GVSU Literacy Studies

Congratulations to Literacy Studies graduate candidate, Alexandria Marzolf, who participated in the 2026 Graduate Showcase yesterday. Lexi shared her work around Deepening Comprehension through Student-Centered Collaborative Planning. The Graduate Showcase is an annual event offered by The Graduate School and Center for Scholarly and Creative Excellence to highlight exceptional work done by graduate students.

Congratulations to Hadley Halterman who was selected as one of the student speakers for the Teacher Education Pinning Ceremony this morning. In her remarks, she highlighted the importance of stepping out of your comfort zone because change can be uncomfortable but so important for growth. She shared that presenting literacy research at MRA through our Literacy Studies mentoring program was a pivotal experience that helped her recognize the full extent of her capabilities.

So proud of ALL of our students, but super excited to celebrate these Literacy Studies students, Hadley Halterman and Alexandria Marzolf, honored at the CECI Award Convocation. Congratulations!

CECI Students Honored at Student Awards Convocation - CECI News Around 20 CECI students were honored at the April 2026 event

Check out the Disciplinary Literacy Task Force Newsletter: March 2026

Cultivating Literacy Across the Disciplines: A Shared Responsibility

Disciplinary Literacy Task Force Disciplinary Literacy Task Force

Check out the Disciplinary Literacy Task Force Newsletter: February 2026
Literacy is a Bridge

Disciplinary Literacy Task Force Disciplinary Literacy Task Force

Jennifer Vanderground, GVSU Literacy Studies faculty, just published an article titled, Centering Self-Efficacy in Dyslexia-Responsive Literacy Instruction in the Michigan Reading Journal.

She shares: In a previous publication, “Building Self-Efficacy in Students with Dyslexia: A Practice-Forward Framework for Classrooms, Families, and Teacher Preparation,” I explore a question that continues to shape my work: What if strengthening students’ belief in their ability to grow is just as essential as the instruction itself? Students with dyslexia often navigate classrooms that unintentionally erode confidence. This article offers research-informed, practical strategies for building self-efficacy through mastery experiences, strategic feedback, family partnerships, and culturally sustaining MTSS practices.
Literacy instruction should do more than remediate skills. It should cultivate resilience, agency, and belonging.

Full article here:

Building Self-Efficacy in Students with Dyslexia: A Practice-Forward Framework for Classrooms, Families, and Teacher Preparation Self-efficacy—the belief in one’s capacity to organize and carry out actions to reach goals—predicts persistence, strategic behavior, and academic outcomes (Bandura, 1997). For students with dyslexia, recurring experiences of effortful reading and peer comparison can suppress self-efficacy and...

Still marveling in our amazing GVSU students and all the fun we had at the Michigan Reading Association Conference last weekend.

What a fantastic weekend at the Michigan Reading Association annual conference in Lansing . . . so much learning, sharing, and growing as educators. And THREE CHEERS for our GVSU Literacy studies students and faculty who presented!

What are you currently reading?

Emily Bishop, M.Ed. - GVSU Literacy Studies Faculty

Heidi Mesmer’s latest book, There’s Research for That: Your K-5 Literacy Instruction Questions Answered), translates Science of Reading research into practical, classroom-ready strategies. It addresses common K–5 literacy questions while clearly explaining the “what” and “why” behind effective, evidence-based reading instruction. Designed as a flexible, quick read, each chapter centers on a key question and provides background context along with actionable strategies. The result is a concise, user-friendly resource for educators seeking to align their teaching with current research.

We’re featuring Alyssa Eller for this week’s Student Focus segment. Alyssa is a graduate student in the Literacy Studies program.

Why did you choose to go into education?
Classic answer: My mom was a teacher and I wanted to follow in her footsteps. Deeper Meaning answer: Middle school absolutely SUCKED for me, I would like to make it better for at least one student in my career. I teach 8th Grade ELA at Galesburg-Augusta Middle School.

What’s the funniest thing you’ve ever seen happen in a classroom?
A polite roast battle….The winning roast: “You look like you drink skim milk!”

What is your literacy superpower?
Sharing my personal love for reading! I love when students task me with finding them a book or ask me about what I am reading.