Beverley Brenna

PhD, 2010, University of Alberta, Elementary Education, Language and Literacy

Dissertation
Characters with Disabilities in Contemporary Children’s Novels: Portraits of Three Authors in a Frame of Canadian Texts (shortlisted in the “Top Three” category for the Canadian Association for Curriculum Studies (CACS) Dissertation Award)

B.A. (with Great Distinction), 2001, University of Saskatchewan, English
Special Education Teacher Certification, 2000, University of Saskatchewan
M.Ed., 1991, University of Saskatchewan, Curriculum Studies, Literacy Education
Thesis: The Metacognitive Reading Strategies of Five Early Readers.
B.Ed. (with Distinction), 1984, University of Saskatchewan, Language Arts and Drama

Teaching Areas

English Language Arts

Teaching Experience

Assistant Professor, U of S:
      ECUR 273.3: Oracy and Literature in the Elementary School
      ECUR 370.3: Introduction to Elementary Literacy Education
      ECUR 378.3: Creative Activities in Elementary and Middle Years Language Arts
      ECUR 898.3: Canadian Children’s Literature: A Socio-Political Review
      ECUR 898.3: Early Literacy Development
      ECUR 805.3: Trends and Issues in Research and instruction: Drama in Education

Consulting, Saskatoon Public Schools: Educational Consultant, Exceptional Learning Needs
Consulting, Saskatchewan Valley School Division: Co-ordinator of Extended Learning and Catalyst Teacher, K – 12
Special Education Teacher, Saskatoon Public Schools, K – 8
Classroom Teacher, Saskatoon Public Schools
Classroom Teacher, Saskatchewan Valley School Division
Classroom Teacher, Outlook School Division
Classroom Teacher, Borderland School Division

Research Interests

Literacy Education with a focus on the Reading and Writing processes
Children’s Literature
Special Education
Process Drama

Honours

Dr. Marie Meyer Memorial Research Grant, University of Alberta, 2009-2010
University of Alberta PhD Scholarship, 2010 (Honourary)
University of Alberta PhD Scholarship, 2008 -2009
University of Alberta Provost Doctoral Entrance Award (Honourary), 2008
Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation, Dr. Stirling McDowell Research Award, 2002
Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation Research Award, 1991

Grants

2011- 12 University of Saskatchewan President's SSHRC ($7000) for Teacher Preparation for Teaching Reading: A Qualitative Case Study; November 1 start date (18 month term)

Principal Investigator
University of Saskatchewan Bridge Funding (2011; $5000) for “Able Texts: North American Children’s Novels About Characters with Disabilities”

John Ranton McIntosh Research Grant Renewal (2011; $5000) for “Going Graphic: A Study of Graphic Novels in Elementary Classrooms”

University Publications Fund Award: Publishing Subvention (2011; $800) for the young adult historical fiction manuscript Falling for Henry

President’s SSHRC Grant (2010; $5000) for “American Children’s Novels About Characters with Disabilities in a
Frame of Contemporary Canadian Texts” John Ranton McIntosh Research Grant (2010; $5000) for “Going
Graphic: A Study of Graphic Novels in Elementary Classrooms"

Collaborator
Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation Grant (SHRF) ($60 000) for Screening for FASD and Literacy in Justice, Health and Educational Contexts in Saskatchewan, 2 year period

Canada Council Grants for Professional Writers: Creative Writing
2011: Canada Council Grant ($15 000) for new young adult manuscript Jean-Paul Sartre and Me
2007: Canada Council Grant ($10 000) for adult novella Foil Butterflies
2006: Canada Council Grant ($15 000) for new young adult manuscript Falling for Henry

Saskatchewan Arts Board Independent Artists Program: Literary Arts Grants
2006: Saskatchewan Arts Board Grant ($6000) for junior fiction manuscript The Moon Children
2005: Saskatchewan Arts Board Grant ($6000) for young adult manuscript Wild Orchid

Fiction Books

Brenna, B. (2011). Falling for Henry. Markham, ON: Red Deer Press/Fitzhenry & Whiteside.
Brenna, B. (2010). Waiting for no one. Markham, ON: Red Deer Press/Fitzhenry&Whiteside.
Brenna, B. (2009). Something to hang on to. Saskatoon, SK: Thistledown Press.
Brenna, B. (2007). The moon children. Calgary, AB: Red Deer Press.
Brenna, B. (2005). Wild orchid. Calgary, AB: Red Deer Press.
Brenna, B. (1999). The keeper of the trees. Vancouver, BC: Ronsdale Press..
Brenna, B. (1998). Spider summer. Scarborough, ON: ITP Nelson.
Brenna, B. (1997). Daddy longlegs at Birch Lane. Norwalk, CT: Smithsonian Inst./Soundprints.

