Lesley Mandel, Morrow, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor and Director of the Center for Literacy Development, coordinates professional development within schools across the state of New Jersey and around the nation.

Morrow pursued an undergraduate education in Human Development and Early Childhood Education before earning her Master’s in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. She later went on to pursue a second Master’s to become a Reading Specialist and proceeded to obtain her Ph.D.  As the Director of the Center for Literacy Development (CLD), Morrow coordinates between five and six conferences a year, bringing in notable speakers who also address social justice and equity in education. She aims to keep current in her research and works with  English Language Learners (ELL) from at-risk communities. She strives to do this by building caring and informed communities. In addition to teaching, Morrow is part of editorial boards, including Reading Research Quarterly, and is the Editor-in-Chief for the center’s newsletter. She also created the Rutgers Reading Club, an after-school intervention program for struggling readers.  Dr. Morrow has over 300 publications in the form of books, chapters in books, and refereed articles.

• Expertise & Research Interest

  Early childhood literacy development

• Research Work with Students

  Early literacy development dealing with motivation, fluency, classroom environments, and professional development.

  All of my research involves students/
• Recent & Selected Publications

  Morrow, L.M. 2020, (9^th edition) Literacy Development in the Early Years: Helping Children Read and Write.

  Morrow, Kunz and Hal, (2018) Breaking Through the Language Arts Block: Organizing and Managing an Exemplary Literacy Day. NY: Guilford

  Morrow, L.M., Doughter, S, Tracey, D.,  (2018) Best Practices in Early Literacy: Preschool, Kindergarten and First Grade in Best Practices in Literacy Development 6th Edition. Gambrell, L .and Morrow, L.M. (2018)  NY: Guilford Press

  Tracey D. & Morrow, L.M. (2017,  3^rd edition) Lenses in Reading: An Introduction of Theories and Models, New York: Guilford Publications.

  Morrow, L.M. (2016) Language and Literacy Elements  in 2015 First Through Third Grade Implementation Guidelines. pages 49-58.  New Jersey Department of Education.

  Morrow, L.M., Kunz, K. (2016) The Common Core State Standards for Literacy Research and Instruction. in Literacy Research and Instruction ,55, 2, pages 131-133. Routledge: PA.Gambrell, L.B., Morrow, L.M. & Roskos, K. (2016). Oral Language and Comprehension in Preschool: Teaching the Essentials.

  LaBrocca, R. & Morrow, L. M. (2016) Embedding Vocabulary Development into the Art Experience. Reading Teacher: Newark, Delaware, International Literacy Association

• Honors & Awards

  2016

  Special Service Award from the International Literacy Association,

  2010

  Oscar Causey Award for Outstanding Research Contributions to the field of Literacy from the Literacy Research Association

  2009

  International Reading Associations lifetime award for scholarship and Service call the William S. Gray Citation of Merit Award

  2009

  GSE Alumni Association Distinguished Faculty Award

  2006

  Inducted into the Reading Hall of Fame

  2001

  Rutgers University Merit Increment for Academic Service of Superior Quality (2004, 2003, 2002, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1993, 1991, 1987, 1984, 1982)

  2000

  New Jersey Reading Association’s Special Service Award

  2000

  Graduate School of Education Alumni Association Award for Service

  1996

  Fordham University Outstanding Alumni Achievement Award

  1996

  North Jersey Reading Association’s Literacy Award

  1995

  International Reading Association’s Outstanding Teacher Educator

  1993

  Graduate School of Education Alumni Association Award for Excellence in Teaching

  1991

  The Warren I. Sussman Award for Excellence in Teaching from Rutgers University

  1988

  Educational Press Association of America Award for Distinguished Achievement for Excellence in Educational Journalism for Emerging Literacy: Young Children Learn to Read and Write (1989).  International Reading Association: Newark, Delaware (with Dorothy Strickland)

  1988

  Alumni Association Graduate School of Education Research Award

  1970

  Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society, Nominated for membership by students and faculty at St. John’s University

• Files

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