Marion Blank
Encyclopedia
Dr. Marion Blank is the creator of the Reading Kingdom reading program and the director of the A Light on Literacy program at Columbia University in New York. She is a developmental psychologist with a specialization in language and learning who has spent over forty years studying how children learn language, in both its spoken and written forms and is recognized by her peers as one of the world's top experts in literacy. She has lectured extensively around the world, served as a consultant to government bureaus in many different countries, authored over sixty articles and seven books on language.
Dr. Blank has developed a unique and comprehensive model for teaching reading that is based on six critical skills. Two are physical skills: the visual sequencing skills for reading the fine motor performance for writing and four are language skills: phonology, semantics, syntax and discourse. This model allows reading to be taught to a wide variety of children, including those for whom reading attainment is highly problematic such as non-verbal autistic children.
Her latest book The Reading Remedy and her latest the Reading Kingdom are designed to make her system easily available to parents so that they may prevent or overcome the reading failure that afflicts about 40% of the school population across the nation.
. She also has a Masters in education from that institution. She has a Masters of Public Health degree from Columbia University and a Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge
.
where she is the Director of the A Light on Literacy program. She also operates a private practice in New York and New Jersey where she is a licensed psychologist. Additionally, she serves as a consultant to a wide range of school districts in the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. She also devotes considerable time and energy to producing books, articles, software programs and tests (including the widely used Preschool Language Assessment Instrument, a test published in both in English and Spanish, that is designed to assess the verbal communication skills of children in the preschool years).
Previously, from 1973 to 1983, Dr. Blank was a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Rutgers Medical School (a component institution of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
). In that capacity, she served as the director of a research unit in reading disabilities. From 1960 to 1973, she was on the faculty of the Department of Psychiatry at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine
in New York where her work included serving as the Director of the teaching program of the interdisciplinary Training Program.
received the Upton Sinclair Award which honors individuals who have made a significant contribution
to education while displaying great courage in the process. Her software reading program, Sentence Master, received the Special Education Software Award from the Software Publishers Association and a Certificate of Achievement in the Johns Hopkins University National Search. She has been the recipient of a U.S. Public Health Service Career Development Award, an Award of Commendation from the New Jersey Speech and Hearing Association and the Elwyn Morey Memorial Lectureship in Australia. In 1996, she was the National Tour Lecturer for the Australian Speech/Language Association. She was the 1994 and 1995 New Jersey nominee for the Frank R. Kleffner Clinical Career Award of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association.
In addition, she is a member and fellow of the American Psychological Association
, and a member of the Association of Children with Learning Disabilities. She has served on the editorial boards of a number of journals concerned with the issues of language and learning (e.g., Child Development, Applied Psycho- linguistics, Child Development and Care) as well as the boards of numerous committees including the William T. Grant Foundation and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
.
http://www.readingkingdom.com/company/dr-blank.php
http://www.ednews.org/articles/1162/1/An-Interview-with-Dr-Marion-Blank-About-New-Ways-to-View-Reading-and-Reading-Instruction/Page1.html
http://www.amazon.com/Reading-Remedy-Essential-Skills-Reader/dp/047174204X
Dr. Blank has developed a unique and comprehensive model for teaching reading that is based on six critical skills. Two are physical skills: the visual sequencing skills for reading the fine motor performance for writing and four are language skills: phonology, semantics, syntax and discourse. This model allows reading to be taught to a wide variety of children, including those for whom reading attainment is highly problematic such as non-verbal autistic children.
Her latest book The Reading Remedy and her latest the Reading Kingdom are designed to make her system easily available to parents so that they may prevent or overcome the reading failure that afflicts about 40% of the school population across the nation.
Education
Blank has her bachelors degree from the City University of New YorkCity University of New York
The City University of New York is the public university system of New York City, with its administrative offices in Yorkville in Manhattan. It is the largest urban university in the United States, consisting of 23 institutions: 11 senior colleges, six community colleges, the William E...
. She also has a Masters in education from that institution. She has a Masters of Public Health degree from Columbia University and a Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
.
Career
Dr. Blank is currently on the faculty of the Department of Child Psychiatry at Columbia UniversityColumbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
where she is the Director of the A Light on Literacy program. She also operates a private practice in New York and New Jersey where she is a licensed psychologist. Additionally, she serves as a consultant to a wide range of school districts in the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. She also devotes considerable time and energy to producing books, articles, software programs and tests (including the widely used Preschool Language Assessment Instrument, a test published in both in English and Spanish, that is designed to assess the verbal communication skills of children in the preschool years).
Previously, from 1973 to 1983, Dr. Blank was a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Rutgers Medical School (a component institution of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey is the state-run health sciences institution of New Jersey, United States. It has eight distinct academic units...
). In that capacity, she served as the director of a research unit in reading disabilities. From 1960 to 1973, she was on the faculty of the Department of Psychiatry at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Albert Einstein College of Medicine is a graduate school of Yeshiva University. It is a not-for-profit, private, nonsectarian medical school located on the Jack and Pearl Resnick Campus in the Morris Park neighborhood of the borough of the Bronx of New York City...
in New York where her work included serving as the Director of the teaching program of the interdisciplinary Training Program.
Awards and recognition
Throughout her career, Dr. Blank has been the recipient of many awards and commendations. She recentlyreceived the Upton Sinclair Award which honors individuals who have made a significant contribution
to education while displaying great courage in the process. Her software reading program, Sentence Master, received the Special Education Software Award from the Software Publishers Association and a Certificate of Achievement in the Johns Hopkins University National Search. She has been the recipient of a U.S. Public Health Service Career Development Award, an Award of Commendation from the New Jersey Speech and Hearing Association and the Elwyn Morey Memorial Lectureship in Australia. In 1996, she was the National Tour Lecturer for the Australian Speech/Language Association. She was the 1994 and 1995 New Jersey nominee for the Frank R. Kleffner Clinical Career Award of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association.
In addition, she is a member and fellow of the American Psychological Association
American Psychological Association
The American Psychological Association is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States. It is the world's largest association of psychologists with around 154,000 members including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. The APA...
, and a member of the Association of Children with Learning Disabilities. She has served on the editorial boards of a number of journals concerned with the issues of language and learning (e.g., Child Development, Applied Psycho- linguistics, Child Development and Care) as well as the boards of numerous committees including the William T. Grant Foundation and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development , created by Congress in 1962, supports and conducts research on topics related to the health of children, adults, families, and populations...
.
Sources
http://asp.cumc.columbia.edu/facdb/profile_list.asp?uni=msb5&DepAffil=Psychiatryhttp://www.readingkingdom.com/company/dr-blank.php
http://www.ednews.org/articles/1162/1/An-Interview-with-Dr-Marion-Blank-About-New-Ways-to-View-Reading-and-Reading-Instruction/Page1.html
http://www.amazon.com/Reading-Remedy-Essential-Skills-Reader/dp/047174204X