Patricia A. Edwards

Knowing the Reader

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Patricia A. Edwards, a member of the Reading Hall of Fame and a NCRLL (National Conference on Research in Language and Literacy) Distinguished Scholar, is a Professor of Language and Literacy in the Teacher Education Department at Michigan State University. She is an internationally recognized expert in parent involvement, home, school, community partnerships, multicultural literacy, early literacy, and family/intergenerational literacy, especially among poor and minority children. Pat is the first African American president of the Literacy Research Association, and the 2010– 2011 President of the International Literacy Association. She developed two nationally acclaimed family literacy programs: Parents as Partners in Reading and Talking Your Way to Literacy. She has authored or co-authored numerous publications and books including A Path to Follow: Learning to Listen to Parents, Bridging Literacy and Equity: The Essential Guide to Social Equity Teaching, Change Is Gonna Come: Transforming Literacy for African American Students, Tapping the Potential of Parents: A Strategic Guide to Boosting Student Achievement Through Family Involvement, Children’s Literacy Development: Making It Happen Through School, Family, and Community Involvement, New Ways to Engage Parents: Strategies and Tools for Teachers and Leaders, and Partnering with Families for Student Success: 24 Scenarios for Problem Solving with Parents. She received her B.S. in Elementary Education from Albany State University (Albany, Georgia); the M.S. in Elementary Education from North Carolina A&T University, her Educational Specialist in Reading Education from Duke University; and her Ph.D. in Reading Education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.