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I teach graduate and undergraduate courses for folks who are planning to be English Language Arts teachers and I coordinate the English Education Program. Currently, I am chair of the Department of English and the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures.

Undergraduate Courses

  • Teaching Writing (ENGL 402): This is a “methods” course, which will prepare you with practical skills, instructional strategies, and best practices for teaching writing in your career as an English Language Arts teacher.
  • Grammar and Language for Teachers (ENGL 463): In this socio-linguistics course, you will learn the “why” behind English language structure as well as the “how” of effective grammar instruction.
  • Teaching Reading in the English Classroom (ENGL 423): In this course, you will explore the science of reading, digital literacy, instructional strategies, and pedagogical approaches to design effective, evidence-based reading instruction for middle school and high school-aged students.
  • The Study of Children’s Literature (ENGL 424): So much more than picture books! In this literature class, you will explore the history of children’s literature, current trends, and how to use children’s literature to motivate and engage readers of any age.

Graduate Courses

  • Teaching Writing: Theories and Practices (ENGL 502): In this course you will explore theories of writing instruction and design evidence-based instructional strategies to engage students in their learning.
  • Grammar and Language for Teachers (ENGL 563): This socio-linguistics course provides you an opportunity to examine linguistic theory, the history of the English language, and practical application of theory to instructional design.
  • Teaching Reading in the English Classroom (ENGL 523): This course is designed to deepen your understanding of evidence-based reading instruction as well as motivational models as you design instructional strategies to encourage motivation

English Education Program
If you plan a career as an English teacher, you and I will work closely together, along with your advisor so that you graduate with your teaching licensure. Together we will arrange your courses as well as the non-academic qualifications required by the Virginia Department of Education.

Professional Education at Radford University
I am a member of the Professional Education Committee. This group oversees the teacher education programs at Radford University and ensures the continued accreditation and approvals of teacher preparation programs at the university.

Professional Things

  • I co-edited Hollywood or History? An Inquiry-Based Strategy for Using Film to Teach Salient Societal Issues in Elementary Social Studies.
  • I present at a lot of conferences, including internationally, about innovative approaches to teacher preparation.
  • I also do some consulting with school districts across the state about teaching reading and writing in middle and high school classrooms.
  • The research I do is focused on preparing future teachers to be professional educators.

Other stuff
PhD in Curriculum and Instruction/English Education, Virginia Tech
MA in Creative Writing, Hollins University
BA in English/Comparative Literature, Hollins University