Melinda S. Butler EdD

Chair of the Department of Literacy, Language, and Culture
Assistant Professor of Literacy Education
Director of USM Summer Reading and Writing Workshop

207-780-5070

melinda.butler@maine.edu

Download Curriculum Vitae

Bailey Hall, Room 218C, Gorham campus

Education

EdD in Literacy, Sam Houston State University
MEd in Reading, Sam Houston State University

Research Interests

Teachers' and students' perceptions of popular culture texts
Classroom libraries
Independent reading
Connecting out-of-school literacies to school literacies
Student/children's access to texts.

Literacy, Language, and Culture

School of Education and Human Development

I love teaching literacy courses here at the University of Southern Maine. My research interests are teachers’ and students’ perceptions of popular culture texts, classroom libraries, independent reading, connecting out-of-school literacies to school literacies, and student/children’s access to texts.

Expertise

Literacy Education
Teachers' and Students' Perceptions of Popular Culture Texts
Classroom Libraries
Students' Access to Texts
Teaching, research and service

Selected Publications

Butler, M. S. (2020). Choice, with conditions: Popular culture texts and independent reading. Primer Journal 48(2), 13-25.
Butler, M. S. (2018). Hey, can you find me a book? Providing popular culture texts to
students in a Title I elementary school. Texas Association for Literacy Education
(TALE) Yearbook. Accepted for publication in 5(1).
Butler, M. S., & Votteler, N. K. (2016). Disequilibrium: An instructional coach’s
reflection. Texas Association for Literacy Education (TALE) Journal. Accepted
for publication in 4(1).
Butler, M. S. (in press). Choice, with conditions: Popular culture texts and independent
reading. Primer Journal.

PRESENTATIONS:

Butler, M. S. (2019). Popular culture book clubs: Springboard to inquiry at the 2019 National Council of Teachers of English Conference, Baltimore, Maryland.
Karlin, A., Henderson, S., Adams, A., & Butler, M. S. (2019). Journeys to freedom and inclusion: Stories of refugee and/or immigrant journeys told in picture & chapter books that broaden knowledge and promote empathy in children & young adults at the International Literacy Association Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana.
Butler, M. S. (2019). “Hey, can you find me a book? Reclaiming student reading engagement through the use of popular culture texts at the 2019 New England Council of Teachers of English Conference, Danvers, Massachusetts.
Butler, M. S. (2019). Captain Underpants and Spiderman: Popular culture texts in reading workshop at the Northern New England Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages Conference, Lewiston, Maine.
Butler, M. S. (2019). Elementary teachers’ perceptions of popular culture texts. Lightning Talk presentation at the 2019 University of Southern Maine Research and Scholarship Symposium.