College of Education Professor Receives Prestigious Jerry Johns Outstanding Teacher Educator in Reading Award

Gwynne Ellen Ash, Ph.D.
Gwynne Ellen Ash, Ph.D.

Charlcee Cervantez || July 5, 2024

Gwynne Ellen Ash, Ph.D., a Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, has been honored with the Jerry Johns Outstanding Teacher Educator in Reading Award by the International Literacy Association (ILA). This esteemed accolade recognizes Ash's exceptional contributions to the field of literacy education.

The ILA's Jerry Johns Award is bestowed upon outstanding educators who demonstrate exemplary teaching in reading methods or related courses at the college or university level. Ash, who teaches a range of courses including elementary and middle school literacy methods, literacy assessment and instruction, and children’s literature, was celebrated for her profound impact on the education of future literacy educators.

Before joining academia, Ash served as a middle school literacy teacher in San Antonio, TX, bringing practical experience and insights to her research and teaching. Her scholarly work focuses on effective literacy instruction at the middle and high school levels, frameworks for literacy education, and critical analysis of children’s and young adult literature.

Her dedication to advancing literacy education is further evidenced by her time serving on the elected ILA Board of Directors from 2015-2018. 

Ash remains deeply engaged in work with preservice and inservice teachers, promoting critical media literacy and advancing instructional methods like Reciprocal Teaching Plus (RT+), as well as suggesting alternatives to the problematic practice of Round Robin Reading. Her research underscores the importance of fluency, vocabulary instruction, and effective teaching practices in children’s and adolescents’ literacy development.

The ILA's recognition of Ash emphasizes her ongoing commitment to shaping the future of literacy education, through her research, her teaching, and her dedicated mentorship of aspiring educators.

For more information about Gwynne Ellen Ash and her contributions to literacy education, visit Texas State University's faculty page.