J. David Cooper is currently a literacy consultant living in Coconut Grove, Florida. He was formerly professor and Director of Reading at Ball State University in Indiana. Prior to teaching at the college level, he taught elementary and secondary school. Dr. Cooper has served as a consultant to the Department of Education in Washington, D. C., numerous state departments of education, and school systems throughout the U. S. and abroad. Dr. Cooper is actively involved in research related to intervention for struggling readers. He is the author of Literacy: Helping Children Construct Meaning, 7th edition and coauthor with Nancy D. Kiger of Literacy Assessment: Helping Teachers Plan Instruction, 3rd edition.