Education:
Ph.D., The Pennsylvania State University - 2013 (Special Education)
B.S., The Pennsylvania State University - 2006 (Special Education)
Areas of Expertise:
Dr. Dembek's areas of expertise include measurably effective teaching methods across content areas.
Books and Publications
Datchuk, S.M. & Dembek, G.A (2018). Adapting a sentence intervention with spelling and handwriting support for elementary students with writing difficulties: A preliminary investigation. Insights into Learning Disabilities, 15(1), 7-27. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1182861.pdf (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2018
Dembek, G.A. & Kubina, R.M. (2018). The effect of talk aloud problem solving with a student at-risk for reading disabilities: A case study. Reading Improvement, 55(3), 93-105.
(Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2018
Miles, K.P., Lauterbach, M., Murano, D., & Dembek, G.A. (2018). Reading Rescue: A Follow-up on Effectiveness of an Intervention for Language-Minority Students. Journal of Educational Research. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220671.2018.1514358 (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2018
Dembek, G.A. & Kubina, R.M. (in press). Talk aloud problem solving and frequency building to a performance criterion improves science reasoning. Manuscript accepted for publication in a special issue of the Journal of Evidenced-Based Practices for Schools. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2017
Awards, Honors and Fellowships
Crow Professorship "Literacy Tutoring and Social Emotional Support for Children in Foster Care." Dembek, G.A. & Lauterbach, M.D. ($10,000) (Grants and Fellowships) 2019
PSC-CUNY Research Award. Instruction in Sentence and Paragraph Construction for Students with Writing Difficulties. ($3,500) (Grants and Fellowships) 2016
PSC-CUNY Research Award. Talk Aloud Problem Solving: Building Comprehension in Expository Text. ($3,477) (Grants and Fellowships) 2015
Preparing Outstanding Scholars in Special Education (POSSE) Federal Grant for Doctoral Study, The Pennsylvania State University. (Grants and Fellowships) 2012
Robert N. Eisman Family Advised Fund for the Study of Autism (Awards and Honors) 2012
Morningside Teachers Academy Graduate Scholarship (Awards and Honors) 2010
Carl J. and Tillie Nitsche Scholarship (Awards and Honors) 2005
Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums
Lauterbach, M. D., Miles, K. P., Dembek, G. A., Murano, D., & Tabone, F. Beyond the IEP: Using Machine learning to identify groupings of special needs learners (July 2019). Poster presented at the 26th annual meeting of the Society for the Scientific Studies of Reading. Toronto, Canada
(Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2019
Datchuk, S.M., Dembek, G.A. "Tertiary levels of support: Improving the sentence-level writing skills of students with learning disabilities". Poster Presentation at Council for Exceptional Children Convention & Expo. