Phone: 828-227-7108
Email:  wdnichols@email.wcu.edu
Office Address:  143 Killian

Education

• Ph.D., Texas A&M University, Educational Curriculum and Instruction with Reading / Educational Research Emphasis, 1995
• M.A., Appalachian State University, Elementary Education with Reading Emphasis, 1991
• B.S., Appalachian State University, Middle School Education - Language Arts and Science, 1988

Licensure

• Middle School Education, Language Arts and Science, Class A, N.C.
• Elementary Education, Class G, N.C.
• Reading Specialist (Grades K-12) Class G, N.C.
• Effective Teacher Training, Watauga County, NC

Research Interests

Research interests include vocabulary instruction and reading comprehension with particular interest in professional development in these areas. I am also interested in the early stages of reading development and most recently published several articles on creating synergy between phonic instruction and fluency through rhyming poetry.

Recent Publications

Refereed Journals

• Nichols, W. D., Rupley, W. H., & Rasinski, T.  (2009) Fluency in learning to read for meaning: Going Beyond Repeated Readings. Literacy Research and Instruction
• Rupley, W. H., Nichols, W. D., & Rasinski, T. (In Press). Integrating phonics and fluency in a balanced reading program. The Journal of Balanced Reading Instruction.
• Rasinski, T., Rupley, W. H., & Nichols, W. D. (In Press). Synergistic phonics and fluency instruction: The magic of rhyming poetry! New England Reading Association Journal.
• Rasinski T., Rupley, W., & Nichols, W. D. (In Press) A Secret Ingredient: Phonics and fluency getting to know each other. The Reading Teacher.
• Rupley, W. H., Blair, T. R., & Nichols, W. D. (2008) Effective Reading Instruction for Struggling Readers: The Role of Direct/ Explicit Teaching. Themed Issue for Reading Writing Quarterly
• Mraz, M., Taylor, B., Rickelman, R., Wood, K. D., & Nichols, W. D (2008) Explicit Vocabulary Instruction for the Struggling Reader. Themed Issue for Reading, Writing Quarterly
• Rupley, W. H., Nichols, W. D., & Blair, T. R. (2008) Language and culture in literacy instruction: Where have they gone?  The Teacher Educator, 43 (3)
• Nichols, W. D., Rupley, W. H., Blair, T. R. & Wood, K. D. (2008). Vocabulary strategies for linguistically diverse learners. Middle School Journal., 39 (3),  65-69.
• Nichols, W. D., Wilkins, J. L. M., Rupley, W. H., Heldfelt, J. , Young, C. A.,  & O’Connor, R.  C. (2007).  Examining elementary and middle school teachers’ beliefs and instructional practices related to reading. Balance Reading Instruction, 13, 37-58.
• Nichols, W. D., Young, C. A., & Rickelman, R. J.  (2007).  Improving middle school professional development by examining middle school teachers’ application of literacy strategies and instructional design.  Reading Psychology: Special Issue on Middle School Reading Instruction, 28 (1), 97-130
• Blair, T. R., Rupley, W. H., and Nichols, W. D.  (2007) The effective teacher of reading: Considering the “what” and “how” of instruction.  The Reading Teacher, 60 (5),  432-438.

Refereed Yearbook chapters

• Nichols, W. D., Rickelman, R., Young, C. A., & Rupley, W. H. (2008). Understanding and applying reading instructional strategies: Implications for professional development in the middle schools.  In M. Foote, F. Falk-Ross, S. Szabo, & M. B. Sampson (Eds.), Navigating the Literacy Waters: Research, Praxis, & Advocacy (220-236). College Reading Association Yearbook, Texas A&M University-Commerce.