Ed Ellis

Abstract

Dr. Edwin S. Ellis is professor of Interdisciplinary Teacher Education at the University of Alabama where he teaches graduate courses in special education and undergraduate courses in the Special Education Collaborative Teacher Program and the Multiple Abilities Program (MAP). An associate research scientist with the University of Kansas Center for Research in Learning, Dr. Ellis has spent over 20 years researching, developing, and modeling cognitive-based interventions for students with learning disabilities (LD). He has published widely on the topics of cognitive strategy instruction, content-based learning strategies for students with LD, and understanding LD in practice and theory. Dr. Ellis' teaching and research interests focus on preparing all teachers for the realities of diverse-ability classrooms. To that end, he has developed numerous teaching techniques and learning strategies designed to untap the potential of lower achieving and "less-sophisticated" learners. More recently, Dr. Ellis has influenced teacher education, professional development for teachers, and the field of LD with his work in "watering up the curriculum for adolescents with learning disabilities" (Ellis, 1998, 1997). His "Makes Sense Strategies" software (Ellis, 2001) has been widely adopted by schools throughout the United States. The following interview focuses on Dr. Ellis' work in this area.