Department of Teaching & Learning

Jill Allor

Professor & Department Chair



Ed.D., Vanderbilt University
214-768-4435
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Dr. Jill Allor is a professor and chair of the Department of Teaching and Learning. She received her Ed.D. in special education with an emphasis on reading and reading disabilities from Peabody College of Vanderbilt University in 1996. A former special education teacher, her research is school-based and focuses on reading acquisition for students with and without disabilities, including students with learning disabilities or intellectual disabilities. Prior to arriving at SMU in 2004, she held faculty appointments at Florida State University and Louisiana State University.

Dr. Allor is the author or co-author of numerous articles and several curricular materials. She was awarded the 2000 Award for Outstanding Research by the Council on Learning Disabilities and is the co-recipient of the Best Article in Learning Disabilities Research and Practice for 1999. She is also the co-recipient of the 1999 Outstanding Proud Project, which was awarded by the Learning Disabilities Association of America. She has delivered numerous teacher/staff development programs on a wide variety of topics, including peer tutoring, early literacy development, phonemic awareness instruction, literacy assessment, and other literacy instructional techniques.

Recent Publications:

Allor, J. H., & Chard, D. J. (in press). A comprehensive approach to improving reading fluency for students with disabilities. Focus on Exceptional Children.

Allor, J. H., Champlin, T. M., Gifford, D. B., & Mathes, P. G. (2010). Methods for increasing the intensity of reading instruction for students with intellectual disabilities. Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 45, 500-511.

Allor, J. H., Mathes, P. G., Roberts, J. K., Cheatham, J. P, & Champlin, T. M. (2010). Comprehensive reading instruction for students with intellectual disabilities: Findings from the first three years of a longitudinal study. Psychology in the Schools, 47, 445-466.

Allor, J. H., Mathes, P. G., Jones, F. G., Champlin, T. M., & Cheatham, J. P. (2010). Individualized research-based reading instruction for students with intellectual disabilities. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 42, 6-12.

Allor, J. H., Mathes, P. G., Roberts, J. K., Jones, F. G., & Champlin, T. M. (2010). Teaching students with moderate intellectual disabilities to read: An experimental examination of a comprehensive reading intervention. Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 45, 3-22.

Allor, J. H., Mathes, P. G., Champlin, T. M., & Cheatham, J. P. (2009). Research-based techniques for teaching early reading skills to students with intellectual disabilities. Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities, 44, 356-366.

Mooney, P., McCarter, K. S., Schraven, J., Hintze, J. M., Mooney, E., Landry, D., Colclough, T., Gansle, K. A., Denny, R. K., Grandstaff-Beckers, G., Benner, G. J., & Allor, J. H. (2008). Further evidence of oral reading fluency’s utility in predicting statewide student reading proficiency. International Journal of Psychology: A Psychosocial Approach, 2, 121-146.

Benner, G. J., Nelson, J. R., Allor, J. H., Mooney, P., & Dai, T. (2008). Academic processing speed mediates the influence of both externalizing behavior and language skills on the academic skills of students with emotional disturbance. Journal of Behavioral Education, 17, 63-78.

Benner, G. J., Allor, J. H., & Mooney, P. (2008) An investigation of the academic processing speed of students with emotional and behavioral disorders served in public school settings. Education and Treatment of Children, 31,307-332.

Allor, J. H., Cheek, E., Smith, P., & Schorzmann, E. (2006). Considering tutors’ perspectives: Implications for struggling readers. Reading and Writing Quarterly: Overcoming Learning Difficulties, 22, 357-374.

Allor, J. H., Gansle, K. A., & Denny, R. K. (2006). The Stop and Go Game: The effects of modeling, practice, and feedback on phonemic awareness segmentation tasks. Preventing School Failure, 50, 23-30. 

Allor, J.H., Mathes, P.G., Jones, F.G., Champlin, T., & Cheatham, J.P. (in press). Individualized research-based reading instruction for students with intellectual disabilities. Teaching Exceptional Children.

Allor, J.H., Mathes, P.G., Roberts, K.R., Jones, F.G., & Champlin, T. (in press). Teaching students with moderate intellectual disabilities to read: An experimental examination of a comprehensive reading intervention. Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities.

Allor, J.H., Mathes, P.G., Champlin, T., & Cheatham, J.P. (2009). Research-based techniques for teaching early reading skills to students with intellectual disabilities. Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities, 44, 356-366.

