Bruce Taylor

Curriculum Vita

My research and teaching focus on literacy instruction and support in and out of classrooms including the social and cultural aspects of literacy–particularly how literacy practices are used by individuals including teachers and students. My work has also explored the role of diverse texts and technologies in content-area classroom and the community-based support for literacy. I teach graduate and undergraduate courses that focus on content area literacy, multiliteracies and sociocultural perspectives of language and literacy.

Teaching

Courses I regularly teach include:

• ELED 3226: Elementary Language Arts
• READ 6100 Trends & Issues in Literacy and Leadership
• READ 6252 K-12 Writing Instruction & Development

Research & Scholarship

Current Research Projects

1. Reader Experience Research (REX). This is an emerging research project using survey and interviews to learn about how individuals have developed as readers. In particular, we focus on reader perceptions of learning to read (what the see as having helped and hindered their development as readers) and motivation to reader. In 2024, we are developing a survey to pilot to be followed by interviewers.
2. Freedom School Evaluation Research. This is a multi-year research project that includes three facets currently: 1) reading outcome evaluation of youth participants (Scholars) from 2009 through the present, 2) research to understand the experience of Freedom School college-age interns (Servant Leaders Interns), and 3) Scholar case study research to examine the Freedom School experience from the perspective of youth participants in the program.
3. Evaluation Work. I am currently working with the Mebane Early Literacy Center on evaluation of community partners to determine their needs related to reading and literacy programming. I also am collaborating on the development of evaluation for a non-profit youth organization in Mecklenburg County and research/evaluation of changes in the UNC Charlotte general education programs.