Antony Smith

Antony T. Smith is an associate professor of literacy education at the University of Washington Bothell. As an elementary teacher, he explored reading comprehension and vocabulary development through literature circles and content-area read-alouds and discussions.

Antony then earned his doctorate degree in curriculum and instruction/literacy education from the University of Washington Seattle, working with professor Sheila Valencia on both a study of oral reading fluency and an examination of reading interventions at the middle school level. He received a bachelor's degree in English Literature and Russian Studies from the University of Oregon.

"I am amazed by the power of children’s literature in sparking creativity and imagination, and I appreciate the ways the synergy between children’s interests and the content of books facilitates vocabulary and conceptual learning through inquiry, discussion, and comprehension. I love helping children think about complex ideas and explore new vocabulary through reading, discussion, and creative responses to literature.”

Antony’s areas of specialty include reading comprehension, oral reading fluency, and literacy coaching. He believes in the importance of professional learning communities, where groups of educators explore literacy topics together to increase knowledge, improve practice, and foster their own love of reading.

Mathematizing Children’s Literature: Sparking Connections, Joy, and Wonder through Read-Alouds and Discussion guides teachers through the process of selecting books, planning engaging interactive read-alouds, and facilitating meaningful and dynamic math-literacy discussions in their classrooms. The book focuses on the ways mathematics is represented in children’s literature, several different types of read-aloud experiences, open-ended questions, and honoring children’s ideas. Vignettes from classrooms, paired with planning templates for each read-aloud and discussion, empower teachers to apply the mathematizing process to their own classrooms.

A lifelong resident of the Pacific Northwest, Antony also loves to cook, travel, and read novels.

You can connect with Antony on Twitter @smithant.