Mooney, P., McCarter, K.S., Schraven, J., Hintze, J.M., Mooney, E., Landry, D., Colclough, T., Gansle, K.A., Denny, R.K., Grandstaff-Beckers, G., Benner, G.J., & Allor, J.H. (2008). Further evidence of oral reading fluency’s utility in predicting statewide student reading proficiency. International Journal of Psychology: A Psychosocial Approach, 2, 121-146.

Benner, G. J., Nelson, J. R., Allor, J. H., Mooney, P., & Dai, T. (2008). Academic processing speed mediates the influence of both externalizing behavior and language skills on the academic skills of students with emotional disturbance. Journal of Behavioral Education, 17, 63-78.

Benner, G.J., Allor, J.H., & Mooney, P. (2008) An investigation of the academic processing speed of students with emotional and behavioral disorders served in public school settings. Education and Treatment of Children, 31,307-332.

Allor, J.H., Cheek, E., Smith, P., & Schorzmann, E. (2006). Considering tutors’ perspectives: Implications for struggling readers. Reading and Writing Quarterly: Overcoming Learning Difficulties, 22, 357-374.

Allor, J.H., Gansle, K.A., & Denny, R.K. (2006). The Stop and Go Game: The effects of modeling, practice, and feedback on phonemic awareness segmentation tasks. Preventing School Failure, 50, 23-30.

Allor, J.H., & McCathren, R.B. (2004). The efficacy of an early literacy tutoring program implemented by college students. Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, 19, 116-129.

Allor, J.H., & McCathren, R.B. (2003). Developing emergent literacy skills through storybook reading. Intervention in School and Clinic, 39 (2), 72-79.

Allor, J.H. (2003). [Review of the book Literary practices as social acts]. Anthropology and Education Quarterly, 34 (1). Retrieved September 6, 2003, from http://www.aaanet.org/cae/aeq/br/lewis2.htm

Allor, J.H. (2002). The relationships of phonemic awareness and rapid naming to reading development. Learning Disability Quarterly. 25, 47-57. *2000 Award for Outstanding Research, The Council for Learning Disabilities. Presented at the International Conference on Learning Disabilities, October, 2000.

McCathren, R.B., & Allor, J.H. (2002). Using storybooks with preschool children: Enhancing language and literacy. Young Exceptional Children, 5(4), 3-10.

Allor, J.H., Fuchs, D., & Mathes, P.G. (2001). Do students with and without lexical retrieval weaknesses respond differently to instruction? Journal of Learning Disabilities, 34, 264-275.

Mathes, P.G., Torgesen, J.K., & Allor, J.H. (2001). The effects of Peer Assisted Learning Strategies for First Grade Readers with and without additional computer assisted instruction in phonological awareness. American Educational Research Journal, 38, 371-410.

Howard, J.K., Fuchs,  D., & Mathes, P.G. (1999). What is lexical retrieval and why might it be important? In T.E. Citro (Ed.). Parenting the Child with a Learning Disability: The Experts Speak (pp. 77-82). Weston, MA: Learning Disabilities Association of Massachusetts. *Recipient of the 1999 Outstanding Proud Project by the Learning Disabilities Association of America.

Mathes, P.G., Grek, M.L., Howard, J.K., Babyak, A.E., & Allen, S.H. (1999). Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies for First-Grade Readers: A tool for preventing early reading failure. Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, 14(1), 50-60.  *Winner of the Samuel Kirk Award (for the best research-to-practice article in Learning Disabilities Research and Practice for 1999), awarded by the Council for Exceptional Children, Division of Learning Disabilities.

Mathes, P.G., Howard, J.K., & Allen, S.H., & Fuchs, D. (1998). Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies for First-Grade Readers: Responding to the needs of diverse learners. Reading Research Quarterly, 33, 62-94. 

Published Curriculum

Allor, J.H., Mathes, P.G., & Jones, F.G. (in press). Early Interventions in Reading: Level K. Columbus, OH: SRA/McGraw-Hill.  

Allor, J.H., & Minden-Cupp, C. (2009). Bookshop Phonics Intervention. New York, New York: Mondo.

Allor, J.H., & Minden-Cupp, C. (2007). Bookshop Phonics for Kindergarten. New York, New York: Mondo.

Allor, J.H., & Minden-Cupp, C. (2007). Bookshop Phonics for First Grade. New York, New York: Mondo.

Mathes, P.G., & Allor, J.H. (2001). Teacher-Directed PALS: Paths to Achieving Literacy Success. Longmont, CO: Sopris West.

Mathes, P.G., Torgesen, J.K., Allen, S.H., & Allor, J.H. (2001). First-Grade PALS: Peer-Assisted Literacy Strategies. Longmont, CO: Sopris West.