Dissertation and Abstract

Aileen Taft is an Improvement Consultant for K-12 Literacy for the Heart of Missouri and serves as part of the Literacy Team.

A former college English and Literature faculty member, teaching a diverse student base from dual credit, early college high school, and remedial, to traditional college students, Aileen has had the opportunity to help students succeed by focusing on strong reading skills, textual analysis, and written communication. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in English and Literature from the University of Texas, Permian Basin. She has plans to pursue her PhD in education this year.

As part of the Literacy Team, Aileen provides large group training and small group or individual assistance with any literacy needs a district or teacher may have. Her focus is on evidence-based literacy practices, student and teacher writing efficacy, cross-disciplinary literacy, quality assessment and feedback aligned with priority and supporting standards, as well as LETRS facilitation and assistance.

Aileen’s desire is to assist educators in building sustainable and aligned practices that will empower not only teachers and districts but also their students.