National Geographic Panorama: Reading Through the Lens of Science

Nancy Frey, Ph.D., a Professor at San Diego State University received the 2008 Early Career Achievement Award from the National Reading Conference. Dr. Frey has published in The Reading Teacher, English Journal, Remedial and Special Education, and Educational Leadership. She has co-authored more than fifty books on English Learners (Language Learners in the English Classroom), assessment (Checking for Understanding), writing (Scaffolded Writing Instruction), literacy (Reading for Information in Elementary School) and vocabulary (Learning Words Inside and Out). Dr. Frey teaches a variety of courses on reading instruction and literacy in content areas, classroom management, and supporting students with diverse learning needs. She also was a third grade classroom teacher. Dr. Frey's monographs include: Reaching for the Common Core, Using Technology to Foster Learning for a New Century, Link to 21st Century Skills and Resources, and Connect Oral and Written Expression, Vocabulary, Reading Comprehension, and Content.

Dr. Short directs Academic Language Research & Training and provides professional development on academic literacy, content-based ESL, and sheltered instruction worldwide. At the Center for Applied Linguistics, she co-developed the research-validated SIOP Model. She has directed research and program evaluations on English learners for the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Rockefeller Foundation, U.S. Department of Education, and U.S. Department of Justice, among others. Publications include ESL textbooks for National Geographic Learning/Cengage, professional journal articles, and SIOP Model books. She taught English as a new language in New York, California, Virginia, and the DR Congo. She recently served on TESOL’s Board of Directors.

Dr. Short's monographs include:Extend Your Students’ Reach and Move Them Toward Independence, Base Your ESL Instruction in the Content Areas, Reach for the Common Core, Structural Supports for English Learners, Comprehensive and Responsive Assessment, and Developing Academic Literacy in Adolescents, Differentiate Instruction.

Associate Professor, Harvard Graduate School of Education Her research and teaching focuses on reading development and preventing reading difficulties of children from linguistically diverse backgrounds. From 2002-2006, Dr. Lesaux was Senior Research Associate of the National Literacy Panel on Language Minority Youth and in 2007 was named one of five WT Grant scholars in support of her research on English-language learners in urban public schools. In 2009, Dr. Lesaux received a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, the highest honor given by the United States government to young professionals beginning their independent research careers.

Dr. Lesaux's monographs include:Turn up the Volume on Academic Talk! and Focus Deeply on Words that Matter!.

Associate Professor, University of Maryland Turner teaches reading education, and multicultural literature and instruction for reading specialists. She has published on exemplary literacy teachers and teaching for African American elementary students. Recently, Dr. Turner received the Elva Knight Research Grant from the International Reading Association for her work with new reading teachers in urban elementary schools. Turner has been elected to the Board of Directors for the National Reading Conference and serves as a co-editor of the literacy leaders department. Her newest book is Looking Back to Move Forward in Educating African American Students. Dr. Turner's monographs include: Know What They Know, Get to Know Your Learners, and Studying Different Genres.

Associate Professor and Fellow, University of Texas, Austin As the associate director of the National Research and Development Center on English Language. Dr. Linan-Thompson has developed and examined reading interventions for struggling readers who are monolingual English speakers, English language learners and bilingual students acquiring Spanish literacy. She was a Kindergarten teacher in a bilingual classroom and has worked in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe on projects related to literacy instruction and professional development and has authored articles, chapters and books on these topics. Dr. Linan-Thompson's monographs include: Fluency is More than Reading Quickly!, Build Strategic Thinking and Science-Based Literacy.

During her 18 years of teaching in K–2 classrooms, as well as teaching Descubriendo la lectura and Reading Recovery, Lada Kratky has fostered a love of reading in hundreds of English-speaking and Spanish-speaking children. She is the author of numerous children's books and classroom resources and has authored both English and Spanish early literacy programs. She has been a featured speaker at national, regional, and local educational conferences, as well as institutes and training workshops across the country, presenting strategies and techniques for effective early literacy instruction. Ms. Kratky's monographs include: Reach into Beginning Reading, Make Every Minute Count!, Early Literacy Instruction for English Language Learners, and Patterned Text.