Representative Reviews:

Featured Author: CANSCAIP NEWS (Canadian Society of Children's Authors, Illustrators and Performers), 33 (1), pp 1 – 6, Spring, 2011
Review of Waiting for No One (YA novel), CM Magazine (U Manitoba), 4/4 Stars, February, 2011
CM Magazine, Vol XVI, Number 4, 2009
Cm Magazine, Volume XIII, Number 9, 2006
Cm Magazine, Volume XII, Number 10, 2006

Awards and Honours:

The International 2012 Dolly Gray Children's Literature Award for Waiting for No One

Waiting for No One shortlisted by the Canadian Library Association for the Young Adult Book Award, 2011

Something to Hang On To, The Moon Children and Wild Orchid are starred selections from the Canadian Children’s Book Centre; titles listed on the New York Public Library’s 2007 Recommended Books for the Teen Age and shortlisted for: Canadian Library Association’s Young Adult Book Award, the Manitoba Readers’ Choice Award, the Saskatchewan Book Award, the Ontario Library Association’s White Pine Award, and the Saskatchewan Willow Award

Book Chapters

Bainbridge, J., & Brenna, B. (2010, in submission). Agency, Picturebooks and Pedagogy: From Possibilities to Practice . In J. Bainbridge & I. Johnston (Eds.), Diverse Understandings of Multiculturalism: Using Canadian Picture Books to Inform Literacy Pedagogy.

Brenna, B. (1995). The Development of Metacognitive Strategies in Early Readers. In L. Wason Ellam, A. Blunt, & S. Robinson (Eds.), Horizons of Literacy (pp. 71 – 78). Winnipeg: Canadian Council of Teachers of English Language Arts.

Refereed Publications

Brenna, B. (2011). How Graphic Novels Support Comprehension Strategy Development in Children's
Reading. Literacy (online version, December 2011; print version, 2014).

Barker, C., Kulyk, J.., Knorr, L., & Brenna, B. (2011). Open inclusion or shameful secret: A comparison of characters with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) and characters with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in a North American sample of books for children and young adults. International Journal of Special Education, 26 (3), 171-180.

Brenna, B. (2011). An Early Reader Two Decades Later: A Follow-Up Case Study on the Metacognitive Reading Strategies of “Jan”. Literacy, 45 (2), 55 – 61.

Brenna, B. (2011). Characters with disabilities in contemporary novels for children: A portrait of three authors in a framework of Canadian texts. Language and Literacy, 13 (1). 13 pp.

Brenna, B. (2011). A Wider Notion of the Value of Repeated Readings: Rereading Robert Massie’s Nicholas and Alexandra—A Self-Study. The Reading Professor, 32 (2), 9 – 13.

Brenna, B. (2010). Assisting Young Readers in the Interpretation of a Character with Disabilities in Iain Lawrence’s Juvenile Fiction Novel “Gemini Summer”. English Quarterly, 41 (1-2), 54 – 61.

Brenna, B. (2010). Creating Characters with Diversity in Mind: Two Canadian Authors Discuss Social Constructs of Disability in Literature for Children. Language & Literacy, 11 (1).

Brenna, B. (2008). Breaking Stereotypes with Children’s Fiction: Seeking Protagonists with Special Needs. International Journal of Special Education, 23 (1), 100 – 103.

Brenna, B. (2008). Stories in the Wind. Journal of the Association for Research on Mothering, 10 (2).

Brenna, B. (1995). Five Early Readers Solving Problems: A Case Study. Reading, 29 (2), 30 – 33.

Brenna, B. (1995). The Metacognitive Reading Strategies of Five Early Readers. Journal of Research in Reading, 18 (1), 53 – 62.

