Education | Experience |Awards| Organizations/Memberships Dissertation| Grants, Papers, and Presentations |Workshops and Community/Public School Consultations 
University/COEHS Service

• Ed. D.:  University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY  (1980)
  Major: Curriculum and Instruction, Emphasis in Reading

• M. A.:  Marshall University, Huntington, WV  (1974)
  Major: Reading Specialist

• B. A. :  Marshall University (1971)
  Major:  French, English

• 1986-Present: Professor of Teacher Education

          (promoted to full professor, 1991)

          Marshall University, Huntington, WV  25755-2480

                                                    

          Responsibilities:

          Teaching in College of Education, revising and developing programs; creating long-distance
          modules; developing and presenting workshops; committee work; writing


          Courses Taught:

          Children's Literature (graduate and undergraduate)

          Content Reading

          Developmental Reading (graduate and undergraduate)

          Diagnostic and Remedial Reading (undergraduate)

          Language Arts in the Elementary School

                                                    

• 1981-1986:   Assistant Professor of Education

            University of Charleston, Charleston, WV

   

            Responsibilities:

            teaching in department of education; supervising student teachers and field

            experiences; developing and revising education courses; writing grants; developing
            programs; directing and teaching English as a Second Language under Department
            of Vocational Education Grant

                                                                         

            Courses Taught (University of Charleston)

            Elementary School Curriculum

            Secondary School Curriculum

            Oral and Written Communication Skills

            Fundamentals of Reading Instruction
            Content Reading-Secondary

            Diagnostic and Remedial Reading

            Clinical Practice--Secondary/Elementary

            Clinical Practice Seminar

            Theories of Learning and Teaching

            Planning for Instruction

            Media Laboratory

   

• Spring 1986:  Part-time Faculty (off-campus)

            West Virginia College of Graduate Studies, Institute, WV

                                                    

            Responsibilities:

            Teaching Language Arts (ED 650-31)

   

• Spring-Fall 1985/ Fall 1981: Part-time Faculty (off-campus)

            Marshall University, Huntington, WV

                                                  

            Responsibilities:

            Teaching Human Development (EDF 319)

            Elementary Reading (CI 607)

            Elementary Curriculum (CI 609).

   

•  Spring 1981:   Reading Consultant                                                               

            Southern WV Community College, Logan, WV

                                              

            Responsibilities:

            assessing curriculum, materials, and instruction for use with learning disabled
            students; developing and presenting a series of workshops on strategies
            for teaching disabled students

                                                      

   

• Fall 1977-Summer 1980:  Secondary Language Arts Resource Teacher

            Fayette County Public Schools, Lexington, KY 40502

                                                       

            Responsibilities:

            planning and implementing in-service training in reading/language arts
            for teachers and principals; developing and coordinating the secondary
            reading program;  assisting classroom teachers in identification
            of appropriate materials  for language arts instruction; performing model
            teaching; coordinating the efforts of county language arts
            teachers to improve the secondary program;

            performing reading assessment of secondary students

   

• Fall 1977-Summer 1980:  Part-time Faculty

            Department of Curriculum and Instruction

            College of Education, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY

                                                   

            Courses taught:

            Reading and Language Arts Instruction in Elementary School
            Diagnostic Reading and Language Arts in the Elementary School Problems in Teaching
            Reading                                                     

            Community Education Instructor

            Community Education Department, Transylvania University, Lexington, KY

                                                      

            Responsibilities:

            teaching a variety of courses related to the improvement of study and reading
  
  

•  1975-1977:  Graduate Teaching Assistant
             Department of Curriculum and Instruction, College of Education
             College of Education, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY

            Responsibilities:

            directing study skills laboratory for college freshman; directing and supervising
            public school field experiences for elementary curriculum students; instructing
            elementary and secondary education students in reading and language arts        

            methods courses                                                                   

   

• 1975 (Summer): Instructor--Diagnostic and Remedial Reading

            Urban/Rural School Development Project, Marshall University, Huntington, WV

                                                     

• 1974-1975:  Research Assistant

            Department of Curriculum and Instruction                              

            College of Education, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY

   

• 1973-1974:  Graduate Assistant

            Department of Elementary Education, Marshall University, Huntington, WV

   

            Responsibilities:

            teaching and supervising elementary student teachers; conducting research; developing
            programs in education

   

• 1971-1972:  Teacher--Secondary Language Arts

            Lawrence County Board of Education, South Point District, South Point, OH

   

• 1998: Professor of the Year, Gamma Beta Phi Honor Society

• 2000-2001: Executive Committee, planning committee for multi-county conference entitled Celebration of the Book, Huntington Museum of Art 2000 to 2001

• 1998: Board Member and Volunteer, Hilltop Festival, Reading Activities for Children, Huntington Museum of Art

• 1993 to 2000:  Member, Editorial Board of the ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small Schools

• 1992-1993: Vice-President, Cabell County Reading Council

• June, 1992: Representative at Leadership Conference

• International Reading Association

• West Virginia Writers Association

• Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators

• 1992: Member, State ACTE Committee for AEL's Colleges and Schools Program

• 1992, 1995: Faculty Member of the Month , Gamma Beta Phi.

