Dr. Maureen McLaughlin: Transforming Literacy Education

1. “As a reading professional, there is nothing more exhilarating than witnessing a young child read for the first time, and there is nothing more disheartening than observing an older student or adult who struggles to read,” –Dr. M. McLaughlin

2. She’s Eminent to Me Dr. Maureen McLaughlin

3. What’s McLaughlin’s Story? • B.A., 1973, MarywoodCollege • M.S., 1976, MarywoodCollege • McLaughlin earned her doctorate at Boston University in reading and language development. (Ed. D. 1983) • Prior to her tenure at the university, she spent fifteen years as a classroom teacher, reading specialist, and department chair in a public school system. • A frequent speaker at international, national, and state conferences, McLaughlin consults with school districts and universities throughout the world.

4. Currently • Maureen McLaughlin, department chair and professor of reading education at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, • Member of the Board of Directors of the International Reading Association until 2008. • President-Elect of IRA (2013)

5. Currently • McLaughlin served as an IRA volunteer professor in Estonia with the Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking Project (RWCT) from 1997 through 2000. • She has authored numerous reports and articles for IRA’s publication division and chaired preconvention institutes at the annual convention. • McLaughlin has served on the editorial review board of The Thinking Classroom and chaired the Assessment and Evaluation Committee.

6. Publications • McLaughlin has authored numerous publications including Research-Based Reading Lessons for Grades K – 3 (2005), • Critical Literacy: Enhancing Students’ Comprehension of Text (2004), • Guided Comprehension in the Primary Grades (2003), • Guided Comprehension: A Teaching Model for Grades 3 – 8 (2002), and • Guided Comprehension in Action Lessons for Grades 3 – 8 • (2002). • Content Area Reading: Teaching and Learning in an Age of Multiple Literacies (2010)

7. How has Dr. McLaughlin contributed to the study of literacy? She has helped many educators understand the importance of seeing the development of reading as a social constructivist process, and have given strategies and teaching ideas to implement this process. Guided Comprehension

8. How did she engage in inquiry? Action Research: research that is initiated to solve a current problem where an organization actively participates. It is led by professional researchers that work with others to improve the way they address a defined issue.

9. Best Practices in Reading Comprehension Instruction • Direct instruction of comprehension strategies • Opportunities to engage with authentic text in a variety of genres • Multiple levels of text • Dynamic assessment • Integration of reading, writing and discussion • And consistent opportunities fro practice and transfer of learning in a variety of settings.

10. What led to Guided Comprehension? • The problem in literacy classrooms: • Comprehension Strategies were being “shared” or “gone over”, not explicitly taught. • Whole class instruction frequently use, this does not allow many students to interact with multiple levels of text. • Strategy instruction was rarely scaffolded • Scarce opportunities for students to apply/transfer their learning. • Assessments were mostly formal and at the end of learning experience

11. Why Guided Comprehension? • “The disparity between what was known about best practices and what we saw happening in literacy classrooms led to the development of Guided Comprehension, a context in which elements of best practices are easily situated.” • The participants • the Pleasant Valley School District • graduate students from the Teaching Reading Through Young Adult Literature course at ESU of Pennsylvania • led by Maureen McLaughlin and Mary Beth Allen

12. What is Guided Comprehension? A model that provides a detailed, classroom-tested process for teaching reading from comprehension-based perspective. • It encourages students to become active, strategic readers • Provides direct strategy instruction • Numerous opportunities for engagement • Variety of texts and instructional settings

13. How has her work applied in classroom practice and policy development? • Reading Comprehension • Critical Reading • Vocabulary Development • The Relationship between Reading and Writing • Discussion • Multiple Literacies • Inquiry • Assessments • ELL • Struggling Readers/Learners • Content Area • Lesson Planning • Technology Use • Professional Development • Transaction Strategy Instruction • Alternative Representations McLaughlin’s research has influenced the use of the Guided Comprehension Model to help student and teachers experience reading as a thinking process. This model has been applied to teacher education and professional development.

14. What will be her legacy? Dr. McLaughlin has impacted educators and students, from K to adults, in the world of education through reading and language development. She has equipped educators with many ways to help students build their repertoire of skills for reading critically and comprehension that is backed by research. She has also helped educators with the organization of their lessons and portfolios. NO round robin reading!

15. Bio Pyramid McLaughlin Eminent scholar Wrong reading techniques Round robin reading sucks Writing a dissertation about reading Working with the International Reading Association Writing books to help educators teach students Showing educators about guided comprehension to enhance reading

16. Words for Thought “…In the past, being literate required only that we be able to read and write, but in today’s world, we need to be fluent in multiple literacies that require us not only to be able to read and write, but also to understand a variety of disciplines, navigate myriad information sources, examine the author’s intent and comprehend beyond the printed page.”-Dr. Maureen McLaughlin

17. Referenced Works McLaughlin, M. (2010). Content area reading: Teaching and learning in an age of multiple literacies. Boston: Pearson. A book to reference for teaching ideas and examples to help you engage your students in using the social constructivist process to learn while reading in the content areas. This book was designed to be implemented in grades 6-12, but can be used with the younger grades.

18. Referenced Works McLaughlin, M., & Allen, M. B. (2002). Guided comprehension, a teaching model for grades 3-8. Intl Reading Assn. This text was created to be a framework for teachers in implementing Guided Comprehension. It is a detailed, step-by-step guide, with examples, that should be used as a tool for educators interested in solving the problems encountered with reading comprehension instruction.