Department Chair, Associate Professor
Department of Literacy and Special Education College of Education

678-839-6076
jponder@westga.edu

Education Annex - Room 212
Office Hours
By appointment

Download curriculum vitae for John Ponder, Ph.D. in PDF
John Ponder, Ph.D.

Dr. John M. Ponder is an Associate Professor of Literacy Instruction in the College of Education and is currently serving as Chair of the Department of Literacy and Special Education (LSE). During his tenure at the University of West Georgia, he has served as the program coordinator for the M. Ed. in Reading Instruction, and later, as the the director of the Teaching Fellows Program. He teaches graduate and undergraduate courses for pre-service and in-service teachers focusing on effective literacy instruction. His research interests include reader response theory applications in the elementary school classroom as well as the nature of the use of literature by teachers during instruction.  Prior to moving into higher education, Dr. Ponder began his career as a public elementary school teacher in Louisiana. 

  • B.A., Elementary Education, Louisiana Tech University, 1983
  • M.A., Elementary Education, Louisiana Tech University, 1985
  • Ed.S., Reading Education, Louisiana Tech University, 1989
  • Ph.D., Reading Education, University of Georgia, 1992

Spring 2021 Sections

  • READ-3262 (Tch Content/Process:Read Educ) Section: 02
  • READ-4251 (Assess/Correction Read Educ) Section: 01

Fall 2020 Sections

  • READ-4251 (Assess/Correction Read Educ) Section: 03
  • EDSI-9998 (Research for Doc Dissertation) Section: E22

Summer 2020 Sections

  • EDSI-9998 (Research for Doc Dissertation) Section: E20

Spring 2020 Sections

  • READ-4251 (Assess/Correction Read Educ) Section: 01
  • EDSI-9998 (Research for Doc Dissertation) Section: E20

Fall 2019 Sections

  • READ-4251 (Assess/Correction Read Educ) Section: 04
  • EDSI-9998 (Research for Doc Dissertation) Section: E21

Summer 2019 Sections

  • EDSI-9998 (Research for Doc Dissertation) Section: E21

Spring 2019 Sections

  • READ-3262 (Tch Content/Process:Read Educ) Section: 01
  • EDSI-9998 (Research for Doc Dissertation) Section: E20

Fall 2018 Sections

  • READ-4251 (Assess/Correction Read Educ) Section: 04
  • EDSI-9998 (Research for Doc Dissertation) Section: E22

Summer 2018 Sections

  • READ-4252 (Literature in the Middle Sch) Section: E01
  • EDSI-9998 (Research for Doc Dissertation) Section: E22

Spring 2018 Sections

  • READ-3263 (Integrated Literacy Ed/Writing) Section: 91
  • EDSI-9998 (Research for Doc Dissertation) Section: E28

Fall 2017 Sections

  • READ-4253 (The Reading Writing Connection) Section: 01
  • SPED-6791 (Practicum: Interrelated) Section: E01
  • EDSI-9998 (Research for Doc Dissertation) Section: E15

Summer 2017 Sections

  • READ-4252 (Literature in the Middle Sch) Section: E01
  • EDSI-9998 (Research for Doc Dissertation) Section: E15

Spring 2017 Sections

  • READ-3263 (Integrated Literacy Ed/Writing) Section: 91
  • READ-4285 (Literacy Project in Belize) Section: 01
  • EDSI-9998 (Research for Doc Dissertation) Section: E12

Fall 2016 Sections

  • READ-3263 (Integrated Literacy Ed/Writing) Section: 01
  • EDSI-9998 (Research for Doc Dissertation) Section: E33

Spring 2016 Sections

  • READ-3263 (Integrated Literacy Ed/Writing) Section: 91

Fall 2015 Sections

  • READ-3263 (Integrated Literacy Ed/Writing) Section: 51

Spring 2015 Sections

  • READ-3263 (Integrated Literacy Ed/Writing) Section: 91

Ponder, J. M. & Doheny, C. (2007). If not for points, then why read? Exploring the grandest purpose of literature. Affective Reading Education Journal, 24, 1-5. [View Publication (PDF)]