The Collaborative for Equity in Literacy Learning
CELL’s mission is to actively conduct research that has a direct impact on classroom literacy instruction and the preparation of teachers of literacy, and that provides support and outreach to teachers, schools, and other stakeholders who have the goal of promoting literacy equity in the surrounding communities.
Our Mission
CELL’s mission is to actively conduct research that has a direct impact on classroom literacy instruction and the preparation of teachers of literacy, and that provides support and outreach to teachers, schools, and other stakeholders who have the goal of promoting literacy equity in the surrounding communities.
Specific goals of the Center include:
- Provide an institutional and professional community for faculty, students, and administrators to conduct and promote applied research focused on high quality literacy instruction and the preparation of teachers of literacy
- Provide outreach for PreK-12 educational communities and parents/caregivers across the region that will promote high quality, research supported, reading and writing instruction
- Develop and foster partnerships with diverse stakeholders to support creative and innovative ways to solve practical problems facing teachers and schools throughout the region
- Provide high quality literacy instruction to PreK-12 students in the surrounding communities
Mount Saint Mary College’s teacher candidates are continuously creating and finding resources from fieldwork experiences that can be shared with teachers.
Literacy Leader Fellowships
Full Tuition and Stipend
Saturday Morning Enrichment Program (SMEP) at the Newburgh Armory Unity Center
The Saturday Morning Enrichment Program (SMEP), supported by the Collaborative for Equity in Literacy Learning (CELL) at Mount Saint Mary College, provides children with engaging Saturday enrichment experiences at the Newburgh Armory Unity Center. Through project-based learning and real-world literacies, children participate in meaningful, hands-on classes that promote curiosity, skill development, and a love of learning. Rooted in the cultural assets of the community, the program creates a welcoming space for all of us to learn, explore, and grow together. Earn your degree, gain valuable teaching experience, and make a difference in your community!
Graduate Student Fellowships
Fellowships include tuition and stipends as program coordinators of the year-long Saturday Morning Enrichment Program, which offers area children over 30 enrichment courses every Saturday.
- Requirements: Acceptance in an MSMC MSED Education Program.
- Accepting applications for the Fall 2026-Summer 2028 year, until positions are filled.
For more information or to apply, email Rebecca.Norman@msmc.edu
UPCOMING EVENTS
Language and Play through Interactive Read-Alouds and Readers Theater
Thursday, November 12 from 4:15 - 5:45 PM
HUDSON HALL AUDITORIUM, MOUNT SAINT MARY COLLEGE
Interactive Read-Alouds and Readers Theater are proven practices for developing literacy throughout the grade levels. In this session, we will explore the research supporting IRA and RT, resources to find engaging read-alouds and RT scripts, and how to create engaging IRA and RT activities.
To register, email mhreadingcouncil@gmail.com
MSMC students/faculty/staff, should email Rebecca.Norman@msmc.edu
Oral Language, Vocabulary and Knowledge Building
January 21, 2027 | Virtual event
Registration is $15 — FREE for MHRC/NYSRA members!
Register by emailing mhreadingcouncil@gmail.com by January 14
This presentation focuses on practical strategies for building students’ oral language to deepen content knowledge. We will examine the reciprocal connections among talk, vocabulary acquisition, and learning, offering elementary and middle school educators frameworks to design engaging instruction.
Key emphasis will be given to foundational literacy and content-area academic language.
About the speaker — Erica Barnes is an Associate Professor in the Department of Literacy Teaching and Learning at the University at Albany. Her research focuses on teacher-child interactions in early childhood classrooms to promote language and literacy growth, particularly for children with diverse needs from low-income backgrounds. She holds a doctorate from Vanderbilt University and a master’s from the University of Michigan, and is the author of two books Early Instruction and Intervention: The Interactive Strategies Approach and From Words to Wisdom: Supporting Academic Language Use in PreK through 3rd Grade.
Photo Gallery
Saturday Morning Enrichment Program (SMEP) at the Newburgh Armory Unity Center
Mount Saint Mary College graduate students hone their teaching skills with children at the Newburgh Unity Center.
Mount Saint Mary College graduate students hone their teaching skills with children at the Newburgh Unity Center.
Mount Saint Mary College graduate students hone their teaching skills with children at the Newburgh Unity Center.
Mount Saint Mary College graduate students hone their teaching skills with children at the Newburgh Unity Center.
Mount Saint Mary College graduate students hone their teaching skills with children at the Newburgh Unity Center.
Windows into Literacy
Mrs. Benfer and Ms. Lynch introduce their fourth grade students to the Question-Answer Relationships (QAR) strategy by showing everyday classroom examples of “right there” and “on my own” questions, and giving example question stems for each. The students then practice identifying each kind of question. Ms. Lynch then leads a small group in a shared writing exercise where they use pictures to help them answer a question about their text by writing a paragraph with a topic sentence and supporting details. Mrs. Benfer then guides a small group in writing their own “right there” and “on my own” questions as they read.
Play
Windows into Literacy
Mrs. Benfer and Ms. Lynch introduce their fourth grade students to the Question-Answer Relationships (QAR) strategy by showing everyday classroom examples of “right there” and “on my own” questions, and giving example question stems for each. The students then practice identifying each kind of question. Ms. Lynch then leads a small group in a shared writing exercise where they use pictures to help them answer a question about their text by writing a paragraph with a topic sentence and supporting details. Mrs. Benfer then guides a small group in writing their own “right there” and “on my own” questions as they read.
Collaborative for Equity in Literacy Learning
