Linda Kucan
April 2012
419 South Braddock Ave.
Apt. 23
Pittsburgh, PA 15221
412-731-2181
5113 Wesley W. Posvar Hall
School of Education
University of Pittsburgh
230 Bouquet Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
412-648-7348
LKucan@pitt.edu
Education
Degree
West Virginia University
B. A.
West Virginia University
M. A.
Carnegie Mellon University B. S.
University of Pittsburgh
Ph. D.
Field
History
Elementary Education
Technical Writing/Editing
Cognitive Studies in
Education: Reading/Writing
Professional Experience
University of Pittsburgh
Associate Professor
Assistant Professor
Department of Instruction and Learning
Program Coordinator
Reading Education Program
Appalachian State University
Assistant Professor
Language, Reading, and Exceptionalities
Teachscape, online professional development company
Literacy Content Specialist
2011-present
2005-2011
2009-present
2001-2005
2000-2002
Bethany College
Assistant Professor
Professional Studies
1997-2000
University of Pittsburgh
Graduate Research Assistant
Learning Research and Development Center
1993-1997
Macmillan/McGraw-Hill School Publishing Company
Vice President, Editorial Director
Reading, Social Studies
1980-1993
Van Nostrand Reinhold Company
Manuscript Editor
Professional and Reference Books
1979-1980
Kucan
Curriculum Vitae
1
1970
1974
1979
1998
Teacher: Grades 1-8
1970-1979
Kucan
Curriculum Vitae
2
Awards
Outstanding Teaching Award
Reich College of Education
Appalachian State University
Faculty Member of the Year Award
Bethany College
Finalist: International Reading Association
Dissertation of the Year Award
Finalist: National Reading Conference
Student Research Award
Journal Articles
2003
1999
1999
1998
Publications
Kucan, L. (2012). What is important to know about vocabulary? The Reading Teacher. 65(6), 360366.
Morris, D., Trathen, W., Lomax, R., Perney, J., Kucan, L., Frye, E., Bloodgood, J., Ward, D., &
Schlagal, R. (2012). Modeling aspects of print processing skill: Implications for
reading assessment. Reading and Writing, 25, 189-215.
Kucan, L., & Palincsar, A. S. (2011). Text-based discussion: The case of reading. Teachers
College Record, 113(12), 2989-2922.
Kucan, L., & Brydon, M. (2011)The effects of differentiated tasks on focusing student
attention to important science content. Vol. 10. Electronic Journal of Literacy Through
Science. http://ejlts.ucdavis.edu
Kucan, L., Hapgood, S., & Palincsar, A. S. (2011). Teachers' specialized knowledge for
supporting student comprehension in text-based discussions. The Elementary School
Journal, 112(1), 61-82.
Kucan, L. (2011). Approximating the practice of writing the dissertation literature review.
Literacy Research and Instruction, 50, 229-240.
Morris, D., Bloodgood, J., Perney, J., Frye, E., Kucan, L., Trathen, W., Mock, D., & Schlagal, R.
(2011). Validating craft knowledge: An empirical examination of elementary-grade
students’ performance on an informal reading assessment. The Elementary School
Journal, 112(2), pp. 205-233.
Heisey, N., & Kucan, L. (2010). Introducing science concepts to primary students through readalouds: Interaction and multiple texts make the difference. The Reading Teacher, 63(8),
666-676.
Kucan, L. (2009) Engaging teachers in investigating their teaching as a linguistic enterprise: The
case of comprehension instruction in the context of discussion. Reading Psychology,30(1),
51-87.
Kucan, L., Palincsar, A. S., Khasnabis, D., & Chang, C. (2009). The Video Viewing Task: A
source of information for assessing and addressing teacher understanding of text-based
discussions. Teaching and Teacher Education, 25, 415-423.
Kucan, L. (2007). Insights from teachers who analyzed transcripts of their own classroom
discussions. The Reading Teacher,61(3), 228-236.
Kucan, L. (2007). “I” poems: Invitations for students to deepen literary understanding. The
Reading Teacher, 60(6), 518-525.
Kucan
Curriculum Vitae
3
Kucan, L., Trathen, W. R., & Straits, W. J. (2007). A professional development initiative for
developing approaches to vocabulary instruction with secondary mathematics, art,
science, and English teachers. Reading Research and Instruction, 46(2), 175-195.
Kucan, L., & Beck, I. L. (2003.) Inviting students to talk about expository texts: A comparison of
two discourse environments and their effects on comprehension. Reading Research and
Instruction,
42(3), 1-31.
