Developing Early Comprehension

Andrea DeBruin-Parecki is nationally recognized for her work in the field of family literacy. She developed the Adult–Child Interactive Reading Inventory (ACIRI), a reliable and valid tool that measures the interactive reading skills of an adult and a child during storybook reading (available from Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.). She has designed family literacy programs and has acted as a consultant across the country. In addition to the ACIRI, she created the Early Literacy Skills Assessment, a comprehensive, reliable, and valid tool in the form of a children's storybook that measures phonological awareness, the alphabetic principle, comprehension, and concepts about print. She has expertise in the areas of emergent literacy, assessment, literacy within at-risk and minority populations, and the motivation of at-risk populations. She was a Fulbright Senior Specialist in Guatemala. Her work related to literacy development in young children and families has been published and presented at national, regional, and state conferences. Dr. Anne van Kleeck's research focuses on language and emerging literacy skills in children who are language impaired as well as the broader group of children who are at risk academically. Some specific areas of interests include (a) parents’ language socialization processes in the home that provide their young children with foundations for later literacy and academic success, and (b) issues related to language assessment in the preschool population. Her most recent work focuses on what she refers to as the academic talk register in preschoolers, and it’s importance to later academic achievement. Dr. van Kleeck’s previous publications include several edited books, nearly 50 peer-reviewed journal articles, and 25 book chapters. She has given several hundred invited and peer-reviewed presentations nationally and internationally. Dr. Sabra Gear teaches special education core courses: educational and diagnostic assessment, instructional methods, individual education programming, directed field experience, collaboration, and transitions. Before teaching at ODU, she taught diverse learners in grades PreK-12th, general and special education in public school, treatment programs, home-based instruction, as well as adult basic education. She has authored and co-authored book chapters and articles; presented at international, national, and regional conferences; is a member of the Council for Exceptional Children, including special interest divisions, and a member of the National Head Start Association. She is a reviewer for the National Head Start Association Dialog. She is a contributing author and researcher for the Virginia Early Childhood Policy Center, and the Teacher Immersion Residency Program at ODU. Her research goals include teacher and parent education to improve outcomes for children with disabilities.