Another Conversation with Shea Kerkoff
In this episode, Dr. Shea Kerkhoff talks to us about adolescent literacy, student engagement, and how teachers can support middle and high school students as readers and writers in today’s complex literacy landscape. As a university professor and former high school English teacher, she draws on years of experience working alongside adolescents to help them develop the reading, writing, and critical thinking skills they need to thrive in today’s digital, global world. Her work blends cognitive and sociocultural research, field-tested strategies, and innovative teaching practices to make literacy learning relevant, engaging, and equitable for all students. Passionate about making literacy meaningful and accessible, Shea has published widely in academic and practitioner journals, including Teaching and Teacher Education, Reading Research Quarterly, and Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy. She presents at national and international conferences and collaborates with teachers across the globe. As part of the Show Me Literacies Collaborative, she has been awarded over 10 million dollars in grant funding, bringing comprehensive literacy development statewide.
Her new book, published by Bloomsbury, is titled Adolescent literacy: Integrating the sciences of reading and writing in grades 4-12.Dr. Shea Kerkhoff is an Associate Professor and Faculty Fellow of Student Success in the College of Education at the University of Missouri - St. Louis.
You can connect with Shea at https://sheakerkhoff.weebly.com, and you can purchase her new book at https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/adolescent-literacy-9798765151310/.
To cite this episode: Hatten, R. (Host) (2026, May 12). Another Conversation with Shea Kerkhoff. (Season 6, No. 10) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/C73C-7820-DF38-4256-1BC4-B