DANNY BRASSELL, Ph.D., is a professor in the Teacher Education Department at California State University-Dominguez Hills specializing in reading motivation and creativity. He is an experienced classroom teacher who has taught students ranging from preschoolers to rocket scientists, and he has trained thousands in cutting-edge approaches to boost reading attitudes and aptitudes. The author of over 50 journal and newspaper articles, Dr. Brassell has written nine books, including 75+ Reading Strategies: Boost Achievement and Build a Life-Long Love of Reading (Crystal Springs, 2009), A Baker’s Dozen of Lessons Learned from the Teaching Trenches (Shell, 2009), Dare to Differentiate: Vocabulary Strategies for All Students (Guilford, 2010) and Bringing Joy Back Into the Classroom (Shell, 2011). His new kit Parents as Partners (Shell, in press) highlights ways parents and schools can work together to benefit student learning.
Danny began his teaching career working with “at-risk” students in Compton, California. Incorporating a variety of strategies that get his participants actively engaged, he is a strong believer in accommodating all learners and making learning enjoyable. His work with internationally recognized researchers in reading, motivation and second language acquisition strongly complements his practical teaching experiences.
Today Danny is a dedicated husband and proud father of three. While he loves working with his audiences on improving how they reach their students, his passion is in reading. To that end, he founded “The Lazy Readers’ Book Club,” www.lazyreaders.com, Google’s #1-ranked website for cool, “short book recommendations” for all ages. Using humor, music and games, Dr. Brassell has inspired audiences across North America to become passionate, life-long learners, and his presentations have earned widespread acclaim:
“Danny Brassell is a cross between Jim Carrey and Robin Williams…If you don’t walk away from his seminar with ideas you can use tomorrow, you were unconscious during the presentation.”
- Nancy Bebrin, ESL Teacher, Quaker Farms School, CT
“Danny Brassell is an extremely dynamic speaker who is passionate about kids and literacy. If you haven’t had the opportunity to hear him in person, this is the perfect (speech) to get you excited about teaching.”
- Laura Numeroff, author of acclaimed children’s books, including If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
“Dr. Danny Brassell is one of the most energetic speakers I have ever heard. His strategies are practical, well researched and easy for teachers at all grade levels to implement in their classrooms the very next day. You simply will not find a better speaker out there.”
- Rob Gardner, Assistant Superintendent, Platte County R-3 School District, Platte City, MO
Published Books:
- Bringing Joy Back into the Classroom
- Dare to Differentiate: Vocabulary Strategies for All Students
- A Baker’s Dozen of Lessons Learned from the Teacher’s Trenches
- Comprehension That Works (with Tim Rasinski)
- Dare to Differentiate: Vocabulary Strategies for All Students
- News Flash! Newspaper Activities to Meet Language-Arts Standards & Differentiate Instruction
- Readers for Life: The Ultimate Reading Fitness Guide
- Vocabulary Strategies Every Teacher Needs to Know (with Jim Flood)
