A Lifelong Dedication to Literacy

From her revolutionary dissertation “Emergent Reading Behaviors” in 1966 to nationally and internationally acclaimed 2005 books, Literacy Lessons Designed for Individuals, throughout her years as a cognitive psychologist, university professor, teacher, Marie M. Clay conducted research to better understand how children think and learn and how to effectively teach struggling students to read and write. Throughout her life, Marie read widely, listened carefully, and closely observed children and teachers at work. Because of her acquaintance with so many fields of study, she enabled us to enter the worlds of literacy, language, psychology, neuroscience, and education.
-Carol Lyons
These resources have been collected to share the life, history, work and influence of Marie Clay on early literacy education and Reading Recovery:
THE JOURNAL OF READING RECOVERY
Fall 2022
Why Phonics (in English) is Difficult to Teach, Lean, and Apply: What Caregivers and Teachers Need to Know
David Reinking and Sharon L. Reinking
Reflecting On Our Practices When the Child Has a Limited Repertoire
Janiece Elzy and Tracee Farmer
Why a Teacher’s Beliefs Matter: Using a Theory of Learning to Explore Instructional Decisions
Debra Crouch and Brian Cambourne
Concepts About Print and Early Reading Behaviors: Considerations When Using eBooks
C.C. Bates, Adria Klein, and Barbara Schubert
Why Reading Recovery Is The Way It Is
Marie M. Clay