Biography
Dr. Kathleen F. McGrath is Chair of the Literacy and TESOL Department and Associate Professor in Niagara University’s College of Education. She teaches graduate courses in primary and intermediate level literacy, diagnostic assessment and instruction, as well as children’s and adolescent literature.
Dr. McGrath earned her BA in English and Elementary Education from Niagara University and her MA in Literacy from SUNY Buffalo. She went on to complete her doctoral studies at SUNY Buffalo, receiving a PhD in Literacy Education.
In addition, Dr. McGrath directs the Niagara University, College of Education Family Literacy Center (FLC), which serves as both a vital community resource and a rich fieldwork opportunity for pre-service and advanced teacher candidates. The FLC provides comprehensive literacy evaluations, individualized instructional plans built on each child’s strengths, and evidence-based resources and interventions. For teacher candidates, the center offers meaningful, hands-on experiences that connect research and coursework to real-world practice.
Dr. McGrath’s professional background includes service in the Sweet Home School District from 1993 to 2006, where she taught at the primary and elementary levels. In 1995, she directed the Preschool Program at the International School of Grenada. Dr. McGrath also served in the clinical setting at the Center for Literacy and Reading Instruction at SUNY Buffalo, where she supervised graduate students in their practicum experience
Dr. McGrath’s research interests focus on family literacy, supporting struggling readers, and teacher preparation in diagnostic assessment and clinical instruction.
Her recent articles include:
- Asking the Right Questions
- Becoming a Literacy Leader in the 21st Century- Fieldwork that Facilitates the Process
- Let’s Go to Camp- A Model for Clinical Practice
- Re-envisioning Clinical Reading Instruction during a Time of Uncertainty
- Teacher Perceptions of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- University-Based Literacy Center- Benefits
Focus of Teaching
- Methods for literacy assessment and instruction
- Applied children’s and adolescent literature
Current Research
- Teacher Education
- Literacy Assessment and Instruction
- Family Literacy
- Social Emotional Learning
Current Involvement
- Chair, Department of Advanced Teacher Education
- Faculty Director, Family Literacy Center
- COE Leadership and Planning Committee
- University Tuition Exchange Committee
- University Satisfactory Academic Progress Committee
Educational Background
- B.A. in English and Elementary Education from Niagara University
- M.A. in Literacy from SUNY at Buffalo.
- Ph.D. in Literacy Education from SUNY at Buffalo.