• Phi Delta Phi--French Honorary

• Sigma Tau Delta--English Honorary

• Kappa Delta Phi--Education Honorary

• 1991-1993: West Virginia Association of Colleges for Teacher Education--Co-Editor of state newsletter

• 1991-1992:  Phi Delta Kappa, Cabell County organization, President

• 1990-1991: State Coordinator

• American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education--Marshall University  

• 1989-1990: Historian

• 1989-1990: Reading Representative

• 1988-1990: National Reading Conference--Field Representative for West Virginia

• 1987 to 1996: Institutional Representative

• 1986-Present: West Virginia State Reading Council

• Thomas, S. (1980) The effects of prior knowledge upon the contextual constraints in English prose paragraphs.  Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Kentucky, Lexington.

• Spring, 2002: Speaker, “Literature in the Math Classroom,” WV Math Conference, (with Dr. Paula Lucas)

• October 28, 2000: “Children’s Literacy Begins at Birth,” Herald-Dispatch,  (part of Success by Six a United Way River Cities Program)

• 1999: NTIA TILAP Grant, An Intranet Distributed Distance Education Network, “Continuing Education On-line 2000” (primary application area: education, culture, and lifelong learning) 

• 1998 : Summer Research Grant, “Teaching and Technology:  Integrating Internet Resources into
  Classroom Instruction,” Graduate College

• 1997 and 1998: Contributor for COEHS publication, Together We Can, columnist for “Internet
  Update”

• 1996:Ferrell, S. T. & Ray, R. A. Practical vocabulary strategies.  Paper presented at the
  West Virginia State Reading Conference 

• 1995 : Ferrell, S. T. & Ray, R. A. Using patterns to teach writing.   Paper presented at the
  West Virginia State Reading Conference

• 1994: Howley, A., Bickel, R., Ferrell, S., & Leary, P..  Teachers' values and the prospect for
  instruction reform.  Planning and Changing, 25, (1/2), 56-74. 

• 1994: Ferrell, S. T. & Ray, R. A.  Portfolio assessment:  Keeping it simple and effective.
  Paper presented at the West Virginia State Reading Conference.

• 1994: Ferrell, S. T. & Howley, A.  Adult literacy in Rural Areas.  In Adult Literacy: A compendium of Articles from the Journal of Reading.  Delaware: International Reading Association.

• 1993: Ferrell, S. T. & Ray, R. A. Portfolio Assessment:  Addressing questions from teachers.  Interchange, 21(3), 6-7.

• 1992:  Ferrell, S. T. & Ray, R. A. "Dramatizing Children's Literature", West Virginia State Reading Conference.

• 1991: Ferrell, S. & Howley, A. Adult literacy programs in rural areas.  The Journal of Reading, 34 (5), 368-372.

• 1991: Howley, A. & Ferrell, S. T.  Book Review of The Violence of Literacy, Journal of Reading, 34 (2), 172-174.

• 1991: Ferrell, S. Decisions about basal use.  Interchange, 19 (3), 1.

• 1991: Ferrell, S.  "Using Schema-Based Strategies to Teach Comprehension", Paper presented at the West Virginia State Reading Conference.

• 1989: Howley, A., Ferrell, S., Howley, C., & Showen, K.  Classroom Observation Unit:  Activities to Structure a Field Study Course.  (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 308 146.)

• 1988: Ferrell, S. T. & Howley, A.  Effective teaching and the teaching of teachers.

   Paper  presented at the 1988 Annual Meeting of AACTE, New Orleans.

   (NOTE:  This paper was later published in Resources in Education , ED 291 741.)

   

• 1988: Howley, A. & Ferrell, S.  Reform proposals  and effective professional preparation.

  The Link:  Professional Preparation and Research Program Connection,  6 (2), 1-5.

   

• 1987: Ferrell, S. T. & Howley, A. (1987).  Clearing the air.  First Teacher, 8 (10)
  
  

• 1987: Howley, a. & Ferrell, S. T. Reform proposals and effective professional preparation.  Professional Preparation and Research Program, 6, (2), 1-5.
  

• 1986: Ferrell, S. T.  The learning center--its use in the college classroom.  Paper presented

  at the National Seminar for Successful College Teaching, Orlando, Florida.

   

• 1986: Ferrell, S. T.  Learning styles of divergent ability students.  Paper presented

  at the Spring Conference of the Cooperative Extension Service of West Virginia

  University/West Virginia Association of Extension 4-H Agents, Charleston, WV. 
  
