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TWU Names Reading
Recovery/Early Literacy Institute For Askew
11/18/04
DENTON —
The Reading Recovery/Early Literacy Institute, a Texas Woman’s
University conference that annually draws thousands of reading
and literacy specialists, educators and parents, has been
renamed in honor of the educator who founded and led the TWU
institute for 14 years.
TWU Chancellor
and President Dr. Ann Stuart announced during the Nov. 17
conference opening in Dallas that the institute now will be
known as the Texas Woman’s University Billie J. Askew
Reading Recovery/Early Literacy Institute.
Dr. Askew, a professor
emerita at TWU, served as a reading faculty member and a Reading
Recovery trainer prior to her retirement in August 2004. She
continues to study early literacy and early intervention.
TWU professor emerita
Dr. Margaret Griffin, who worked closely with Askew in bringing
Reading Recovery to Texas, said naming the institute in honor
of Askew is a fitting tribute.
“Billie gave
not only me, but the (reading) program and TWU itself a shot
in the arm with Reading Recovery,” Griffin said. “It
is her conference and her program.”
Griffin said Askew,
who had earned her doctorate in reading from TWU in 1982,
knew of the university’s interest in early literacy
and approached her about bringing the program to the university.
Griffin, who was the director of TWU’s teacher education
program at the time, worked as a liaison in establishing Reading
Recovery at the university.
The first conference
in 1990 drew about 300 participants. It now draws more than
3,000 people annually.
Askew’s colleagues
echoed Griffin’s statements.
“Billie is
an amazing teacher and colleague,” said Dr. Betsy Kaye,
a Reading Recovery trainer and lecturer in the TWU Department
of Reading. “Her work and dedication have inspired thousands
of educators to commit their professional lives to teaching
struggling readers.”
Dr. Yvonne Rodriguez,
assistant professor in the TWU Department of Reading, said,
“Billie Askew is a visionary individual who recognized
that reading opens doors to success for our diverse student
population.” Rodriguez also is a trainer in Descubriendo
la Lectura, the Spanish language version of Reading Recovery.
Reading Recovery,
developed by Dr. Marie M. Clay of New Zealand, is designed
to help children who have difficulty reading and writing improve
their skills. Most students who complete a full Reading Recovery
program can learn in a regular classroom and don’t need
additional remedial services.
TWU is one of 23
Reading Recovery university training centers in the United
States and one of only two universities in the U.S. providing
training for Descubriendo La Lectura.
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For Further
Information Contact:
Karen Treat
Senior Copywriter
Tel: (940) 898-3456
e-mail: ktreat@twu.edu
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