Ohio University alum Dr. Kouider Mokhtari ’84M, ’87PhD received the 2014 John C. Manning Public School Service Award from the International Reading Association, announced Dr. Ross Sherman, University of Texas at Tyler College of Education and Psychology Dean, in a news release.
Dr. Kouider Mokhtari
Mokhtari holds a Ph.D. in applied linguistics, cognitive psychology and curriculum and instruction with a specialization in reading from Ohio University’s College of Arts & Sciences. He also earned an M.A. in Linguistics from the College of Arts & Sciences.
Mokhtari serves as the Anderson-Vukelja-Wright Endowed Professor of Education within the UT Tyler School of Education and chairs the Tyler Area Partnership for Literacy.
The IRA Manning Public School Service Award recognizes a professor of reading education who has demonstrated his or her commitment to public education and has spent significant time working with public schoolteachers and their students in classrooms demonstrating effective approaches and techniques shown to improve reading instruction. Eligibility is open to college- and university-based teacher educators with a record of effective preparation of reading teachers and graduate students. He was recognized at the IRA 59th Annual Convention on May 11 in New Orleans.
“I’m honored to be recognized by students, public school leaders and literacy professionals for the work I have done to promote and support literacy at the university school and community levels,” Mokhtari said. “I am also honored to join a prestigious group of international literacy experts who have contributed in meaningful and significant ways to advancing literacy within schools and communities around the world.”
Mokhtari regularly works in public schools to help enhance instructional practices and improve students’ literacy achievement outcomes.
“His work and scholarship in literacy has brought considerable national and international recognition to the UT Tyler College of Education and Psychology. More importantly, however, is that his work is making a positive impact on teacher practices and students’ literacy achievement outcomes,” Sherman said.
For the past few years, Mokhtari has served as a member of IRA’s Conference Program Committee and co-chaired IRA’s Literacy & English Learners Committee. He also served as co-editor of Tapestry, an international cross-disciplinary journal dedicated to the advancement of research and instruction for English learners.
Mokhtari’s research focuses on the acquisition of language and literacy by first and second language learners, with particular emphasis on children, adolescents and adults who can read but have difficulties understanding what they read.
The mission of the International Reading Association is to promote reading by continuously advancing the quality of literacy instruction and research worldwide. Since 1956, IRA has been a nonprofit, global network of individuals and institutions committed to worldwide literacy.
More than 53,000 members strong, the association supports literacy professionals through a wide range of resources, advocacy efforts, volunteerism and professional development activities.
For more information about IRA, visit the association’s website.
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