  

• 1985: Ferrell, S., Howley, C., & Howley, A.  Classroom Observation Module. (Available from Southern WV Dean's Grant Consortium)
  
  

• 1985: Ferrell, S. Howley, C. & Howley, A. (1985).  Microteaching Module. (Available  from
   Southern WV Dean's Grant Consortium)
  
  

• 1981: Bridge, C., Thomas, S., & Evers, L. The effects of textual cohesion on cloze  comprehension scores.   In M. L. Kamil (Ed.) Directions in reading: Research and   instruction, 30, 187-190
  
  

• 1980: Paper presented at National Reading Conference
  
  

• 1980: Rankin, E. & Thomas, S.   Contextual constraints and the construct   validity of the cloze procedure.  In M. L. Kamil & Moe,  A. J. (Eds.)  Perspectives on Reading Research and Instruction, 29, 47-55.  Paper presented at National Reading Conference, 1979.
  
  

• 1980: Thomas, S. & Bridge, C.  A comparison of subjects' cloze scores and their ability to employ macrostructure operations in the generation of summaries. In M. L.  Kamil & Moe A. J. (Eds.) Perspectives on Reading Research and Instruction, 29, 47-55.
  
  

• 1979:  Paper presented at National Reading Conference
  
  

• 1976: National Reading Conference--Chaired session on "Teacher-training," 1974; chaired  session on "Grammatical Factors in Reading," 1975; chaired session on "The Myths  and Realities of Severe Reading and Related Learning Disabilities"

• 2000-2001: Read Aloud West Virginia volunteer

• 2000, 2001: Cabell County Read Aloud Program, students from CI 343 and CI 446 participated in the training and read to elementary school students

• 1999-2001: Consultant for “Success by Six,” United Way River Cities program Workshop, “Selecting Materials and Techniques for Reading to Children,”

• 1998: Child Development Workshop, Cabell Midland High School

• 1997: Workshop, “Accessing and Using the Internet in Your Classroom,” Peyton Elementary School

• 1997: Workshop, “Parents as Teachers” Putnam County, Homestead Elementary School

• 1997: Workshop, Supervising Teacher Conference, “From Aztecs to Zebras: What’s Happening on the Web,” Marshall University

• 1997: Workshop, “Introduction to the Internet”, COEHS faculty

• 1997: Presentation, “New Trends in Children’s Literature”, West Virginia Read-Aloud Conference, Charleston, WV  (to be completed)                                                          

• 1995: Workshop, "Literature and Activities Appropriate for Young Children" River Valley Child Development Services

• 1994: Workshop, "Using Literature with Young Children", River Valley Child Development Services

• 1994: Workshop, "Choosing Quality Literature", Cabell County Reading Council Fall Meeting (with Kathy Chambers) 

• 1993 and 1994: Workshop, "Reading to Children", Child Development Workshop, Barboursville High School and Cabell Midland High School  

• 1992: In-service "Whole Language Classrooms", Wayne County Schools, East Lynn and Dunlow Elementary Schools

• 1992:  In-service "Developing A Whole Language Classroom", Wayne County Schools

• 1992:  In-service "Developing Critical Thinking Skills", Boone County Schools, Van Elementary

• 1991-1992: Consultant, "Integrating Writing and Reading", Logan County Schools, Chapter

• 1992: Reader American Education Week, Read Aloud Program, Cabell Huntington Hospital

• 1991: In-service "Modifying Basal Lessons to Meet Students' Needs, Cabell County Schools, Miller Elementary

• 1991: In-service "Developing a Whole Language Classroom", Mingo County Schools, Cline Elementary 

• 1992: Director of Parents as Resources (PAR) Team --Presented report to the community for Tri-State Literacy Council

• 1992:  "Book Week Jammy Hours," with Marshall University students from CI 203, Children's Literature. In-service "Developing Critical Thinking Skills", Boone County Schools, Van Elementary

• 1991:  In-service "Modifying Basal Lessons to Meet Students' Needs", Cabell County Schools, Miller Elementary

• 1992:  Reader, American Education Week, Read Aloud Program, Cabell Huntington Hospital

• 1991-1992: Consultant for the Tri-State Literacy Council

• 1991-1992:  Consultant, "Integrating Writing and Reading", Logan County Schools, Chapter 1

• 1991: Speaker, "The Benefits of Reading Aloud", Cabell County Reading Council Fall Meeting 

• 1991:  In-service "Developing a Whole Language Classroom", Mingo County Schools, Cline Elementary

• 1991-1992:  Consultant for the Tri-State Literacy Council

• 1991:  Speaker, "The Benefits of Reading Aloud", Cabell County Reading Council Fall Meeting

• 1990-1991:  Workshop for Headstart Parents, "Getting Into Good Books", Project LIFT, Tri-State Literacy Council,  November

