ECU Department of Literacy Studies and Special Education

🎉 Congratulations to Dr. Tanya Christ, Spangler Distinguished Professor in the Department of Literacy Studies and Special Education at East Carolina University, on her election to the 2026–2029 International Literacy Association Board of Directors as a Member-at-Large!

If you’ve heard things are looking different in Special Education at ECU, it is true and it’s intentional.
Coming soon: Our updated undergraduate Special Education Program!

Congratulations to all of our College of Education graduates! 🎓
We are especially proud of our graduates in Special Education, Gifted Education, and Literacy Education. These students are leaving ECU with knowledge, skill, and heart and they are already making a positive impact in classrooms and communities. Watch out world… here they come! 💜💛

Today we are celebrating leadership in action!
We’re proud to recognize Tanya Cannon, Danielle Dietz, and Erin Kessel as Fellows who completed the ECU College of Education Leadership Program, led by Hal Holloman.
Through their projects, they are strengthening teacher preparation and creating more responsive, impactful pathways for future educators:
Cannon – Alignment for Impact Through Voice
Dietz – Pipeline to Possibility
Kessel – COE & University Studies Partnership
Thank you for your leadership and commitment to moving the College of Education forward.

In this Spotlight for Success podcast episode, two MAEd Reading and Literacy Student Ambassadors Emmie New and Shantale Paugh share how increasing student choice can be a powerful lever for literacy growth. Drawing from their coursework and classroom experiences, they discuss practical ways to offer meaningful choice in reading and writing while maintaining strong instructional goals. The conversation highlights how student agency boosts engagement, motivation, and confidence—particularly for diverse learners—and offers concrete strategies educators can apply immediately. This episode provides an accessible, practice‑focused look at how thoughtful choice supports both academic growth and student ownership in literacy learning. Check it out! https://www.spotlight4success.com/what-if-student-choice-is-the-missing-link-in-literacy-growth/

Congratulations to Dr. Rachelle Savitz who completed the ECU Leadership Development Academy!

The IHAT Center student workers are knowledgeable and super friendly! Stop by, say hello, and discover accessibility and assistive technologies for inclusive practices!

Meet Dr. Dietz!
Dr. Dietz is a teaching instructor and Program Liaison for Special Education for the Department of Literacy and Special Education. She is passionate about supporting student success and training future teachers!