Jennifer K. Allen, Ph.D.

Dr. Jennifer K. Allen began her career in higher education in 2016 at the University of West Georgia where she is now an Associate Professor in the Department of Literacy and Special Education. Jennifer earned her PhD in Language and Literacy Education at the University of Georgia (2016). Prior to earning her PhD, Jennifer earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Georgia (2003) and a Master's Degree in Reading Instruction from the University of West Georgia (2010). In addition, she holds endorsements for Gifted Education, ESOL, and Reading Instruction. Before she became a full-time faculty member at UWG, Jennifer taught at the elementary school level for ten years, working in second, fourth, and fifth grade classrooms as well as in the gifted resource setting. Professionally, Jennifer enjoys teaching literacy education courses, and her research interests include university-school partnerships, culturally and linguistically diverse learners, writing pedagogy, and children's literature. Jennifer is married to Justin Allen, and they have two children, Carter and Julia. 

  • BS Ed., Early Childhood Education, University of Georgia, 2003
  • M.Ed., Reading Instruction, University of West Georgia, 2010
  • Ph.D., Language and Literacy Education, University of Georgia, 2016

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Fall 2022 Sections

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Fall 2021 Sections

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Fall 2020 Sections

Schwab, J., Griffin, R. A., Allen, J. K., Scullin, B. L., & Ogletree, T. W. (2023). Components of teacher self-efficacy for literacy instruction for in-service educators in two southeastern school districts. Reading Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1080/0270

Allen, J. K. (2023). Is Post Traumatic Test Disorder Killing Your Students’ Love of Literacy? Journal of Language and Literacy Education, (19)1, 1-3 .

Schwab, J., Griffin, R. A., Scullin, B. L., Allen, J. K., & Ogletree, T. W. (2023). Exploring the relationship between teacher demographics and the frequency of read-aloud practices in the classroom. Texas Journal of Literacy Education, 10(2), 52-73. https

Allen, J. K., Griffin, R. A., & Mindrila, D. (2022). Discerning (dis)information: Teacher perceptions of critical media literacy. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 14(3), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.23860/JMLE-2022-14-3-1

Allen, J. K. (2022). Eating pizza with chopsticks: Discovering flavorful truths about writing. Teaching/Writing: The Journal of Writing Teacher Education, 11(1), 1-15.

Allen, J. K. (2021). (Re)Imagining multilingual learners: Using photo stories to honor students’ strengths, interests, and experiences. GATESOL In Action, 31(1), 47-53. https://doi.org/10.52242/gatesol.117

Ogletree, T. W., Griffin, R. A., Allen, J. K., & Scullin, B. L. (2021). Writing marathon: An authentic writing experience for building writerly identities. Literacy Matters, 21, 65-70. https://bit.ly/3tCl7Li

Building writing identities: Integrating explicit strategies with authentic writing experiences to engage at-promise writers. Teaching/Writing: The Journal of Writing Teacher Education, 9(2), Article 7. https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/wte/vol9/iss2/7

Partlow, P. & Allen, J. K. (2020). From student intern to cooperating teacher: Perspectives on the PDS model. PDS Partners: Bridging Research and Practice, 15(2), 21-23. https://3atjfr1bmy981egf6x3utg20-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/pd

Ogletree, T. W., Allen, J. K., Griffin, R. A., & Scullin, B. L. (2020). Teachers as writers: Engaging in a writing marathon to reclaim the neglected R. American Reading Forum Online Yearbook, 39, Article 8, 127-141. https://bit.ly/32KR20b

Allen, J. K. (2020). Silencing the whispers: Experiential Learning as a strategy to empower pre-service teachers and elementary students. Engaged Student Learning: Essays on Best Practices in the University System of Georgia, 2, 12-15. https://www.usg.edu/

Allen, J. K., Scullin, B. L., Ogletree, T. W., Griffin, R. A., Calas, M., Pearce, D., Franks, K., & Carden, K. (2019). WIN writing time: What we have learned about writing instruction through worthwhile, interest-based, no-stress writing partners

Allen, J.K., Scullin, B. L. (2018). FitLit: How an unlikely combination of fitness and literacy yielded a fruitful partnership. PDS Partners, 13(4), 21-23.

Allen, J.K. (2018). “You can’t know until someone tells you or you experience something”: Talking back to deficit discourse with digital photo stories and the NOT-ICE teacher discussion protocol. Perspectives in Learning, 17(1), 2-23.https://csuepr

Allen, J.K. (2018). How digital photo stories and teacher discussions help teachers to cultivate the gifts and talents of emergent bilinguals. Engaging Culture and Voices, 15(9), 16-50. https://issuu.com/engagingculturesandvoices/docs/1_5_ecv_issue_9_201

Allen, J. K. (2017). Exploring the role teacher perceptions play in the underrepresentation of culturally and linguistically diverse students in gifted programming. Gifted Child Today.

Allen, J. K. (2016). Practitioner Research: A “Refreshing Change” for Professional Learning. i.e.: inquiry in education, 8(2), 1-23. http://digitalcommons.nl.edu/ie/vol8/iss2/4

Allen, J. K., Robbins, M. A., Payne, Y. D., Brown, K. B. (2016). Using enrichmentclusters to address the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse learners. Gifted Child Today, 39(2), 84-97.