Literacy education
The literacy education program has traditionally been one of
the strongest in the country. Program faculty are leading
scholars in the areas of children’s/adolescent literature,
critical literacy, English education, reading, and writing.
Literacy education faculty have won teaching awards at various
universities across the country; they have served as presidents
of literacy organizations, journal editors, committee chairs and
executive board members for organizations such as NCTE, IRA, and
NRC and program chairs for conferences; they oversee numerous
research projects, serving as project directors for federal
grants, and they are authors of important journal articles,
books, and materials for scholars as well as K-12 teachers and
learners. This unique group of individuals offers a breadth of
expertise and perspectives on literacy issues that currently
face researchers, teachers, and learners in this country and
internationally.
The true strength and heart of our program resides in our
former graduate students—who now have positions as literacy
educators and researchers all across the country—and our current
students, who bring a wealth of ideas and experiences with them
to enrich our daily interactions. Our graduates secure careers
in university and college teaching, research, curriculum
development, and administration of literacy programs. We invite
you to become part of this large and extended community!
Degree program information in literacy education
- Ph.D.: for experienced professionals who want to
develop advanced research, knowledge, and leadership skills
in their chosen field
- M.A.: a research-based master's degree for
individuals who want to develop research and teaching
skills, and advanced knowledge in their chosen field
The following program links will take
you to Student Services
Note: Adult basic literacy is also offered as a
program at the College, but it is housed in the
Department of Work and
Human Resource Education.
Faculty
- Richard Beach
Rick is the author/editor of 15 books; his most recent books
include Teaching Literature to Adolescents, Teaching
Media Literacy through the Web, Multidisciplinary
Perspectives on Literacy Research, and Inquiry-based
English Instruction. He conducts research in the areas of
response to literature/media, composition, and
inquiry-instruction.
- Deborah Dillon
Deborah’s research focuses on the literacy practices of teachers
and learners in K-12 schools, including the role of motivation
in engaged reading. Her work has been funded by the National
Science Foundation and the U. S. Department of Education.
Deborah has published 4 books, including Kids InSight:
Reconsidering How to Meet the Literacy Needs of All Students,
and she is past president of the National Reading Conference.
- Lee Galda
Lee’s research and teaching interests focus on children and
adolescents and their literature. Lee is a fellow in the
National Conference on Research in Language and Literacy, and an
active member of several other organizations, including service
as a member of the 2003 Newbery Committee for the Association
for Library Service to Children, American Library Association
(ALA). Lee’s recent books are Literature and the Child
(6th edition), coauthored with Bernice Cullinan, and Reading
and Responding in the Middle Grades, coauthored with Michael
Graves.
- Lori Helman
Lori’s research examines the early stages of literacy
development, in particular for students who are learning English
as a new language. She also works with teachers to understand
and implement effective instructional practices with English
learners. Lori is coauthor of Words Their Way with English
Learners.
- Tim Lensmire
Tim’s research explores the teaching and learning of writing as
a form of democratic living, and how white people learn to be
white in our white supremacist society. His books include
When Children Write: Critical Re-Visions of the Writing Workshop
and Powerful Writing, Responsible Teaching.
- Cynthia Lewis
Cynthia’s current research focuses on critical engagement in
English classrooms in urban schools. She is interested in
literacy as a critical practice with an emphasis on social
identity as it shapes classroom discourse, response to
literature, and adolescents’ uses of digital media. Cynthia’s
books include Literary Practices as Social Acts: Power,
Status, and Cultural Norms in the Classroom and Reframing
Sociocultural Research: Identity, Agency, and Power
(co-edited with Patricia Enciso and Elizabeth Moje). Both books
were awarded the Edward Fry Book Award.
- David O'Brien
David works collaboratively with school-based colleagues to
study adolescent literacy, to help construct supportive programs
for adolescents using literacy practices across the curriculum,
and to support struggling adolescent readers.
- Rebecca Tisdel Rapport
Rebecca is a lecturer in children's literature and elementary
grade literacy. Currently, she is the editor for
New Books for Young
Readers and serves on the advisory boards of
Minnesota Storytime,
and the Kerlan Friends.
- Barbara Taylor
Barbara’s research interests focus on school-wide reading
improvement, and she is currently helping 51 Reading First
schools in Minnesota improve students' reading achievement in
grades K-3. Barbara is also the director of the Minnesota Center for Reading Research
at the University of Minnesota.
Student profile
James Nyachae Michira
After teaching as a lecturer of Swahili linguistics and
literature at the University of Nairobi, I wanted to pursue a
Ph.D. in a scholarly environment that would offer fresh
perspectives and challenge me to grow as a scholar. University
of Minnesota was just the place. Since coming to the U, I have
come to adopt a more critical stance, perspective ,and
interpretation in the field of literacy — both of my own beliefs
and practices, as well as what I expect of others. As an
educator, I believe that it is important to do so. There are so
many things that we take for granted and let pass without even
interrogating them and we fail to learn as a result.
My interests have developed during my four years at the U as
my thinking shifted. My interests now lie in the teaching of
adolescent and young adult literature. However, my growing
exposure to the intersection of education and power has seen me
shift towards policy issues of choices that we either make or
censor. Through interpretive research, I am seeking the real
reasons behind those choices and policies. I have conducted
research in Kenyan schools analyzing the intersection of the
Catholic Church’s beliefs, government regulation, and teachers in
novel selection and implementation. By making transparent the
avenues of power, I hope that all parties can come to a better
understanding of how decisions are truly made.
I will be conducting further research in Kenya next year as
part of writing my dissertation.
May 2006
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