NLU Centers and Institutes

THE READING CENTER AT NLU

The Reading Center (RC) at National Louis University includes student instruction, professional development, district, school and classroom consultation and research. A training site for graduate students in the NLU Reading Specialist program as well as for a select group of undergraduate trainees, the RC also houses a reading curriculum center as well as a collection of children's literature used for instruction.

Institutes, Grants and Projects: Click through for more information.

• Literacy Partners: The NLU/CPS Advanced Reading Development Demonstration Project(ARDDP)
• The Shaw Family Institute for Early Literacy
• Reading Leadership Institute
• Middle School Project
• Administrator's Reading Academy
• The Nancy Jefferson Project
• Illinois Snapshot of Early Literacy
• Summer Teacher Renewal Seminars
• Center on English Language and Achievement
• Project POWER
• School for Storytelling
• Everybody Reads Fluency Project
• The Biography Project
• The Holidays Around the World Project

Recent Research and Publications:

• Barr, R., Blachowicz, C.L.Z., Bates, A., Katz, C. & Kaufman, B. (2007). Reading diagnosis for teachers: An instructional approach.; New York: Allyn and Bacon.;;
• Berne, J. I & Clark, K.F. (2006).; Comprehension strategy use during peer-led discussions of text:; Ninth-graders tackle “The Lottery”. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy,49(8), 674-686.
• Blachowicz, C., Buhle, R., Frost, S., & Bates, A. (2007). Formative uses of assessment: Cases from the primary grades.; In J. Paratore & R. McCormack (Eds.), Classroom literacy assessment:; Making sense of what students know and do, (pp. 246-251).; New York: Guilford Press.
• Blachowicz, C.L.Z. & Fisher, P. (2007).; Developing young children's vocabularies through read-alouds.; In R.S. New and M. Cochran (Eds.),; Early childhood education: An international encyclopedia.; New York: Greenwood Publishing Group.
• Blachowicz, C. L. Z. & Fisher, P. (2007).Best practices in teaching vocabulary.; In L. Gambrell,; L. Morrow, and M. Pressley.; Best practices in literacy instruction, (3rd Edition), (pp. 178-203).;; New York: Guilford Press.
• Blachowicz, C. l. Z., Fisher, P. J. L., Ogle, D., & Watts-Taffe, S. (2006). Vocabulary: Questions from the classroom. Reading Research Quarterly, 41, 524-539.
• Blachowicz, C.L.Z., Beyersdorfer, J., & Fisher, P. (2006).; Vocabulary development and technology: Teaching and transformation. In M.C. McKenna, L.D. Labbo, R. Kieffer, & D. Reinking (Eds.), International handbook of literacy and
• technology, Vol. 2 (pp. 341-348). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. 18.
• Moskal, M.K. and; Blachowicz, C. (2006).; Partnering for fluency. New York: Guilford Press.
• Blachowicz, C. & Fisher, P.; (2006). Teaching vocabulary in all classrooms (3rd Ed.).; Columbus, OH:; Merrill-Prentice Hall.
• Blachowicz, C.L.Z., Watts-Taffe, S. & Fisher, P.; (2006). Integrated vocabulary instruction:; Meeting the needs of diverse learners in grades 1-5.; Naperville, IL: Learning Point Associates.
• Bush, G. (2006). Creativity Literacy in the School Library: Tapping Our Inner Resources. In M. Orey, J. McClendon, & R. M. Branch, (Eds.). Educational media and technology yearbook (31) (pp.225-233). Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited.
• Bush, G. (2006). The changing role of the school librarian. Principal, 85(4), 56- 58.
• Bush, G. (2006). Learning about learning: From theories to trends. Teacher Librarian,34(2), 14-18.
• Bush, G. (2006). The fierce power of narrative: An interview with Alex Kotlowitz. Knowledge Quest, 34(5), 28-30.
• Bush, G. (2006). Social action learning: Key word in instruction. School Library Media Activities Monthly, 22(7), 38-41.
• Bush, G. (2006). Walking the road between libraries: Best practices in school and public; library cooperative activities. School Library Media Activities Monthly, 22(6),25-28.
• Bush, G. (2006). Thinkers without borders: Information literate students in Illinois. Illinois Libraries, 86(3), 38-41.
• Fiene, J. & McMahon, S. (2007). Assessing comprehension: A; Classroom based process. The Reading Teacher, 60(5), 406-417.
• Fisher, P. J. & Blachowicz, C. L. Z. (In press). Teaching how to think about words. Voices in the Middle.
• Fisher, P. J. (In press). Learning about literacy: From theories to trends. School Librarian.
• Fisher, P. J. (2007). Teaching storytelling for literacy. The Adjunct; Connection.
• Gurvitz, D. (In press). Meeting the challenge to provide high-quality literacy instruction: Using ISEL (Illinois Snapshot of Early Literacy) data to inform instruction in K-2 classrooms.; Oxford, England: Oxford Press.
• Katz, C., & Bohman, S. (2007). Partner reading: Building confidence, releasing responsibility. Book Links, 16(6), 38-40.
• Katz, C., with Gurvitz, D., Polkoff, L. (2005). “Shhh... I’m reading”: Scaffolded independent-level reading. School Talk, 10 (2), 1.
• McMahon, S. I. (in press).; “Adapting Instruction to Align Strategy Use with Different Facets of Comprehension:; Expanding Students’ Thinking to Promote Meaningful Transfer.”; Voices.
• McMahon, S. I. & Wells, J. (2007). Teaching literacy in fifth grade. New York: Guilford Press.
• Ogle, D. (in press). "Best Practices in Adolescent Literacy Instruction: A Team Effort" in L. Gambrell,; L. Morrow & M. Pressley;
• (Eds.), Best practices in literacy instruction.; New York: Guilford Press.
• Ogle, D. (in press).; Study techniques for content learning" in Lapp, Flood and Farnam (Eds),; Content area reading.; Hillsdale, NJ:; Lawrence Erlbaum; Publishers.;;
• Rasinski, T, Blachowicz, C.L.Z., & Lems, K. Eds. (2006),; Fluency; development.; New York: Guilford Press.
• Teale, W. H., Yokota, J. & Martinez, M.; (In press).; The book matters:;; Evaluating and selecting what to read aloud to young children. In A. DeBruin-Parecki; (Ed.), Here’s how, here’s why: Developing early literacy skills.; Ypsilanti, MI: High/Scope Press.
• Teale, W. H., Zolt, N., Yokota, J., Glaswell, K., & Gambrell, L.; (2007).; Getting children In2Books:; Engagement in authentic reading, writing, and thinking.; Phi Delta Kappan, 88 (7) 498 - 502.
• Temple, C., Martinez, M., & Yokota, J.; (2006).; Children’s books in children’s; hands:; An introduction to their literature.; (3rd ed.). Needham Heights, MA:; Allyn & Bacon.
• Yokota, J. (2006).; Cultural relevance in the library.; Children & Libraries, 4 (2) 57 - 59.
• Yokota, J., & Miller, K. (2006).; Library management.; Children & Libraries, 4 (1) 47-48.
• Yokota, J., Teale, W. H. & Quiroa, R.; (in press, 2007).; Literacy development for culturally diverse populations..; In S. B. Wepner, D. S. Strickland & J. T. Feeley (Eds.), The administration and supervision of reading programs.; (4th ed.).; New York:; Teachers College Press.
• Yokota, J.; (in press, 2007).; International literature. In S. Lehr (Ed.), Issues, Trends and controversy in children’s literature.; Christopher-Gordon.