Biography
Shaunté Duggins is the associate director for the New Worlds Reading Initiative at the University of Florida Lastinger Center for Learning. New Worlds Reading is a state-wide at-home literacy program to help eligible VPK through 5th grade students strengthen literacy skills, build reading confidence, and foster a lifelong love of reading. Her research includes early literacy, teacher education, and professional development, particularly in high-poverty schools.
Areas of Expertise (5)
Professional Development
Language and Literacy Development
Early Intervention
Family Engagement
Literacy
Media Appearances (3)
‘It fosters more family time’: New Worlds Reading Initiative helps elementary schoolers
WCJB 20 tv
2024-02-01
A UF reading initiative is helping elementary school students read at or above their grade level. “Going to the library to get a book, check it in, check it out,” 1st grade student, TJ Rye said. He loves looking at all of the illustrations in the books. He gets a new book every month. Florida’s free at home literacy program is administered by the UF Lastinger Center. TJ’s mom, Mareshah Rye, says the books build his confidence by starting at his level.
Florida’s New Worlds Reading program off to a good start
Tampa Bay Times online
2024-01-30
As a classroom teacher nearly 20 years ago, it was unfathomable to think that children across Florida could get free books and activities delivered to their homes from a state program. At that time, I was teaching in one county and living in another. I struggled with missing my own child’s school activities. My challenges as a parent informed my goals as a teacher: to ensure that there were multiple avenues for all parents to “be involved,” not just those who could be present at school.
The New Worlds Reading Initiative is working to increase children's reading skills, one free book at a time
UF News radio
2022-09-20
If a child is unable to read on level by third grade, there’s a good possibility they’ll struggle throughout the rest of their school years – and may be on track to not finish high school. In this episode, Shaunté Duggins talks about Florida’s New Worlds Reading Initiative, based at the Lastinger Center for Learning at UF, and how it hopes to change that trajectory – one book at a time.
Articles (2)
“We’re Not Walking Schools”: Storying the Pandemic Schooling andemic Schooling Experiences of Mothers of Children with Disabilities
The Qualitative ReportKristi Cheyney-Collante, et. al
2024-02-07
This article describes a study designed to better understand the fallout of extended school closures and staggered re-openings for one group heavily impacted by the pandemic, mothers of children with disabilities. Using feminist ways of knowing as the backdrop, we explored how a small group of mothers experienced pandemic-related educational shifts.
Growth Through Crisis: Preservice Teachers Learning To Enact Culturally Relevant Literacy Teaching
Action in Teacher EducationMelanie M. Acosta, Shaunté Duggins
2021-05-24
A critical mass of literacy scholars have re-defined what it means to prepare reading teachers toward approaches that foreground culture, critical inquiry, and multilingualism. An upsurge in research on critical approaches to prepare caring and conscious reading teachers has resulted, though fewer studies have examined the ways novice teachers worked through moments of crisis that often accompany anti-racist learning experiences.
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