Contact Information

C.V.

Biography

Carla Meyer joined Duquesne in 2014. As a faculty member of the Department of Instruction and Leadership in Education (DILE), Dr. Meyer teaches both undergraduate and graduate teacher education courses in the Leading Teacher program as well as graduate courses for the M.S. Ed Reading and Language Arts Program. Prior to joining the faculty in DILE, she worked five years in the Reading Education and Special Education Department at Appalachian State University and 8 years as an English language arts teacher, reading teacher, and literacy coach in Pennsylvania and Maryland public schools.

Dr. Meyer conducts research in the area of adolescent literacy. In particular, she studies the literacy needs of adolescents in academic settings. As she explores issues concerning the literacy needs of adolescents in schools, her question selection is influenced by the pragmatic philosophical stance (Dillon, O'Brien, & Heilman, 2000), which addresses socially-situated problems whose solutions contribute broadly to a more democratic way of life. Pragmatists allow contributions from research literature and from the world of practice to be combined in the search for solutions to problems. Today's ever-changing world places greater literacy demands on adolescents than on their predecessors (Biancarosa & Snow, 2006; Carnegie Council on Advancing Adolescent Literacy, 2010; Graham & Perin, 2007; Heller & Greenleaf, 2007; Jacobs, 2008). Studying today's adolescent literacy needs is a research topic worthy of such attention. Her overall goal is to improve the knowledge and skills of teachers working with adolescents, particularly helping develop instruction that will foster adolescent engagement with comprehension and production of complex text.

Education

  • Ph.D. (Literacy Education) University of Delaware, 2009
  • M.S. (Reading Education), McDaniel College, 2002
  • B.S. (Elementary Education), The Pennsylvania State University, 1997

Research Interests or Expertise

  • Discipline Literacy
  • Integrating Young Adult Literature Across the Curriculum
  • Meeting the Needs of "Struggling" Adolescent Literacy Learners
  • Cognitive Processes of Reading
  • Survey Design

 

School

Graduate

  • Content Area Reading, a writing intensive course with field experience
  • Teaching English in Secondary School with field experience
  • Adolescent Literature
  • Teaching Reading in the Secondary School

Undergraduate

  • Content Area Reading, a writing intensive course with field experience
  • Teaching English in Secondary School with field experience
  • Adolescent Literature

My teaching illustrates my commitment to prepare and support students to become life-long learners, collaborators, and problem-solvers. I prefer a responsive learning community to a traditional lecture format. My class format is typically a mixture of lecture, modeling and small group activities. While I do lecture to provide declarative knowledge to my students, we rely on class discussions to facilitate a joint understanding of the information presented. Additionally, I believe I must provide a learning environment that reflects the learning environment of a high-quality middle/high school classroom. I model methods and instructional strategies for my students as I expect them to do so for their own students. I incorporate group projects to cultivate students' ability to work collaboratively with peers. We reflect upon assigned readings through a variety of means including whole and/or small group discussion and reflective writing. I strongly believe my students need to learn from each other as well as from me.

As a reflective practitioner, I model how I reflect upon my own instruction by soliciting feedback throughout the semester and not just waiting until the end of the semester. I encourage my students to do the same. I incorporate a variety of instructional strategies (e.g. two column notes, blog discussions, entrance slips, etc.) to encourage the exploration of their teaching practices.

Professional collaboration is a tenet of my educational philosophy. As a classroom teacher, I worked closely with colleagues. I believe the best teachers work together to meet the needs of their students. As such, I develop assignments which promote collaborative group work. When I do ask students to independently work, I use a workshop model which allows students to seek feedback from and provide feedback to their peers.

My instructional practices and support offer students the scaffolding and experiences necessary for future success in the classroom. I recognize the importance of meeting my students where they are developmentally. I institute individual work expectations to support students who may need additional guidance. When students complete a course with me, I believe they are prepared to teach using a variety of effective strategies, reflect upon and evaluate their practices as well as collaborate with colleagues in order to continuously grow as professional educators.

