Mary Jo Fresch, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Contact Info:

E-mail: fresch.1@osu.edu
Office: Morrill Hall 237C (Marion Campus)
Phone: (614) 292-9133 ext. 5-6237 or (740) 725-6237
Fax: (614) 292-5817

Mailing Address:

The Ohio State University at Marion
1465 Mt. Vernon Ave.
Marion, OH 43302

Biographical Information

Dr. Mary Jo Fresch is a Professor at The Ohio State University at Marion, School of Teaching and Learning where she teaches graduate literacy and children’s literature courses. She has taught at the University of Akron, University of Nebraska, Lincoln and at The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and Deakin University (both in Melbourne, Australia). She joined the faculty at The Ohio State University at Marion in 1995. Her research focus is the developmental aspects of becoming a speller and its relationship to teaching and learning. Her articles have appeared in The Reading Teacher, Reading Online, Language Arts, Journal of Literacy Research, Reading and Writing Quarterly, Reading Psychology and several International Reading Association state journals. She recently edited An essential history of current reading practices (published by IRA) and is co-author of Teaching and Assessing Spelling, The Spelling List and Word Study Resource Book (Scholastic) and a grades 1 through 6 classroom spelling series, Spelling for Writers (Great Source).

Education

BS Elem Ed University of Akron
MS Ed (Reading Specialis) University of Akron
Ph D (Reading, Language and Literature) The Ohio State University

Awards and Honors

2006 - Recipient, Editor of Ohio Journal of English Language Arts, Honorable mention in national competition among affiliate journals in all 50 states. National Council of Teachers of English.
2004 - Recipient, Editor of Ohio Journal of English Language Arts, First place in national competition among affiliate journals in all 50 states. National Council of Teachers of English.
1999 - Recipient, College of Education Faculty Teaching Award

Selected grants history

Thinking aloud during word sorting: Observing children’s decision making.
Funded by The Ohio State University Seed Grants. $13,354
The Thomas Jefferson School Capstone Experience Chile Study Abroad Program
President Karen Holbrook’s Outreach/Engagement and Student Research Grants. $10,000
One Day Children’s Literature Conference
President Karen Holbrook’s Outreach/Engagement and Student Research Grants. $3500

Selected Publications

Fresch, M.J. (Ed.) (2008). An essential history of current reading practices. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
Fresch, M.J. & Wheaton, A. (2004). The spelling list and word study resource book: Organized spelling lists, Greek and Latin roots, word histories and other resources for dynamic spelling and vocabulary instruction. New York: Scholastic
Fresch, M.J. & Wheaton, A. (2002) Teaching and assessing spelling: Striking the balance between whole-class and individualized spelling. New York: Scholastic.
Fresch, M.J. (September 2007). Teachers’ concerns about spelling instruction: A national survey. Reading Psychology.
Fresch, M.J. (April-June 2005). Observing the self-selection of an emerging literacy learner. Reading and Writing Quarterly, 21 (2), 135-149.
Fresch, M.J. (Fall 2003). A national survey of spelling instruction: Investigating teachers’ beliefs and practice. Journal of Literacy Research, 35, 819-848.
Fresch, M.J. (February 2001). Journal entries as a window into spelling knowledge. Reading Teacher, 54 (5), 500-513.
Fresch, M.J. (December 2000). Using think alouds to analyze decision-making during spelling word sorts. Reading On-line http://www.readingonline.org/articles/art_index.asp?HREF=fresch/index.html
Fresch, M.J. (October 2000). Listening as Students Sort: Implications for Spelling Instruction. Ohio Journal of English Language Arts, 41(1), 22-27.
Fresch, M.J. (January 2000). What we learned from Josh: Sorting out word sorting. Language Arts, 77 (2), 232-240.

Selected Presentations

Fresch, M.J. & Wheaton, A. (2007). Three days of spelling instruction: Making the literacy connection. 52nd International Reading Association Convention, Toronto, CA, May 2007.
Fresch, M.J. (2007). Literacy in the 21st Century: R U Rdy? Literacy Network of Ohio. Dublin, Ohio. (Keynote)
Fresch, M.J. (2007). Word Study: Teaching spelling and vocabulary across the curriculum. Colorado Council of International Reading Association. Denver, CO., February 2007.
Fresch, M.J. (2006). Teaching spelling and word study across the curriculum and Power up your spelling instruction: Meeting all learners’ needs. 33rd Plains IRA Regional Conference. October 2006, Omaha, NE.
Fresch, M.J. (2006). Spelling and word study: Effective practices for teaching every learner. New England Reading Association Conference, Lowell, MA., September 2006.
Fresch, M.J. (2006). Fostering critical thinking across the curriculum. Seminario: El lenguaje como instrumento para aumenttar el rendimiento en la etapa escolar. Universidad de Concepcion y Thomas Jefferson School. Concepcion, Chile. March 2006, (Keynote)
Fresch, M.J. (2006). The parallel development of spelling, writing and reading. Nassau County Reading Council. March 2006. Long Island, NY. (Keynote)
Fresch, M.J. (2002). A national survey of spelling instruction: Investigating teachers’ beliefs and practices. National Reading Conference 52nd Annual Meeting, Miami, FL., December 2002.

Courses

Edu T&L 840 Writing in the elementary classroom
Edu T&L 853 Critical reading and writing in the elementary classroom
Edu T&L 864 Multicultural Literature in the elementary classroom

Activities

1999 – present. Director of the Study Abroad at The Thomas Jefferson School in Concepcion, Chile. Students apply to have a 4-week teaching experience in Chile.
Editorial review boards for peer-reviewed journals
Committee member of various awards committees for International Reading Association.

Affiliations

Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group of IRA
Children’s Literature Assembly of NCTE
College Reading Association
International Partnership for Critical Thinking/Active Learning Special Interest Group of IRA
International Reading Association (IRA)
Language Experience Special Interest Group of IRA
National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)
National Reading Conference
Ohio Council of IRA
Ohio Council of NCTE
Phi Delta Kappa
Reading, Orthography and Word Perception Special Interest Group of IRA