• 1990:  Workshop for parents and teachers, "Using Children's Literature to Build Comprehension", Gallaher Elementary School

• 1990:  Workshop, "Using Children's Literature to Understand Character", Cammack Elementary School

• 1990-1991: Workshop for Headstart Parents, "Getting Into Good Books", Project LIFT, Tri-State Literacy Council,  November

• 1990: Workshop for parents and teachers, "Using Children's Literature to Build Comprehension", Gallaher Elementary School

• 1990:  Workshop, "Using Children's Literature to Understand Character", Cammack Elementary School

• 1989:  In-service, "Using Mapping to Teach Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary", Milton Elementary School

• 1989:  In-service, "Using Mapping to Teach Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary", Milton Elementary School

• 1987:  Consultant for Jackson County Public Schools.  Presented workshop entitled "The Language Experience Approach to Teaching Reading-- Its Application with Special Education Students." 

• 1987:  Consultant for the Cabell County Public Library.  Initiated and assisted in development of the November, National Book Week Reading Program entitled,  

• 1987:  Consultant for Jackson County Public Schools. Presented workshop entitled "The Language Experience Approach to Teaching Reading--Its Application with Special Education Students."

• 1987:  Consultant for the Cabell County Public Library. Initiated and assisted in development of the November, National Book Week Reading Program entitled, "Book Week Jammy Hours," with Marshall University students from CI 203, Children's Literature.

• 1987:  Consultant for West Virginia State Department of Education on Policy 5201--Licensure for the Teaching of Reading

• 1987:  Consultant for Logan County Board of Education on Policy 5201--Licensure for the Teaching of Reading

• 1986:  Consultant for Logan County Board of Education. Developed and presented workshop for Mill Creek Elementary School's National Book Week celebration.

• 1985:  Consultant for Kanawha County Board of Education. Presented in-service entitled "Learning Disabled Children in the Regular Classroom."

• 1984-1985:  Consultant for Kanawha County Board of Education and the Southern West Virginia. Dean's Grant Consortium. Developed a model mainstreaming site at Chamberlain Elementary School and integrated the model into the preservice training program at the University of  Charleston. 

• 1981:  Reading consultant for Triton Community College, Chicago, Illinois. Presented program to Department of Developmental Education on reading assessment and remediation

• 1981-1982:  Reading Consultant for Kentucky School Counselor Association and Kentucky Elementary Middle School Counselor Association

• 1981:  Reading consultant for Southern West Virginia Community College. Presented in-service sessions entitled "Modifying Instructional Approaches and Materials for the Learning Disabled College Student."

• 2004:  Writing Across the Curriculum, COEHS representative

• 2002: Committee on Clinical Experiences; Committee for Standard One

• 2002:  Search committee for positions in reading education

• 2000:  Search committees for positions in secondary education and technology

• 2000-2002:  Marshall University Faculty Mentor

• 1999-2002:  NCATE Steering/Coordination Committee for COEHS

• 1998-2000:  COEHS Promotion and Tenure Committee

• 1996-1998:  Integrating the Internet into Classroom Instruction, E-course developed and delivered

• 1996-1997:  Chair, Teacher Education Promotion and Tenure Committee

• 1996-1997:  NCATE committee assignments including, chair of course revisions CI 343, CI 445

• 1992-1993:  Member, Collaborative Research Board (Marshall University and RESA)

• 1992: Member, WV Literacy Council, Family Literacy Committee

• 1991-1992:  Chair, Search Committee for Reading Personnel

• 1991-1994:  Member, Women's Center Advisory Board

• 1991-1993:  Member, Women of Marshall Scholarship Committee

• 1990-1991:  Member, Marshall University Presidential Search and Screening Committee

• 1989-1991/1993-1994:  Marshall University Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• 1989-1991:  Member, COE, NCATE Standard Committee

• 1988-1990:  Marshall University Faculty Women's Association, President

• 1987-1991/1993-1995:  Marshall University Faculty Senate

• 1987-1988:  Faculty Senate Liaison to Standing Committee (Library Committee)

• 1986-1987/1987-1988: College of Education Planning and Review Committee

• 1986:  West Virginia Teacher Education Advisory Committee, Subcommittee on Programmatic Levels, Placements, and Performance Assessment--Policy 5100 and 5200

• 1985-1986:  Project entitled "Development of a Curriculum Unit on the Use of Microcomputers with Mainstreamed Exceptional Children."

• 1983:  Basic Skills Task Force, West Virginia State Department of Education; Higher Education Representative

• 1982-1985:  Multi-institutional Teacher Education Center (MITEC), Board of Directors, University of Charleston Representative

• 1978-1980:  Kentucky Educational Television Reading Advisory Committee. Project funded through AACTE (Personnel Preparation for Education of the Handicapped at Small Colleges)