Annie Maitland

Annie Maitland is a lifelong learner with a passion for education. She has been part of the SMU community since 2005, when she began her undergraduate studies in this very department. After earning her B.A. in English and M.Ed. in reading and writing, Annie continued her SMU journey in the Center for the Academic Development of Student-Athletes (ADSA), where she served as Senior Reading Specialist and Assistant Director for nine years. In 2012, Annie founded the ADSA Reading and Writing Specialist Program to diagnose literacy deficiencies, deliver targeted, data-driven instruction, and improve academic outcomes among student-athletes. In addition, Annie co-created and taught English 1400: Developmental Reading and Writing to complement individualized interventions and scaffold the transfer of new literacy skills to the college classroom. In all of her teaching endeavors, Annie integrates technology to provide engaging, multi-sensory learning experiences, assess student performance, and inform instructional planning.

Annie has worked with a variety of student populations throughout her teaching career, and every experience has filled her with the purpose she has today: to enable diverse learners to achieve their potential as readers, writers, and critical thinkers.

Annie resides in Highland Park with her husband, Ben, her one-year-old daughter, Amelia, and her dog, Stella. She loves Pilates, skiing, music, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.

Professional interests:

•             Literacy assessment and intervention
•             Adolescent literacy
•             Educational technology
•             Brain-based learning
•             Reading and writing pedagogy