UC Irvine School of Education Professor Co-Leads $3.96 Million Literacy Research Initiative
By Rachel Sampson
October 29, 2024
October 29, 2024
Brandy Gatlin-Nash
Brandy Gatlin-Nash, an associate professor in the UC Irvine School of Education, played a key role in developing a successful proposal for a $3.96 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Education Innovation and Research program. She now serves as co-investigator for the five-year initiative, Literacy ReclaimEd, which aims to improve literacy outcomes for Black students in rural areas by equipping grade 2-5 teachers with specialized training in language variation, focusing on African American English (AAE).
Through professional learning, coaching, and tailored lesson plans, Literacy ReclaimEd will help teachers provide effective, differentiated literacy instruction for students who speak AAE. The program’s ultimate goal is to bridge the literacy gap by increasing teachers' understanding of language structure and variation and empowering students to improve their reading and writing skills.
“Elementary literacy is the foundation for lifelong learning, and too many students are being left behind,” said Gatlin-Nash. “With this grant, we aim to give teachers the tools to better serve AAE-speaking students and reduce the persistent achievement gaps.”
The Literacy ReclaimEd project is led by UnboundEd Learning, with Thomas Acampora as principal investigator and Gatlin-Nash as co-investigator, contributing her expertise in language variation and literacy development.
Through professional learning, coaching, and tailored lesson plans, Literacy ReclaimEd will help teachers provide effective, differentiated literacy instruction for students who speak AAE. The program’s ultimate goal is to bridge the literacy gap by increasing teachers' understanding of language structure and variation and empowering students to improve their reading and writing skills.
“Elementary literacy is the foundation for lifelong learning, and too many students are being left behind,” said Gatlin-Nash. “With this grant, we aim to give teachers the tools to better serve AAE-speaking students and reduce the persistent achievement gaps.”
The Literacy ReclaimEd project is led by UnboundEd Learning, with Thomas Acampora as principal investigator and Gatlin-Nash as co-investigator, contributing her expertise in language variation and literacy development.
About Dr. Gatlin-Nash:
Brandy Gatlin-Nash is an associate professor in the School of Education at the University of California, Irvine, and an affiliated faculty member in the Department of Language Science in the School of Social Sciences. Her research explores relations between language and literacy among culturally and linguistically diverse students. She is a former K–12 special education teacher.
Brandy Gatlin-Nash is an associate professor in the School of Education at the University of California, Irvine, and an affiliated faculty member in the Department of Language Science in the School of Social Sciences. Her research explores relations between language and literacy among culturally and linguistically diverse students. She is a former K–12 special education teacher.
