She’s Passionate about Dyslexia! Dr. Sally Shaywitz is exhilarated by the new developments in brain imaging technology that hold such promise for teaching those with dyslexia; she is frustrated by the lack of dissemination of the new knowledge about this disorder that hold so many learners captive; and she is angry about those who deny the science that defines it. She will really be with us on January 28th to help us understand how we can make a big difference in these deserving children’s lives.

Dr. Tim Rasinski is a professor of literacy education at Kent State University. His scholarly interests include reading fluency and word study, readers who struggle,and parental involvement. His research on reading has been cited by the National Reading Panel and has been published in journals such as Reading Research Quarterly,The Reading Teacher, Reading Psychology, The Handbook of Reading Research, and the Journal of Educational Research. Tim served on the Board of Directors of the International Reading Association. He has also served as co-editor of The Reading Teacher and the Journal of Literacy Research. In 2010 Tim was elected to the International Reading Hall of Fame. Prior to coming to Kent State Tim taught literacy education at the University of Georgia. He taught for several years as a classroom and Title I reading interventionist in Omaha, Nebraska.

Dr. Anne Cunningham (Researcher and Author) has a PhD in Developmental Psychology and is known for her research on literacy, child development and special education (conducted at the University of Berkeley, CA). She examines the cognitiveand motivational processes underlying reading ability and the interplay of context, development, and literacy instruction. Dr. Cunningham has been awarded several prestigious research fellowships. She currently serves as principal investigator of Teacher Quality: The Role of Teacher Study Groups as a Model of Professional Development in Early Literacy. She is a member of multiple journal editorial boards. She has served on several expert panels for literacy initiatives, which included the National Early Literacy Panel (NELP). Anne elegantly balances public school reading experience with rigorous scientific research work and university level teacher training.

Chelsea has been implementing the Joyful Literacy Framework for the past four years in her kindergarten classrooms. She has specialized in implementing basic Foundational Skills immersed in a thematic and playful approach. Her children enter grade one with over 85% reading at the grade one level – knowing their alphabet, up to 90 basic sight words, and reading PM Benchmark books with fluency. Chelsea is the team trainer and expert on the new Dyslexia Essentials App.