Through a Literacy Lens: An Interview with Nancy Frey

Abstract

This interview with Dr. Nancy Frey, Professor of Literacy at San Diego State University and prolific co-author with Douglas Fisher, explores pressing issues shaping literacy education across K–12 contexts. Conducted as part of the Georgia Association of Literacy Advocates' Literacy Learning Series, the conversation addresses declining reading volume among adolescents, the relationship between achievement and reading motivation, the role of close reading in building student success, and the opportunities and challenges posed by technology and artificial intelligence in today's classrooms. Frey also reflects on the conditions necessary for strong literacy instruction, including teacher collaboration, professional trust, and task design that positions students for meaningful success. Drawing on current research and her ongoing work in secondary classrooms, Frey offers practitioners a grounded, candid perspective on what it means to teach literacy well in contemporary schools.