Jan Burkins

Dr. Jan Burkins is a literacy consultant, writer, and co-author of multiple professional books on reading instruction. She earned a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Birmingham-Southern College, a master’s degree from the University of Alabama, and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction with a reading emphasis from the University of Kansas; her dissertation on phonemic awareness research was named Dissertation of the Year by the University of Kansas School of Education and was also a finalist for the International Literacy Association’s Dissertation of the Year award.

Burkins has worked as a classroom teacher, literacy coach, district-level literacy leader, regional language arts consultant, part-time assistant professor, and independent consultant. Her published books include Preventing Misguided Reading, Reading Wellness, Who’s Doing the Work?, Shifting the Balance: 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Balanced Literacy Classroom, and Shifting the Balance, Grades 3–5: 6 Ways to Bring the Science of Reading into the Upper Elementary Classroom; she is also described in author bios as the author or co-author of seven books on literacy instruction.