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Toward Effective Literacy Instruction: My Academic and Professional Journey
For as long as I can remember, I have loved engaging with texts of all kinds–tradebooks, magazines, documentaries, and even textbooks. Thus, it came as no surprise when I chose literacy as my specialization area in my master’s program and as one of two specialization areas in my doctoral program. Through these two programs, I gained many of the competencies associated with effective literacy instruction:
- Reading, discussing, and writing about literature
- Teaching and modeling literacy strategies
- Structuring and scaffolding writing tasks
- Planning and facilitating literacy workshops
- Incorporating students’ out-of-school literacies
- Teaching content and process concurrently
- Evaluating and using 17 types of literacy tools
After completing my doctoral program, I worked in the College of Education at Southeastern. There, I taught courses such as “Content Area Reading,” coached and evaluated prospective teachers (40-50% English), and took part in many literacy-related activities (e.g., service, trainings). These experiences enhanced my literacy expertise and improved my teaching in ways I had never thought possible. As a result, I am more prepared than ever to provide effective literacy instruction.
To illustrate my preparedness as a literacy educator, I share detailed information regarding my graduate studies, post-secondary teaching, and other relevant experiences (e.g., service, professional development). This information can be viewed by clicking the portfolio menu links on the left side of this page.
Tracey Kumar 