Essentials of Reading: Strategies and Practice for High School and College Readers

Nicole Yvette Strange-Martin, Ed.D. is Professor of Education and Dean of the School of Education at Claflin University in Orangeburg, South Carolina. She is the former Chair of the Department of Reading and Literacy Studies at Barry University in Miami Shores, Florida. She has over twenty years of experience in higher education. Dr. Strange-Martin teaches undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral literacy courses and serves on doctoral dissertation committees. In her professional career span, she has served as Graduate Reading Coordinator at Chicago State University (Chicago, IL), a remedial reading instructor and writing coach in the English Language & Culture D epartment at Delaware Technical and Community College (Wilmington, DE). Dr. Strange-Martin was also as a middle and high school English teacher with the Christina School District (Newark, DE). In addition, Dr. Strange-Martin has served as an independent literacy consultant with The  Pleasont Group Reading Specialists, Inc. in Chicago, IL. She also worked closely with teachers in the  Philadelphia School System as a Reading Supervisor, Team-Teacher, and Student Mentor. Dr. Strange-Martin began her undergraduate studies at Spelman College (Atlanta, GA). She earned an Ed.D. from Temple University (Philadelphia, PA), a M.S. in Middle Grades Education, and a B.A. in English from Fort Valley State University (Fort Valley, GA). Dr. Strange-Martin has presented at peer-reviewed international and national conferences in Hawaii, China, and England as well as participated in state and local presentations, workshops, and seminars. In addition, she has an extensive list of peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Strange-Martin has also taught graduate courses off-shore in Freeport, Bahamas and presented literacy workshops to students and teachers in St. Croix, Virgin Islands. Her research interests include: bidialectal students, remedial reading, culturally responsive literacy practices, generational family literacies, literacy traditions of minority students, and effective reading strategies for bi-dialectal students. She is a dedicated wife and a proud mother to her son, Aiden. 

Althea Duren, Ed.D., is former Assistant Professor of Reading in the School of Education of the historically black Florida Memorial University, located in Miami Gardens, FL. One of the few native Miamians, she also taught remedial reading and teacher education courses at Miami Dade College and Florida International University for several years. Her current assignment is Elementary School Counselor for the Miami-Dade County Public School System, with past work experiences as classroom teacher and Reading Coach. She obtained her Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction: Reading Education from Florida International University, and holds teaching certificates in Elementary Education, (grades 1–6), Guidance and Counseling, (Prekindergarten–Grade 12), Primary Education, (grades K-3), and Reading (grades K-12). No other accomplishments surpass that of being the wife of her beloved husband for close to forty years, the blessed mother of three, and the proud grandmother of one.