Kucan, L., & Beck, I. L. (1997). Thinking aloud and reading comprehension research: Inquiry,
instruction, and social interaction. Review of Educational Research, 67(3), 271-299.
Kucan, L., & Beck, I. L. (1996). Four fourth graders thinking aloud: An investigation of genre
effects. Journal of Literacy Research, 28(2), 259-287.
Beck, I. L., McKeown, M. G., Sandora, C., Kucan, L. & Worthy, J. (1996). Questioning the
Author: A year-long implementation to engage students with text. The Elementary School
Journal, 96(4), 387-416.
Books/Chapters
Kucan, L. (in press). Vocabulary. In B. M. Taylor and N. K. Duke (Eds.), Handbook on effective
literacy instruction. New York: Guilford Press.
Kucan, L., & Palincsar, A. S. (2011). Locating struggling readers in a reconfigured landscape:
A conceptual review. In M. L. Kamil, P. D. Pearson, E. B. Moje, & P. Afflerbach (Eds.),
Handbook of reading research (Vol. IV, pp. 341-358). New York: Routledge.
McKeown, M. G., & Kucan, L. (Eds.). (2010). Bringing reading research to life. New York:
Guilford.
Stein, M. K., & Kucan, L. (Eds.). (2010). Instructional explanations in the disciplines. New York:
Springer
Kucan, L. (2008). Multigenre reading/writing in the content areas. In D. Lapp, J. Flood, & N.
Farnan (Eds.) Content area reading and learning (3rd ed.) (pp. 515-535). Mahwah, NJ:
Erlbaum.
Beck, I. L., McKeown, M. G., & Kucan, L. (2008). Creating robust vocabulary: Frequently asked
questions and extended examples. New York: Guilford.
Palincsar, A. S., Spiro, R. J., Kucan, L., Magnusson, S. J., Collins, B., Hapgood, S., Ramchandran,
A., DeFrance, N., & Gelpi-Lomangino, A. (2007). Research to practice: Designing a
hypermedia environment to support elementary teachers’ learning of robust
comprehension instruction. In D. S. McNamara (Ed.), Reading comprehension strategies:
Theory, interventions, and technologies (pp. 441-462). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Kucan, L., Lapp, D., Flood, J., & Fisher, D. (2007). Instructional resources in the classroom:
Deepening understanding through interactions with multiple texts and multiple media.
In L. Gambrell, L. M. Morrow, & M. Pressley (Eds.), Best practices in literacy instruction
(3rd ed.) (pp. 285-312). New York: Guilford.
Beck, I. L, McKeown, M. G., & Kucan, L. (2002). Bringing words to life: Robust vocabulary
instruction. New York: Guilford.
Kucan, L. (2001). Transcript analysis project (TAP): An opportunity for student teachers to
engage in practical inquiry into classroom discussion. National Reading Conference
Yearbook: Vol. 50 (pp. 346-355). Chicago, IL: National Reading Conference.
McKeown, M. G., Beck, I. L., Hamilton, R. L., & Kucan, L. (1999). “Questioning the Author”
accessibles: Easy-access resources for classroom challenges. Bothell, WA: The Wright Group.
Kucan
Curriculum Vitae
4
Beck, I. L., McKeown, M. G., Hamilton, R. L., & Kucan, L. (1997). Questioning the Author: An
approach for enhancing student engagement with text. Newark, DE: International Reading
Association.
Selected Presentations
Kucan, L., & Palincsar, A. S. (May 2012). Supporting specialized knowledge building for
teaching reading comprehension. Poster presentation at the annual meeting of the
International Reading Association, Chicago, IL.
Kucan, L., Palincsar, A. S., Deltoro, V., Rimbey, M., & Busse, T. (December 2011). An
investigation of teachers’ representations of comprehension instruction and assessment.
Roundtable presentation at the annual meeting of the Literacy Research Association,
New Orleans, LA.
Palincsar, A. S., & Kucan, L. (April 2011). Learning to support student thinking in the context of
text-based discussion. In Teacher candidates learning to anticipate, elicit, interpret, and
facilitate student thinking: High-leverage practices for teaching, symposium presented at the
annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New Orleans, LA.
Kucan, L., & Palincsar, A. S. (December 2010). Assessing specialized knowledge for text-based
discussion: Multiple methods and measures. Symposium presented at the annual
meeting of the National Reading Conference/Literacy Research Association, Fort Worth,
TX.
