Eithne Kennedy
Dr
Eithne Kennedy is associate professor (Literacy Studies) and Programme Chair of the Master of Education in Literacy Professional Practice (MEdLPP) in the School of Language, Literacy and Early Childhood Education.
As the director of the Write to Read research initiative a longitudinal University and School literacy project she also works collaboratively with schools and communities to create powerful literacy environments that motivate and engage children as readers, writers and thinkers. Prior to joining the faculty in 1997, she was a classroom teacher in Dublin and the US where she earned her Masters in Special Education at Fordham University, NYC.
She is the recipient of the International Literacy Association’s Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award (2010) and DCU President’s Award for Public Engagement (2014).
She has authored and co-authored several publications in the field of literacy including: Raising Literacy Achievement in High-Poverty Schools: An Evidence-Based Approach (Routledge, US, 2014), and a range of papers on literacy research, policy and practice. Her second book Teaching and Assessing Writing in the Primary School: A Whole School Approach will be published in December 2024 with Routledge, UK. She recently led the largest IoE collaboration to date to deliver a commissioned report and 29 systematic reviews commissioned by the Department of Education to inform the development of the National Literacy, Numeracy and Digital Literacy Strategy (DE/DCEIDY, 2024-2033).
She is a past president of the Literacy Association of Ireland and Chair of the LAI Biennial Outstanding Dissertation Subcommittee
Book Chapter
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Kennedy, E.; Shiel, G. (2024) 'IMPROVING THE LITERACY OUTCOMES OF SOCIOECONOMICALLY EXCLUDED STUDENTS: How research can inform policy' In: The Routledge International Handbook of Equity and Inclusion in Education. [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2024 | Kennedy, E. (2024) 'Research-informed pedagogies to support communities of readers, writers and thinkers' In: Thoughts, Acts and Meanings: The distinctive nature of Arts Based Learning in Education (ABLE). London : London: Phaidon. | |
| 2018 | Shiel, G.; Kennedy, E. (2018) 'Literacy policy and performance on PIRLS 2016 in the Republic of Ireland' In: Teaching initial literacy: Policies, evidence and ideology. Birmingham : Birmingham: Glendale Education. | |
| 2017 | Kennedy, E. (2017) 'Transforming literacy outcomes in high-poverty schools: An evidence-based approach' In: Improving Reading and Reading Engagement in the 21st Century: International Research and Innovation. [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2013 | Kennedy, E., & Shiel G. (2013) 'Closing the gap through professional development' In: International handbook of research in children's literacy, learning and culture. Sussex : Wiley-Blackwell. | |
| 2012 | Kennedy, E. (2012) 'Creating positive literacy learning environments in Early Childhood: Engaging classrooms, creating lifelong readers, writers and thinkers' In: Handbook of Early Childhood literacy (2nd Ed.). London : Sage. |
Edited Book
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Eithne Kennedy &Tina Hickey (Eds.) (Ed.). (2005) Learning to Read, Reading to Learn. Dublin: Reading Association of Ireland, [Link] |
Peer Reviewed Journal
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Kennedy, E.; Shiel, G. (2024) 'The implementation of writing pedagogies in the Write to Read intervention in low-SES primary schools in Ireland'. Reading and Writing, 37 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2024 | Burke, P. & Kennedy, E. (2024) 'Why Do You Think That? Exploring Disciplinary Literacy in Elementary Science, History and Visual Arts'. Reading Teacher, . [Link] https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.2283 | |
| 2024 | Vaughn, M.; Carbonneau, K.J.; Mameli, C.; Grazia, V.; Solheim, O.J.; Kennedy, E.; Lammert, C.; Arlington, K.; S?b?, J.U. (2024) 'A cross-cultural perspective of agency in primary contexts: Validation of the student agency profile across multiple sites'. International Journal of Educational Research, 124 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2022 | Kennedy, E.; Shiel, G. (2022) 'Writing assessment for communities of writers: rubric validation to support formative assessment of writing in Pre-K to grade 2'. ASSESSMENT IN EDUCATION-PRINCIPLES POLICY & PRACTICE, 29 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2018 | Kennedy, E. (2018) 'Engaging children as readers and writers in high-poverty contexts'. Journal of Research in Reading, 41 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2016 | Miller, S.; Budde, M.A.; Massey, D.; Korkeam?ki, R.; Kennedy, E.; O’Rourke, M.; Korkeam?ki, R.L. (2016) 'It Only Looks the Same From a Distance: How U.S., Finnish, and Irish Schools Support Struggling Readers'. Reading Psychology, 37 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2015 | S. Ellis (2015) 'Book Review: Kennedy, E. Raising literacy achievement in high-poverty schools: An evidence-based approach'. Literacy, 49 (2):112-112. | |
