In recent history, some educators have tried to teach reading by doing seemingly unrelated activities, such as playing chess and increasing music instruction. But literary activist and expert on second language learning Stephen Krashen believes that the best way to improve reading is to read. He will present “Anything but Reading” at 4:30 p.m. Monday, September 27 in the Katzer Room, 347 Hinds Hall.

Krashen is serving as the 2010 Distinguished Lecture, sponsored by SU’s Center for Digital Literacy (CDL)—an interdisciplinary research center dedicated to understanding the impact literacies have on society.

“Stephen Krashen is, arguably, one of the staunchest advocates for school and public libraries as essential components of every child’s education,” said iSchool Meredith Professor and Director Ruth V. Small. “I am so pleased that our students will have an opportunity to hear and learn from him either in person or virtually.”

Krashen, professor emeritus in the Rossier School of Education’s Language and Learning Department at the University of Southern California, has researched reading and language acquisition for more than two decades. He has written more than 350 publications on second language acquisition, language development, and bilingual education. His empirical findings in support of reading galvanized his role as a reading activist, and as an advocate of public and school libraries.

He said his goals for the lecture are to “alert education professions about the media and their ignorance about education and reading in particular, and to spread the news about the amazing research supporting reading and libraries.”

On Tuesday, September 28, Krashen will give a second talk during the iSchool’s Brown Bag Lecture Series. That presentation will over four areas: can reading decrease dementia in older people; are readers boring people; should children be rewarded for reading; and what is the current state of education in the United States. That lecture begins at noon in the Katzer Room, 347 Hinds Hall.

Krashen’s lectures are funded by the Center for Digital Literacy, the School of Information Studies, and the School of Education.