Elizabeth Stevens

Dr. Elizabeth Stevens

Professor of Education; Director, Literacy MEd Program

My favorite part about teaching at Roberts is collaborating with my colleagues, the most amazing group of teacher educators, to provide the best education for our students. We all genuinely care about our students and work hard to meet them where they are at. We emulate what we expect our students to do when they are teachers.

In my classes, I educate students regarding how to teach children to read and write. As such, when we study evidence-based literacy instructional approaches together, I encourage students to participate and plan in those approaches.

Elizabeth Stevens

Profile

Elizabeth Stevens is a professor at Roberts Wesleyan University teaching literacy education to undergraduate and graduate students. Before joining Roberts, she was an assistant professor at SUNY Oswego and taught sixth grade in the Fayetteville-Manlius School District while earning her doctorate. 

Her research interests include literacy teacher education, identity, and multiliteracies. She has published 20 articles or chapters since joining Roberts, with publications in the Journal of Teacher Education, Journal of World Languages, and Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy. She is actively involved in professional organizations such as the International Literacy Association and the Rochester Area Literacy Council.

Outside of work, she enjoys visiting local coffee shops, spending time with her family, and walking her dog.

I have had the pleasure of working with Dr. Stevens since undergrad and can honestly say she is the epitome of what a professor should be.

Student Review on RateMyProfessors

If you have the opportunity to take a class with Dr. Stevens, by all means, DO IT! She's the best and everybody loves her! I wish all my classes were with her.

Student Review on RateMyProfessors

Elizabeth's Favorite Quote

“If we succeed in giving the love of learning, the learning itself is sure to follow."

John Lubbock

Courses Taught

  • TEDU 2550 Foundations of Language and Literacy
  • GEDU 5900 Nature and Acquisition of Literacy
  • TEDU 3040 Application of Literacy Strategies
  • GEDU 6919 Research and Theory into Practice
  • GEDU 5903 Assessment Driven Literacy Instruction
  • TEDU 3550 Literacy in Childhood Classrooms
Roberts wesleyan campus

Education

  • Ph.D. in Reading Education with distinction | Syracuse University
  • M.Ed. in Childhood Literacy | St. Bonaventure University
  • B.S. in Elementary Education | St. Bonaventure University

New York Certifications

  • New York State Permanent Certification
    • Elementary Education N-6
    • Reading Education K-12

Sample Publications

  • Stevens, E. Y., Wilson, N. S., Baumann, J., Adams, B., Dussling, T. M., Smetana, L., & Bean-Folkes, J. (2025). Exploring asynchronous implementation of the Gradual Release of Responsibility framework to support graduate students’ metacognition when reading digital academic texts. Education Sciences, 15(8), 1007. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15081007

  • Haddix, M.M., Stevens, E.Y., & Hinchman, K.A. (2023).  Cultivating equitable language arts practices.  In D. Fisher & D. Lapp (Eds.), Handbook of research on teaching the English Language Arts (5th ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003334392

  • Turner, K.H., Stevens, E.Y., Paciga, K., & O’Byrne, W.I. (2022). Co-constructing meaning: Parents and children navigating digital literacies together. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 66(3), 158-167. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaal.1264