| 2013 | Kennedy, E. (2013) 'Literacy Policy in Ireland'. European Journal of Education, 48 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2010 | Kennedy, E.; Shiel, G. (2010) 'Raising literacy levels with collaborative on-site professional development in an urban disadvantaged school'. Reading Teacher, 63 . [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2010 | Kennedy, E. (2010) 'Narrowing the achievement gap: Motivation, engagement and self-efficacy matter'. American Journal of Education, 190 (3):1-11. | |
| 2010 | Kennedy, Eithne (2010) 'Improving Literacy Achievement in a High-Poverty School: Empowering Classroom Teachers Through Professional Development'. Reading Research Quarterly, 45 (4). [DOI] | |
| 2023 | Vaughn M.; Grazia, V.; Kennedy, E.; Mameli C.; Solheim, O.J. (2023) 'A cross-cultural perspective of agency in primary contexts: Validation of the student agency profile across multiple sites'. International Journal of Educational Research, . |
Conference Contribution
Published Report
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Kennedy, E., Shiel, G., French, G., Harbison, L., Leahy, M., ? Duibhir, P., & Travers, J. (2023) Towards a New Literacy, Numeracy and Digital literacy Strategy: A review of the Literature. Department of Education, . [Link] https://www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/256086/907a34c9-f95d-4cf1-af52-35589b066d8e.pdf#page=null | |
| 2023 | Dwyer, B., Burke, P. & Kennedy, E. (2023) Pedagogical strategies, approaches and methodologies to support disciplinary literacy at primary and post-primary level. Department of Education, . | |
| 2022 | Shiel, G.; French, G.; Kennedy, E.; McCormack, M. (2022) Outcomes of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy in relation to DEIS in early childhood education, primary and post-primary settings. Department of Education, . [DOI] | |
| 2022 | Kennedy, E; Concannon-Gibney, T.; Dwyer, B. (2022) Pedagogical strategies, approaches and methodologies to support literacy in the primary school: A review of the literature. Department of Education, . [DOI] | |
| 2022 | Bakken, A.M., Walgermo, B.R., Uppstad, P.H, Teixeira, M, Louren?o, M., Pinto, D., Dooly, M., Fontich, X., Roelofs, E., Kennedy, E. & Burke, P (2022) AILIT [Artificial Intelligence in Literacy Network] Background and Literature Review. University of Stavanger, . [Link] | |
| 2022 | Kennedy, E.; Shiel, G. (2022) Addressing achievement gaps between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged students in primary and post-primary schools: A review of recent international research. Department of Education, . [DOI] | |
| 2022 | Shiel, G.; French, G.; Kennedy, E.; McCormack, M. (2022) Outcomes of the national literacy strategy in relation to DEIS in early childhood education, primary and post-primary. Report Commissioned by the Department of Education, . | |
| 2019 | Kennedy. E & Shiel, G. (2019) Writing Pedagogy in Senior Primary School: Knowledge, Skills and Process for Writing. National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, . | |
| 2012 | Kennedy, E., Dunphy, E., Dwyer, B., Hayes, G., McPhillips, T., Marsh, J., O’Connor, M., & Shiel, G. (2012) Literacy in Early Childhood and Primary Education (Children Aged 3-8 Years). Commissioned Research Report. NCCA, . [Link] | |
| 2009 | E. Kennedy (2009) Improving literacy in disadvantaged schools: Policy and implementation issues: Commissioned research paper. National Social and Economic Forum, . |
Guidelines for Practice
Podcast
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Kennedy, E. (2012) Literacy in Early Childhood and Primary Education: Children aged 3-8 Years. Dublin: PODCAST | |
| 2021 | Kennedy E. & Taylor-Whiteway, S. (2021) Creating Literacy Environments to Build Readers, Writers and Thinkers. London: PODCAST [Link] |
Honors and Awards
Committees
Enterprise Engagement
Outreach Activities
Research Interests
- Collaborative research with schools to implement research-informed balanced literacy frameworks for literacy instruction that motivate and engage children as readers, writers and thinkers
- Creativity and literacy across the Arts Disciplines
- Disciplinary literacy
- Early intervention
- Investigation of effective approaches to improving achievement in literacy in disadvantaged contexts
- Collaborative professional development, whole school change processes and literacy
- Literacy policy and implementation issues
Research Projects
External Collaborators
Teaching Interests
Research-informed balanced literacy instruction
Workshop approaches to literacy
Writing pedagogy and assessment
Role of motivation, engagement and agency in literacy development
Developing creativity and imagination
Disciplinary literacy
Whole school approaches to literacy
Change processes
Teacher education: initial teacher education and continuing professional development
Parental involvement in literacy