Donald Bear

Donald is Professor Emeritus in Literacy Studies at Iowa State University and the University of Nevada, Reno where he directed reading centers and taught at all levels. He is a former classroom teacher, and an author and co-author of numerous articles, chapters, and 17 books, including Words Their Way.

He is involved in innovative professional development activities, and his work in assessment and word study is used widely. Donald is involved in studies that examine literacy learning, particularly studies of orthographic development in different and second languages. The research explores the specific sequence students follow across the synchrony of literacy learning from the beginning concept of words in prekindergarten to the morphological knowledge that underlies academic vocabulary learning.

He has received several awards for teaching and service and was a board member of the International Literacy Association.