App State Child Development, Literacy, and Special Education

App State Child Development, Literacy, and Special Education These programs provide coursework and field experiences in a variety of settings and can lead to licensure.

The Department of Child Development, Literacy, and Special Education is one of five departments in the Reich College of Education at Appalachian State University, offering innovative programs that focus on all facets of child development, reading, writing, language arts, and specific areas of special education.

Beth Sibley brings a strong background in social work, education, and health and wellness to her role with SDAP. With ex...
09/04/2026

Beth Sibley brings a strong background in social work, education, and health and wellness to her role with SDAP. With experience supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, Beth is passionate about person-centered planning and helping students build sustainable nutrition, exercise, and wellness habits. She has also been a valued instructor at Appalachian State University since 2016 and continues to make a positive impact both on campus and in the Boone community. 💙🏋️‍♀️

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Dr. Peijuan Cao is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Child Development, Literacy, and Special Education. She e...
09/04/2026

Dr. Peijuan Cao is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Child Development, Literacy, and Special Education. She earned her Ph.D. in Reading and Literacy Education from the University of Florida and her M.Ed. from the University of Missouri. Her research focuses on effective literacy instruction for multilingual learners, culturally responsive pedagogies, and reading teacher preparation. She has presented her work nationally and internationally and published extensively in peer‑reviewed language and literacy education journals. She serves on the editorial board for Reading & Writing Quarterly. She is also a member of the Ethnicity, Race, and Multilingualism (ERM) Committee, housed within the Literacy Research Association.

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Dr. Kindel Turner Nash is the Spangler Distinguished Professor of Early Childhood Literacy in Appalachian State Universi...
09/03/2026

Dr. Kindel Turner Nash is the Spangler Distinguished Professor of Early Childhood Literacy in Appalachian State University’s Department of Child Development, Literacy, and Special Education. A former classroom teacher and literacy specialist, her research, teaching, and service focus on culturally sustaining and humanizing early literacy practices, highly effective teachers, and transformative teacher preparation. She has authored more than 30 journal publications and four books, received significant grant funding, and delivered numerous keynote and presidential addresses. In 2022, she was named Early Literacy Teacher Educator of the Year by the National Council of Teachers of English. Dr. Nash serves as co-editor of the Language Arts, a professional journal for elementary and middle school teachers and teacher educators 📚✨

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Dr. Dionne Sills Busio is an Associate Professor of Family and Child Studies and served as Director of the undergraduate...
09/03/2026

Dr. Dionne Sills Busio is an Associate Professor of Family and Child Studies and served as Director of the undergraduate Birth-Kindergarten program from 2018–2024. With more than 25 years of experience in early childhood education, Dr. Busio has worked as a lead preschool teacher and early interventionist in Guilford County and surrounding areas, photographed newborns at the former Women’s Hospital in Greensboro, NC, and supported children and families in a variety of roles before entering higher education. She earned her M.Ed. in Birth-to-Kindergarten Interdisciplinary Studies in 2009 and her Ph.D. in Early Childhood Special Education from UNC-Greensboro. Her professional interests include pedagogical documentation, early intervention for children birth to three, family-professional collaboration, teacher preparation, diversity, and inclusion. Dr. Busio is a member of the Council for Exceptional Children, Division for Early Childhood, and National Association for the Education of Young Children. She also serves as Chairperson of the New Arrivals Institute Preschool Committee and reviews articles for the Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education. Outside of her professional work, she enjoys UK television shows, soccer, musicals, traveling, and spending time with her husband, three adult children, and granddaughter. 💙📚⚽

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Dr. Robin Groce is a Professor of Literacy Education whose research explores children’s and young adult literature throu...
09/02/2026

Dr. Robin Groce is a Professor of Literacy Education whose research explores children’s and young adult literature through inclusive excellence themes, the integration of social studies and fine arts in language arts, literature as a tool for interdisciplinary problem-solving and critical thinking, and leadership of university lab schools. She is active with the Association for Middle Level Education and has received the 2019 Community of Practice Award and 2022 Outstanding Teaching Award. Outside of work, Dr. Groce enjoys reading, exploring the outdoors, biking, creating, spending time with her dogs, and making memories with her family! 📚🚲🐾
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Dr. James A. Larsen is an Assistant Professor of Child Development in the Reich College of Education at Appalachian Stat...
09/02/2026

Dr. James A. Larsen is an Assistant Professor of Child Development in the Reich College of Education at Appalachian State University. He earned his Ph.D. in Human Environmental Sciences with an emphasis on Early Childhood Development from the University of Missouri and completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. His research focuses on the individual and contextual factors that shape creative thinking in early childhood, with a particular interest in how caregivers, teachers, and early learning environments can nurture children’s creative potential. His work also explores innovative methods and measures for studying early childhood learning and development. 🎨🌱✨

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Dr. Kristen I. Evans is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Child Development, Literacy, and Special Education a...
09/01/2026

Dr. Kristen I. Evans is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Child Development, Literacy, and Special Education at Appalachian State University. With nearly two decades of experience as an elementary teacher and experience as an adjunct professor at Kent State University, she brings a wealth of classroom and higher education experience to her work. Her research focuses on elementary literacy practices, particularly writing, reading comprehension, oral language, and literacy teacher preparation. Dr. Evans is a member of LRA and NCTE, with publications in journals including The Reading Teacher and Literacy Research and Instruction, as well as presentations at the LRA annual conference. She earned her Ph.D. from Kent State University and M.Ed. from John Carroll University. 📚✨

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Reminder!! Registration closes TODAY!! You don't want to miss it!Please join us on September 12, 2026 for the Appalachia...
09/01/2026

Reminder!! Registration closes TODAY!!
You don't want to miss it!

Please join us on September 12, 2026 for the Appalachian Literacy Summit at the Reich College of Education (RCOE) on the campus of Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. The Appalachian Literacy Summit is designed to honor and strengthen the resilience that defines literacy education in Western North Carolina and beyond.

https://appstate.irisregistration.com/Form/26APPLIT

Mrs. Brandi V. Chapman is an instructor of Literacy Education in the Department of Child Development, Literacy, and Spec...
08/31/2026

Mrs. Brandi V. Chapman is an instructor of Literacy Education in the Department of Child Development, Literacy, and Special Education at Appalachian State University. Mrs. Chapman is also a Ph.D candidate in Literacy, Language, and Culture at Clemson University. She plans to defend her dissertation on teacher decision-making for early literacy instruction this fall.

Before coming to AppState, Mrs. Chapman spent 13 years as an educator in South Carolina, serving as an early elementary teacher in K4, 1st, and 2nd grades. She also served as a literacy coach and intervention, sparking a passion for supporting other teachers. Her research draws on this background, focusing on early literacy teacher development across all career stages. ✏️🍎

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Miriam brings a diverse background in communications, marketing, and nonprofit support to our team. She holds a B.A. in ...
08/31/2026

Miriam brings a diverse background in communications, marketing, and nonprofit support to our team. She holds a B.A. in American Studies from Heidelberg University and an M.A. in Language and Communications from the University of Mannheim. With experience at SAP headquarters and supporting nonprofits through social media, content management, and administration, Miriam brings valuable communication skills and expertise to our department. 💙📚

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Address

151 College Street
Boone, NC
28608

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Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

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+18282622182

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