Julia Wilkins, Ph.D.

Education

Ph.D., Educational Psychology, State University of New York at Buffalo
M.Ed. Literacy, Clemson University
M.S. Special Education, D’Youville College
M.Sc. Gender and Social Policy, Bristol University, UK
B.Sc. Social Anthropology, Swansea University, Wales

Research or Areas of Specialty

My recent research involves a collaborative project with faculty across institutions in South Carolina to explore how learner profiles can help preservice teachers provide personalized learning opportunities for middle and high school students. I am also interested in the portrayal of characters with disabilities in children’s literature and the inclusion of diverse characters in young adult literature. I enjoy mentoring preservice teachers on research projects aligned with their personal interests and supporting them in publishing their work. Recent topics of interest include technology use among young children, family engagement, and kindergarten readiness. Across these areas, my goal is to bridge research and practice to promote inclusive and effective teaching.

Publications

Wilkins, J. (2000). Group activities to include students with special needs. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Gamble, R., & Wilkins, J. (1996). Non-competitive motor activities: A guide for elementary classroom teachers. Boston, MA: American Press.
Gamble, R., & Wilkins, J. (1995). Math activities for young children: A resource guide for parents and teachers. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Wilkins, J. & Nettleton, A. (2022). A South Asian vice president takes office: A middle school teaching opportunity. South Carolina Association for Middle Level Education Journal, 148-152.
Martin, R., & Wilkins, J. (2021). Creating visually appropriate classroom environments for students with autism spectrum disorder. Intervention in School and Clinic, 27(1), 33-48.
Stevenson, C., & Wilkins, J. (2019). A robotics program that helped middle school students actualize the profile of the South Carolina graduate. South Carolina Association for Middle Level Education Journal, 26-30.
Kemmerlin, C., & Wilkins, J. (2019). Promoting elementary students’ awareness of diversity and social justice through interactive read-alouds. International Journal of Learner Diversity and Identities, 27(1), 33-48.
Savitz, R. S., Allington, R., & Wilkins, J. (2019). Response to intervention: A summary of the guidance state departments of education provide to schools and school districts. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Issues, Strategies and Ideas, 1-7.
Berry. T., & Wilkins, J. (2017). The gendered portrayal of inanimate characters in children’s books. Journal of Children’s Literature, 43(2), 4-15.
Britt, S., Davis, J., Wilkins, J., & Bowlin, A. (2016). The benefits of interactive read-alouds to address social-emotional learning in classrooms for young children. Journal of Character Education, 12(12), 43-56.
Wilkins, J., Howe, K., Seiloff, M., Rowan, S., & Lilly, E. (2016). Exploring elementary students’ perceptions of disabilities using children’s literature. British Journal of Special Education, 43(3), 233-249.
Wilkins, J., & Williams Bost, L. (2016). Dropout prevention in middle and high schools: From research to practice. Intervention in School and Clinic, 51(5), 267-275.
Gaffney, M., & Wilkins, J. (2016). Selecting picture books featuring characters with autism spectrum disorder: Recommendations for teachers. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 20(10), 1024-1031.
Wilkins, J., & Terlitsky, A. (2016). Strategies for developing literacy-focused family-school partnerships. Intervention in School and Clinic, 51(4), 203-211.
Terlitsky, A. B., & Wilkins, J. (2015). Characteristics of family literacy programmes that improve child literacy, behaviour and parenting skills. International Journal of Pedagogies and Learning, 10(2), 121-138.
Wilkins, J., & Terlitsky, A. (2015). Addressing literacy and behavioral needs of young children through family literacy programs. Young Children, 70(4), 26-31.
Dunston, P., & Wilkins, J. (2015). False hope: Underprepared students’ pursuit of postsecondary degrees. English Teaching: Practice & Critique, 14(1), 44-59.
Wilkins, J. (2014). Good teacher-student relationships: Perspectives of teachers in urban high schools. American Secondary Education, 43(1), 52-68.
Wilkins, J., Ruddle, K., Paitsel, S., Duffield, K., Minch, A., Hesson, C., Baker, S., Harper, S., & Jennings, R. L. (2014). Increasing graduation rates for students with disabilities: Success stories from West Virginia. Rural Special Education Quarterly, 33(3), 3-13.
Wilkins, J. (2014). The use of cognitive reappraisal and humor as coping strategies for bullied nurses. International Review of Nursing Practice, 20(3), 283-292.
Wilkins, J. (2014). The development of a scale to explore the multidimensional components of good student-teacher relationships. Education Research and Perspectives, 41, 154-172.
Johanson-Sebera, B., & Wilkins, J. (2010). The uses and implications of the term ‘retarded’ on YouTube. Review of Disability Studies, 6(4), 47-61.