College of Education and Human Development

Seth Parsons, professor of Literacy and Elementary Education in the School of Education, is chosen to serve as co-editor of the prestigious Journal of Literacy Research

Seth Parsons

Seth Parsons, professor of the Literacy and Elementary Education programs within the School of Education at George Mason University, has been appointed to serve a second term as co-editor of the esteemed Journal of Literacy Research (JLR). In being chosen for this highly selective appointment, Parsons will be one of six editors comprising the JLR Editorial Team who are responsible for reviewing, evaluating, and accepting or rejecting manuscripts for publication. JLR is one of the premier literacy research journals in the world and the flagship publication of the Literacy Research Association (LRA). Parsons’ reappointment to the JLR Editorial Team became effective at the end of 2024 and is for a period of four years. Previously, he served as JLR co-editor for a three-year term that commenced in 2021 and is continuous with his current term. The selection of Parsons for each of these two appointments is a testament to the many contributions he has made throughout his career to the field of literacy and literacy education and his stature as a renowned scholar in this discipline.

Parsons became a member of the LRA in 2005 when he attended the organization’s first conference. He shared that since then, he has attended every other conference held by the organization. Parsons has also engaged in LRA volunteer activities that include serving on the organization’s Editorial Board with about 150 scholars who conduct peer review of articles submitted for JLR publication. Now, as one of six editors on the Editorial Team, Parsons is responsible for determining whether manuscripts are appropriate for publication, assigning reviewers to those submissions, adjudicating manuscript decisions, and writing the editorial for each issue of JLR. In carrying out these duties, Parsons collaborates weekly with his co-editors: Christina Dobbs (Boston University), Bong Gee Jang (Syracuse University), Allison Skerrett (University of Texas at Austin), Bessie Dernikos (Florida Atlantic University), and Earl Aguilera (California State University, East Bay).

Commenting on his appointment to the Editorial Team of JLR, Parsons stated, “It is an honor and a responsibility to serve as a co-editor of JLR. The Literacy Research Association is my professional home where I consistently present my research and complete service for the organization. I published my dissertation in 2012 as well as two subsequent studies in JLR, so it has been a consistent outlet for my work. These reasons, along with the stature of JLR in the field, has made the invitation to be a co-editor of this publication meaningful for me. Editing JLR comes as a big responsibility. It is one of the most prestigious literacy journals in the world. Therefore, we feel pressure as editors to continue to demand the most rigorous and innovative scholarship in the field when adjudicating submitted research.”

In his other remarks, Parsons discussed how his work as a co-editor of JLR aligns with his research interests in literacy education. “Staying abreast of current research in literacy is my responsibility as a literacy scholar,” he explained. “My role as a co-editor of JLR helps me to stay on top of the current literature and is incredibly intellectually stimulating. Not only am I reading roughly five research articles each week, but I am also discussing each of the studies with five other professors, who are exceptionally smart in different areas of literacy with different epistemological, theoretical, and methodological strengths. It is important to note that the topics of these manuscripts vary widely across the vast field of literacy research. Every week, I get smarter as a researcher, which has been the most rewarding aspect of the role.”

Parsons then offered his perspective on current challenges and opportunities in literacy education. He emphasized, “Literacy is currently experiencing a transformation with the proliferation of legislation requiring instruction aligned with ‘the science of reading.’ A difficulty is that ‘the science of reading’ has become a buzzword that does not have a shared meaning. Accordingly, there is a lot of confusion in the field.”

“At the same time,” Parsons continued, “states are mandating fidelity to programs that claim to be aligned with the ‘science of reading,’ yet research has demonstrated that a single instructional approach cannot meet students’ diverse needs in learning to read. In short, there is a lot going on in the field of literacy, much of which is aligned with research and much that is not. As an editorial team, my colleagues and I strive to publish research that addresses current policy and practice while being guided by current research and theory.”

In his closing observations, Parsons elaborated on what he thinks future priorities should be in the field of literacy education and how JLR can help raise awareness of those priorities. “The field of literacy research needs much more research on instruction,” Parsons stated. “The field knows a lot about the knowledge, skills, and strategies kids need to learn how to read. The field knows much less about the type of instruction to support students, especially how much instruction for which students for how long. Research provides little guidance regarding dosage (how much?) and differentiation (for whom?).”

Parsons added, “The field needs instructional research in a variety of contexts and with a variety of children. Repeated, high-quality, large-scale research on teaching reading and writing in real-world contexts is what is needed most right now. Particularly, with the proliferation of instructional mandates via state legislation (40 states and DC), now is the perfect time to study the implementation and outcomes of these instructional mandates. The field needs to know how teachers implement and adjust adopted curricula and how various curricula impact various groups of students.”

The College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) community extends its warm congratulations to Seth Parsons on being selected to again serve as co-editor of the prestigious and widely respected JLR. This achievement is indicative of his dedication and expertise in the discipline of literacy and literacy education.