literacy

Jun 4, 2025

EdNC: Perspective | Standardized Tests for Nonstandard Students: What Can We Do Differently?

Courtney Nunnamaker, a Master of Education student in the NC State College of Education, shares alternative ways of measuring students' academic growth at the end of each school year.

Jun 2, 2025

WFAE: Can North Carolina Move the Needle on Literacy Scores?

Devin Kearns, Goodnight Distinguished Professor of Early Literacy at NC State, said this year’s EOGs could be an important benchmark for the state’s literacy investments.

Jun 2, 2025

WFAE: The ABCs of Literacy Education

Literacy educators, including Associate Professor Dennis Davis, share a glossary of some of the most-used acronyms educators use when talking about reading.

Apr 30, 2025

How the College of Education Draws on Research-based Practices to Prepare Effective Literacy Teachers

From preparing undergraduate students through coursework and field experiences to helping in-service teachers become literacy specialists, the NC State College of Education draws on research-based practices to develop literacy leaders.

Mar 28, 2025

How Can Teachers Implement Effective Literacy Instruction? ‘The Key is to Know Which Strategies Are Actually Based on Research,’ Says Goodnight Distinguished Professor in Early Literacy Devin Kearns

Goodnight Distinguished Professor in Early Literacy Devin Kearns shares resources and video demonstrations of effective strategies for teaching in early literacy.

Mar 26, 2025

Meet Faculty Fellow Jill Jones

As a Faculty Fellow, Jones aims to foster effective learning communities and incorporate mental wellness concepts. She brings valuable experience to her role as a DELTA Faculty Fellow — a background as an elementary teacher, literacy specialist and literacy coach. Jones teaches reading methods courses while helping colleagues integrate instructional technology effectively.

Jan 21, 2025

Education Week: Researchers Created a Phonics Program With ‘Dramatic’ Results. How It Works

A new study has found evidence of big gains in students’ reading ability from using one specific phonics program—and suggests that consistent implementation is key to getting the strongest results. The results are “dramatic,” said Devin Kearns, a professor in early literacy at North Carolina State University.

Jan 17, 2025

‘I Don’t Know of Another State That’s Done This:’ Goodnight Distinguished Professors in Early Literacy and Spangler Distinguished Professors of Early Child Literacy Gather at NC State to Discuss Way to Improve Literacy Outcomes

On Dec. 10, distinguished professors of literacy education from across North Carolina gathered together at the first North Carolina Literacy Leaders retreat hosted by NC State’s College of Education. The event was an opportunity for the state’s two Goodnight Distinguished Professors in Early Literacy and four Spangler Distinguished Professors of Early Child Literacy to share ideas, work with representatives of the University of North Carolina System and hear from education representatives about successes and gaps in literacy education and ways to collaboratively make change.

Jan 2, 2025

Edutopia: The 10 Most Significant Education Studies of 2024

Well-meaning schools often dissuade English language learners from taking science and social studies courses until they’re fluent in English, assuming that remedial language instruction is a necessary first step. But a 2024 study led by Assistant Professor Jackie Relyea and named one of Edutopia’s “10 Most Significant Education Research Studies in 2024” suggests that’s usually the wrong approach.

Dec 9, 2024

Education Week: Can a New Reading Lawsuit Finally Answer: What Is Research-Based Curriculum, Anyway?

Goodnight Distinguished Professor in Early Literacy Devin Kearns discusses the effectiveness and practices of reading curricula in the wake of a lawsuit against companies who create the materials.