I am  Emerita Professor of Reading and Language at National Louis University in Chicago, IL.  My major areas of research have focused on strategies for comprehension development and ways to improve the teaching of literacy through professional development.  For five years I served as senior consultant to the Chicago Striving Readers Project and continue to co-direct the Reading Leadership Institute at NLU.  For 8 years I co-directed the Literacy Partners Project, a collaboration among the Chicago Public Schools, the Chicago Community Trust, and NLU.  I also was a co-director of the Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking Project sponsored by the Soros Foundation and the International Reading Association partnering with former soviet countries in eastern Europe.   My major work was as part of the team in Russia, but I also supported the project in Romania and Estonia.  I have also served as a consultant with the US government funded projects in Latin America and  the Afghan Education Project based in Peshawar, Pakistan.

I am currently consulting  within Latin America part of  the Editorial team for Somo Maestros, a collection of books designed for classroom teachers and published by Ediciones SM in Mexico.  I have recently spoken at conferences in Puebla and Mexico City and have a book in the Somos Maestros series,  A pares sin nones. I also participate in conferences of the Consejo de Lectura in Guatemala.

My professional commitments have included serving as President of the Illinois Reading Council and the International Reading Association (2001-02).  I am also a Past-President of the Reading Hall of Fame and participate in committee work for the HoF. 

My name is known by many for the frequently used K-W-L strategy and the more recently developed Partner Reading and Content, Too (PRC2)  framework for comprehension-focused  discussion.  I continue to explore  ways to improve informational literacy and am a consultant to the Terra Foundation for American Art   project implementing CCSS-based lessons and units using American art from area galleries and museums.