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Teacher-led action research case studies are required for coursework in several Reading courses at ×î´ó×ÊÔ´²É¼¯Íø College of Education. Three students, mentored by Philomena Marinaccio, Ph.D., a visiting instructor, within the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, went beyond course expectations by transforming their research into professional conference presentations for the Florida Literacy Association (FLA) Conference with the theme, Time to Shine, in Orlando, Florida from January 23–25, 2026.

During the conference, these students participated in the Preservice Teacher March that opened the event, presented their research during the poster session, and attended sessions led by prominent literacy scholars and authors, including Timothy Shanahan and Wiley Blevins, author of the RED 4308 course textbook. They were also honored at a preservice teacher breakfast, received complimentary professional and children’s texts, and networked with fellow preservice teachers, practicing teachers from across the state, and nationally renowned literacy researchers and children’s literature authors.

Students enrolled in RED 4308: Reading Development I (Birth through Grade 3) conduct comprehensive Emergent Reader assessments using a range of established inventories. In this course, candidates administer, collect, and interpret both quantitative and qualitative data from informal assessments—including Concepts of Print, Letter Identification, Phonological Awareness, Phonemic Awareness, and Phonics—to evaluate an emergent reader (grades K–1) in a public-school setting. These assessments provide valuable insight into early literacy development and inform targeted instructional planning.

Graduate students in the Master’s in Elementary Education program (including certification) and those in the Master’s in Secondary Education program (plus certification) are required to take RED 6546: Reading Diagnosis. In this course, students administer the Qualitative Reading Inventory (QRI) to determine a student’s instructional reading level and monitor progress. Under supervision, they conduct in-depth assessment sessions with students exhibiting specific reading difficulties and apply diagnostic data to guide instructional recommendations.

Zachary Welsch was the hit of the conference with his presentation examining the research question: How do data collected from Science of Reading (SoR) informal assessment tools (Concepts of Print, Letter Identification, Phonological Awareness, Phonemic Awareness, and Phonics) inform a targeted word recognition intervention/lesson for an emergent reader? His findings highlighted the importance of diagnostic assessment in designing asset-based, responsive emergent literacy instruction.

Carlos Garcia presented his research poster, Motivated Reader, Fluent Reader: Cultivating a Student’s Potential, which addressed the question: How does a student with ADHD use word identification skills and comprehension strategies while engaging in narrative and informational texts, as revealed through the administration of a Qualitative Reading Inventory (QRI)? His work emphasized the relationship between motivation, fluency, and strategic reading behaviors.

Kenneth Tibodeau’s poster, A Literacy Case Study and Intervention of a Fifth-Grade Student in a Diverse Inner-City Public School, explored the question: How does a linguistically and culturally diverse student use word identification skills and comprehension strategies while engaging in narrative and informational texts, as revealed through the administration of a Qualitative Reading Inventory (QRI)? His research underscored the importance of culturally responsive assessment and instruction in supporting diverse learners.