Jerry Johns

Jerry L. Johns, Distinguished Teaching Professor Emeritus at Northern Illinois University, served as president of International Reading Association during 2002-2003. He has been recognized as a distinguished professor, writer, and outstanding teacher educator. He taught students from kindergarten through college and now serves as a consultant and speaker to schools and professional organizations.

Jerry is a past president of Illinois Reading Council, College Reading Association, and Northern Illinois Reading Council. He has received recognition for outstanding service to each of these professional organizations and is a member of the Illinois Reading Council Hall of Fame. Jerry has served on numerous committees of the International Reading Association and was a member of the Board of Directors. He has also received the Outstanding Teacher Educator in Reading award from the International Reading Association, the Champion of Children Award from the HOSTS corporation, and the Laureate Award from the College Reading Association (CRA) for significant contributions to CRA and the field of reading and reading instruction.

Jerry has been invited to consult, conduct workshops, and make presentations for teachers and professional groups throughout the United States and in seven countries. He has also prepared over twenty books and related resources that have been useful to a diverse group of educators. His Basic Reading Inventory is widely used in undergraduate and graduate classes, as well as by practicing teachers. Jerry recently coauthored the fourth edition of Improving Reading: Strategies and Resources. Other recent titles include the third edition of Fluency: Strategies & Assessments, Comprehension and Vocabulary Strategies for the Elementary Grades, Reading and Learning Strategies: Middle Grades through High School, and Strategies for Content Area Learning, and Visualization: Using Mental Images to Strengthen Comprehension.