  • Meyer, C.K., Stewart, T.T., & Vines, N.A. (2014). Empowering writers: Revisiting literary anthologies as a means of engaging middle grade boys in the writing process. Reading in the Middle.
  • Wilson, N.S., Meyer, C.K., & Ramirez, L.A., (2014). Do the CCSS support developmentally responsive teaching of Young Adolescents? American Reading Forum Annual Yearbook [Online], Vol. 33.
  • Meyer, C.K. (2013). Meeting the literacy needs of adolescents: Do content-area teachers know enough? Action in Teacher Education, 35, (1), 56-71.
  • Brozo, W.G., Moorman, G.B., Meyer, C.K., & Stewart, T.T. (2013). Content area reading and disciplinary literacy: A case for the radical center. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 56, 353-357.
  • Meyer, C.K., Stewart, T.T., Moorman, G.B., & Brozo, W.G. (2012). Discipline literacy: Looking back to move forward. American Reading Forum Annual Yearbook [Online], Vol. 31.
  • Meyer, C.K., Vines, N.A. & Shankland, R.K. (2012). Designing high-quality professional development to scaffold secondary content-area teachers' discipline literacy instruction. American Reading Forum Annual Yearbook [Online], Vol. 31.
  • Blamey, K.L., Meyer, C.K., & Walpole, S. (2008). Middle and high school literacy coaches: An initial survey. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 52, 310-323.
  • Brozo, W.G., Moorman, G.B., & Meyer, C.K. (2013). Wham! Teaching with graphic novels across the curriculum. New York: Teachers College Press.
  • Meyer, C.K., & Cook, L.S. (2012). Gender, multimodal practices, and global citizenship in rural settings. In T. Bean, B. Guzzetti, & T. Rogers (eds.). (Re) Constructing Gender through Global Literacy Practices. New York: Routledge.
  • Blamey, K.L., Meyer, C.K., & Walpole, S. (2010) Middle and high school literacy coaches: An initial survey. In R.M. Bean, N. Heisey, & C.M. Roller (Eds.). Preparing Reading Professionals (2nd ed). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
  • Walpole, S., & Meyer, C.K. (2007). Models for coaching: Making them work for preschools. In L. M. Justice & C. Vukelich (Eds.), Achieving excellence in preschool literacy instruction. New York: The Guildford Press.
  • Meyer, C.K., Morris, D., Trathen, W., McGee J., Stewart, T.T., Vines, N.A., & Gill, T. (Manuscript in preparation). Reading profiles of struggling readers in 5th and 6th grades: What does it mean in the era of the Common Core State Standards?
  • Meyer, C.K., Wilson, N. S., & Ramirez, L.A. (Manuscript in preparation). The Common Core State Standards and developmentally responsive teaching of young adolescents
  • Morris, D., Meyer, C.K., Trathen, W. McGee, J. Stewart, S.T. Vines, N.A., Schlagal, R. & Gill, T. (Manuscript in preparation). The "simple view," instructional level, and the plight of struggling middle-school readers.
  • Werts, M.G. & Meyer, C.K. (Manuscript in preparation) Survey response rates: A review.
  • Wilson, N.S., Meyer, C.K., & Ramirez, L.A., (Manuscript in preparation). Beyond the hype: The CCSS and middle grades instruction.
  • Meyer C.K., with Alleghany County Schools, NC (2015-2016). Alleghany County Schools Cradle to Career. The Innovative Approaches to Literacy Program. United States Department of Education.
    Awarded $57,173.60
  • Meyer, C.K. with Middle School PLC (2012-2013). The Common Core and Literacy in the Disciplines: Who's Responsible Anyway? Appalachian State University Public School Partnership
    Awarded $800
  • Meyer, C.K. with Shankland, R.K., Cook, L.C., & Vogel, M (2011-2012). Developing Adolescents' Discipline Literacy through a Multifaceted Approach to Instruction II. North Carolina State Department of Instruction.
    Awarded $149,967
  • Meyer, C.K. with Shankland, R.K., Cook, L.C., & Vogel, M (2010-2011). Developing Adolescents' Discipline Literacy through a Multifaceted Approach to Instruction. North Carolina State Department of Instruction.
    Awarded $281,807
  • Meyer, C.K. with Middle School PLC (2010-2011). Student Publications and Motivation. Appalachian State University Public School Partnership. 
    Awarded $1,000.
  • Meyer, C.K. with Reed C. (2010-2011). Student Publications and Motivation. Appalachian State University Public School Partnership. 
    Awarded $1,000.
  • 2013 Chair, Middle Grades Reading Special Interest Group, International Reading Association
  • 2013 Elected to the American Reading Forum Board of Directors
  • 2012 Nominated for Reich College of Education Mentor/Service Award
  • 2009 The Richard L. Venezky Award for Creative Dissertation Research
  • 2013  Co-chair with Trevor Stewart, American Reading Forum Conference
  • 2013- Chair, Middle Grades Reading Special Interest Group, International Reading Association
  • 2013- Executive Board American Reading Forum
  • 2013- Executive Board Sara B. McCraw Reading Fund
  • 2010-14 Policy and Legislative Committee Member, Literacy Research Association
  • 2009 Co-Chair Graduate Student Committee Literacy Research Association
  • 2008 Field Council Committee Member, Literacy Research Association
  • 2012-14 Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy
  • 2012- Reading in the Middle
  • 2010-13 Annual Yearbook of the Literacy Research Association
  • 2014 Literacy Research Association Annual Conference
  • 2014 Internal Reading Association Annual Conference
  • 2009-11 Literacy Research Association Annual Conference
  • 2012-14 Georgia State Department of Education Striving Reader Grant Competition.