Non-refereed Publications

Brenna, B. (1995 –present). Monthly Children’s Book Reviews, The Saskatoon Star Phoenix.

Brenna, B. (2011). Introducing…Rachna Gilmore: Interview of a Canadian Author. CANSCAIP News, 33 (3), 1 – 6.

Brenna, B. 2010. Review of Mark Thurman & Emily Hearn’s “Get Graphic: Using Storyboards to Write and Draw Picture Books, Graphic Novels, or Comic Strips.” Markham, Ontario: Pembroke. 94 pages. Canadian Journal of Education (CJE/RJE), 33 (3), 649 – 651.

Brenna, B. (2009). An Author’s Thoughts on Presenting Characters with Special Needs. Canadian Children’s Book News, 32 (3), 10 – 11.

Brenna, B. (2006). Breaking Stereotypes with Children’s Fiction. Abilities Magazine, 66, 47 – 48.

Brenna, B. (1990). Notes from Home: Nursery Rhymes. Family Connection, 1 (2), 21.

Brenna, B. (1990). Toddlers: Beginning the Reading Habit. Family Connection, 1(1), 19.

Teachers’ Guides (available through the Stewart Resources Centre, SK Teachers’ Federation or from www.beverleybrenna.com)

Conferences

Brenna, B. (2012). Storytelling as a Landscape for Story Writing. Published proceedings of the Hawaii International Conference on Arts & Humanities, Honolulu, January.

Brenna, B. (2011). The Portrayal of Characters with Disabilities in Contemporary Canadian and American Novels for Children. Children’s Literature Association Conference, Roanoke, Virginia: June.

Brenna, B. (2011). Beyond Words: A Qualitative Case Study of Children's Comprehension Strategies Related to Graphic Novels. Canadian Society for the Study of Education (CSSE), Fredericton, New Brunswick: May.

Brenna, B. (2011). The Portrayal of Characters with Disabilities in Contemporary Canadian and American Novels for Children. Children’s Literature Association Conference, Roanoke, Virginia: June.

Brenna, B. (2011). Beyond Words: A Qualitative Case Study of Children's Comprehension Strategies Related to Graphic Novels. Canadian Society for the Study of Education (CSSE), Fredericton, New Brunswick: May.

Brenna, B. ( 2010). The Portrayal of Characters with Disabilities in Contemporary Canadian Novels for Children. Canadian Society for the Study of Education (CSSE), Montreal, Quebec: June.

Brenna, B. (2009). Representation of Characters with Disabilities in Novels for Children and Adults. Canadian Centre for Research on Literacy, Edmonton, Alberta: January.

Brenna, B. (2008). Portrayals in Literature of Characters with Special Needs. International Conference on Education, Honolulu: January.

University Committees

Working Group: Exploring Disability Culture; proposal supported by funding from the Interdiscplinary Centre for Culture and Creativity (College of Arts & Science)

Professional Service

Invited Member of an Editorial Board

Editorial Advisory Board of The Reading Professor (a refereed journal of the Professors of Reading Teacher
Educators, International Reading Association, Special Interest Group), Term 2011-2015.

Other Representative Examples of Professional Practice

Storytelling and Author Reading, Vincent Massey School, May 12, 2011: 200 students grades K – 8.

Brenna, B. (2010). “Something to Hang On To: Literature to Reflect Diversity for Classroom Reading,” Saskatchewan Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation, November 17, 2010.

Storytelling and Author Reading, James L. Alexander School, April 26, 2010: 100 students grades 3 – 5 (60 min)

Storytelling and Author Reading, James L. Alexander School, April 26, 2010: 100 students grade 6 (45 min)

Storytelling and Author Reading, Brunskill School, February 23, 2010: 100 students grades 1 – 3 (45 min)

Storytelling and Author Reading, Brunskill School, February 23, 2010: 100 students grades 4 – 6 (45 min)

Brenna, B. (2009). Eight passages developed for grade four assessment (poetry, narrative, expository), English Language Arts Curriculum, Saskatchewan Ministry of Education.

Brenna, B. (1991). Reading Theory . Seminal research conducted for SK Ministry of Education.

Brenna, B. (1991). Reader Response. Seminal research conducted for SK Ministry of Education.

For further information, please see www.beverleybrenna.com