Heisey, N., Kucan, L., Palincsar, A. S., & Rimbey, M. (December 2010). Text analysis: A critical
component of specialized content knowledge for comprehension instruction. Roundtable
presented at the annual meeting of the National Reading Conference/Literacy
Research Association, Fort Worth, TX.
Kucan, L., & Palincsar, A. S. (June 2010).Using design-based research to improve materials, specific to
reading comprehension instruction, for teacher educators. Poster presentation at the annual
Institute of Education Sciences Research Conference, Washington, DC.
Kucan, L. (May 2010). Learning vocabulary with Martha. In Martha Speaks: How a dog, a book,
and a television program can impact oral vocabulary development, symposium presented at
the annual meeting of the International Reading Association, Chicago, IL.
Kucan, L., & Palincsar, A. S. (May 2010). Text-based discussion: The case of reading. In Crossdisciplinary investigations of the preparation of teachers to enact discussions: Exploring a
theoretical frame, symposium presented at the annual meeting of the American
Educational Research Association, Denver, CO.
Kucan, L., & Scott, S. (February 2010). Designing teacher education: Modules and models. Preconference workshop presented at the annual meeting of the National Council of
Teachers of English Assembly for Research, Pittsburgh, PA.
Scott, S., & Kucan, L. (February 2010). Using innovative video technology to transform the
preparation of literacy teachers. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American
Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, Atlanta, GA.
Kucan, L., & Palincsar, A. S. (June 2009). Designing teacher education curricula to support the
development of high-leverage practices in comprehension instruction. Poster presentation at
the annual Institute of Education Sciences Research Conference, Washington, DC.
Kucan
Curriculum Vitae
5
Kucan, L. (chair). (December 2009). Lessons from the past: Results from investigations in the John A.
Nietz Old Textbook Collection. Roundtable presentation at the annual meeting of the
National Reading Conference, Albuquerque, NM.
Kucan, L., & Brydon, M. (December 2009). The effects of differentiated tasks on learning from science
texts. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the National Reading Conference,
Albuquerque, NM.
Kucan, L., & Palincsar, A. S. (December 2008). Designing teacher education curricula to support
the development of high-leverage practices in comprehension instruction.
In
Characterizing and supporting the development of knowledge for teaching reading
comprehension, symposium presented at the annual meeting of the National Reading
Conference, Orlando, FL.
Brydon, M., & Kucan, L. (December 2008). An analysis of suggested instructional approaches for
science selections in fifth grade basal reading programs. Roundtable presented at the annual
meeting of the National Reading Conference, Orlando, FL.
Grants
The Iterative Design of Modules to Support Reading Comprehension Instruction:
L. Kucan & A. S. Palincsar (2008-2012)
SECURED GRANT from Institute of Education Sciences (IES) ($1,387,000).
Using Innovative Video Technology to Transform the Preparation of Literacy Teachers:
S. Scott & L. Kucan (2009)
SECURED GRANT from University of Pittsburgh’s Office of the Provost’s Innovation in
Education Awards Program ($15,000)
The Effects of Differentiated Tasks on Learning from Text: L. Kucan (2007-2009)
SECURED GRANT from Verizon Foundation ($17,000)
Service
Reviewer/Editorial Review Board Member:
American Educational Research Journal
Cognition and Instruction
Elementary School Journal
Journal of Literacy Research
Mind, Culture, and Activity
National Reading Conference Yearbook
Reading Research Quarterly
Review of Educational Research
Scientific Studies of Reading
Reviewer of proposals for conference presentations:
American Education Research Association
Kucan
Curriculum Vitae
6
International Reading Association
National Reading Conference/Literacy Research Association
University of Pittsburgh
School of Education
Learning Sciences and Policy Doctoral Committee
Restructuring Committee
Department of Instruction and Learning
Reading Education Program Coordinator
Chair, DIL Doctoral Committee
Language, Literacy, and Culture Doctoral Committee
Teacher Education and Certification Committee
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Panelist to review Core Standards alignment with PDE standards for English/Language
Arts
Membership
American Educational Research Association
American Psychological Association
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers
International Reading Association
International Reading Association, History of Reading Special Interest Group
National Council of Teachers of English
National Reading Conference/Literacy Research Association
Consulting
WGBH Boston Public Television Network: Martha Speaks, program targeted to support
vocabulary development in children in kindergarten-grade 2.
Kucan
Curriculum Vitae
7