Adolescent Literacy

Shea Kerkhoff, Ph.D., is an educator, researcher, and advocate for empowering young people through literacy. As a university professor and former high school English teacher, Shea draws on years of experience working alongside adolescents to help them develop the reading, writing, and critical thinking skills they need to thrive in today’s digital, global world. Her work blends cognitive and sociocultural research, field-tested strategies, and innovative teaching practices to make literacy learning relevant, engaging, and equitable for all students. Passionate about making literacy meaningful and accessible, Shea has published widely in academic and practitioner journals, presented at national and international conferences, and collaborated with teachers across the globe. When she’s not teaching or writing, she can often be found exploring new ideas over coffee, running (slowly) in local parks, or playing board games with her family in St. Louis, Missouri.

• Introductions to Each Other and our LearningChapter 1: A Comprehensive View of the Sciences of LiteracyChapter 2: Diving into the Science of ReadingChapter 3: Shining a Light on the Science of WritingChapter 4: Comparing Content Area and Disciplinary LiteracyChapter 5: Informing Instruction through Literacy AssessmentChapter 6: Motivating and Engaging Learners in LiteracyChapter 7: Boosting Word Recognition and FluencyChapter 8: Building Vocabulary and KnowledgeChapter 9: Making Meaning Through TextsChapter 10: Communicating Meaning Through TextChapter 11: Digging into Digital Literacy

Dr. Shea Kerkhoff is right: there is an urgent need for adolescent literacy, and she delivers with this book. By clearly and intricately weaving reading and writing together, the book offers best practices for teaching literacy to adolescents. This is an essential text for teachers of adolescents in grades 4-12.