivered to multiple Connecticut school districts (5 districts), Analyzing response to intervention and making adaptations, United States of America. (2025 - 2025).
  • Stalega, M. (Presenter), Connecticut State Department of Education Bureau of Special Education-funded professional development delivered to Connecticut Public Schools (5 districts), Introduction to Data-Based Individualization., United States of America. (2024 - 2024).
  • Stalega, M. (Presenter), Professional development delivered to Rye City School District, Progress Monitoring Using DIBELS., United States of America. (2024 - 2024).

    • Paper

  • Kearns, D. (Author & Presenter), McKenna, M. (Author), Stalega, M. (Author), Borges, J. (Author & Presenter), Daly-Burns, B. (Author & Presenter), Delgado, E. (Author), Duffy, M. (Author), Goralski, C. (Author), Hess, P. (Author), Lawlor, S. (Author), Annual Meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Reading, School leadership in implementation of a data-based decision-making system for students with reading difficulty, Denmark. (2024 - 2024).
  • Kearns, D. (Author & Presenter), Stalega, M. (Author), Pugh, A. (Author), Bayer, N. (Author), Annual Meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Reading, Exploring the use of incorrect pronunciation correction to understand set for variability, Australia. (2023 - 2023).
  • Bayer, N. (Author & Presenter), Kearns, D. (Author & Presenter), Saluja, S. (Author & Presenter), Stalega, M. (Author & Presenter), Zagata, E. (Author & Presenter), Council for Exception Children Conference, Interventions to support reading multisyllabic and multimorphemic words, United States of America. (2023 - 2023).
  • Stalega, M. (Author & Presenter), Project LINC Bi-Annual Conference, Is phonological-only instruction helpful for reading?: A meta-analysis, United States of America. (2022 - 2022).

    • Poster

  • Erbeli, F. (Author & Presenter), Stalega, M. (Author), Xu, Y. (Author), Savage, R. (Author), The Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness (SREE) Annual Conference, Establishing effect size thresholds for phonemic awareness research on reading outcomes, United States of America. (2025 - 2025).
  • Stalega, M. (Author & Presenter), Kearns, D. (Author), Erbeli, F. (Author), New England Research on Dyslexia, Optimizing Time in Isolated Phonological Awareness Instruction: A Meta-Analysis of Cumulative Dosage for Improved Reading Outcomes, United States of America. (2025 - 2025).
  • Melocowsky, L. (Author & Presenter), Kalva, A. (Author), Kearns, D. (Author), Stalega, M. (Author), Hoeft, F. (Author), Clement-Lam, S. (Author), New England Research on Dyslexia, Unpacking mispronunciations: The cognitive-linguistic role of recoding verification, United States of America. (2025 - 2025).
  • Stalega, M. (Author & Presenter), Kearns, D. (Author), Pacific Coast Research Conference, Exploring the role of semantic and phonological information in set for variability using a new mispronunciation correction task, United States of America. (2025 - 2025).
  • Stalega, M. (Author & Presenter), Bayer, N. (Author & Presenter), Kearns, D. (Author), McKenna, M. (Author), Johnson, K. (Author), Saluja, S. (Author), Council for Exceptional Children Conference, Data-based individualization: Implementation framework, United States of America. (2024 - 2024).
  • Bayer, N. (Author & Presenter), Stalega, M. (Author & Presenter), McKenna, M. (Author), Johnson, K. (Author), Kearns, D. (Author), Pacific Coast Research Conference, Data-based individualization: Implementation framework and professional learning/development, United States of America. (2024 - 2024).
  • Zagata, E. (Author & Presenter), Lyon, C. (Author & Presenter), Stalega, M. (Author & Presenter), Kearns, D. (Author & Presenter), Council for Exception Children Conference, Determining decodability: Which sounds should we teach?, United States of America. (2023 - 2023).
  • Stalega, M. (Author & Presenter), Kearns, D. (Author), Bourget, J. (Author), Bayer, N. (Author), Hebert, M. (Author), Council for Exception Children Conference, Is phonological-only instruction helpful for reading? A meta-analysis, United States of America. (2023 - 2023).
  • Stalega, M. (Author & Presenter), Project LINC Bi-Annual Conference, Set for Variability: A systematic review, United States of America. (2023 - 2023).
  • Stalega, M. (Author & Presenter), Kearns, D. (Author & Presenter), Bourget, J. (Author), Bayer, N. (Author), Hebert, M. (Author), Annual Meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Reading, Is phonological-only instruction helpful for reading? A meta-analysis, United States of America. (2022 - 2022).

Contracts, Grants, Sponsored Research

    Grant - Research

  • Wagner, T. (Principal), Spence, E. (Co-Principal), Grace, J. (Co-Principal), Stalega, M. (Co-Principal), "Investigating the Role of Literacy in Homelessness and Housing Stability," sponsored by Sid Richardson Foundation, Local, $365000 Funded. (2026 - 2027).

Service

University Service

  • Member, Faculty and Student Affairs Committee. (September 1, 2025 - Present).

Professional Service

  • Reviewer, Conference Paper, The Society for the Scientific Study of Reading. (October 29, 2025 - October 29, 2025).
  • Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, Reading and Writing Journal. (May 12, 2025 - June 12, 2025).
  • Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, The Elementary School Journal. (2023 - 2023).
  • Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, The Reading League Journal. (2021 - 2021).

Consulting

  • Academic, University of Connecticut, United States of America. (December 1, 2025).
  • For Profit Organization, Scientific Teaching Services, United States of America. (September 1, 2024).