Noted Speakers: Suzanne Robinson
Polly Arango | Fernando Cruz | Frank De Lima | Frank DeRuyter | Katharina Heyer | Cinda and Linea Johnson | David Johnson | Robert Mcruer | Leolinda Parlin | Tanya and Michelle Ponich | Joseph Ray | Suzanne Robinson | Loretta Ross | Dr. Neil Scott | Howard C. Shane | Charlotte Smith | Bethany Stevens | Damon Terzaghi | Amy Wilson
Monday May 4th, 2009: 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM in Room 301B, on topic of Teach to Reach
“School-wide Literacy Programs in Secondary Schools: Reach to Teach Struggling Students”
Mastery of content and meeting high standards of learning, passing core classes and graduation elude too many secondary students. This presentation will address the challenges of and solutions to improving adolescent literacy. Research that informs approaches to content literacy and reading deficits of adolescents will be discussed. The Content Literacy Continuum is a tiered support framework developed at the Center for Research in Learning at the University of Kansas to address literacy needs at both a school-wide and targeted instructional level. Lessons learned from school and district implementation efforts will be shared.
Biography: Suzanne Robinson
Suzanne Robinson is an Associate Professor at the University of Kansas and the Director of the Strategic Learning Center based in Lawrence, KS. Her current scholarly focus is in the development of effective secondary school literacy programs primarily through the Content Literacy Continuum framework developed by KU’s Center for Research on Learning. At the University of Kansas, her work is focused on renewing teacher preparation in special education for K-12 students with high incidence disabilities and doctoral student preparation for those who will become professors of teacher education at universities and colleges. She has spent over twenty-five years working with schools, school districts, state and regional agencies, and professional organizations in school restructuring activities to promote academic achievement for struggling learners. Dr. Robinson’s expertise is in collaboration, school restructuring through co-teaching, collaborative consultation and building responsive student and teacher support structures, coordinated with implementation of evidence-based instructional strategies.
