Nell K. Duke Contemporary Researcher

Who is Nell K. Duke? Educational Background Bachelor’s degree from Swarthmore College (1993) Masters (1995) and Doctoral (1999) degree from Harvard University Michigan State University Associate Professor of Teacher Education and Educational Psychology Co-director of Literacy Achievement Research Center Areas of Expertise Development of informational literacies in young children Comprehension development and instruction in early schooling Issues of equality in literacy education

L.A.R.C. Literacy Achievement Research Center Research Projects within the following categories: Informational literacy Narrative literacy Literacy and technology Teacher professional development Unclassified projects Publications – journal articles, books, book chapters, etc. Presentations– national, state and local conferences, workshops, etc. Sponsors symposia and conferences about “relevant, time-sensitive topics by well-respected researchers within the field of literacy.”

Awards International Reading Association Outstanding Dissertation Award (1999) National Council of Teachers of English Promising Researcher Award (1999) International Reading Association Dina Feitelson Research Award (2002) National Reading Conference Early Career Achievement Award (2003) American Educational Research Association Early Career Award (2009)

Publications Duke, N. K., Purcell-Gates, V., Hall, L. A., & Tower, C. (2006/2007). Authentic literacy activities for developing comprehension and writing. The Reading Teacher, 60, Authentic literacy activities “replicate or reflect reading and writing activities that occur in the lives of people outside of learning-to-read-and-write context and purpose.” Study focuses on authentic literacy activities with informational and procedural text in science. Literacy in response to community need, literacy as part of problem solving, and audience as integral to authentic writing MAKE LEARNING TO READ AND WRITE MORE MEANINGFUL AND AUTHENTIC! Duke, N. K., & Purcell-Gates, V. (2003). Genres at home and at school: Bridging the known to the new. The Reading Teacher, 57, Take into consideration children’s home genre knowledge when planning literacy activities. If students have limited knowledge of a genre (ex. charts & poems) at home, then a “greater degree of experience and instruction might be provided so that students become familiar with those genres’ purposes and conventions.” Acknowledge genres found in the home to create connections. Teacher literacy skills through familiar genres.

Publications continued… Duke, N. K. (2000). 3.6 minutes per day: The scarcity of informational texts in first grade. Reading Research Quarterly, 35, STUDENTS NEED INFORMATIONAL TEXT!!!! USE IT! Motivator Mitigate later problems in upper elementary Experience with the genre Informational text was not used often in the classroom or on display for students to use. Duke, N. K. (2000). For the rich it’s richer: Print experiences and environments offered to children in very low- and very high-SES first grade classrooms. American Educational Research Journal, 37, Major differences between between low SES and high SES classrooms in all areas examined, including the amount, type and uses of print. Why? Tracking & Cultural mismatch

Books Reading and Writing Informational Text in the Primary Grades: Research-Based Practices; Literacy and the Youngest Learner: Best Practices for Educators of Children from Birth to Five; Beyond Bedtime Stories: A Parent’s Guide to Promoting Reading, Writing, and Other Literacy Skills From Birth to 5; and co-editor of the book Literacy Research Methodologies

Involvement in Professional Organizations Editorial Review Board, Reading Research Quarterly Editorial Review Board, Elementary School Journal Associate Editor, Journal of Literacy Research Co-Chair, Michigan Reading Association Research Committee Membership American Educational Research Association International Reading Association National Association for the Education of Young Children National Council of Teachers of English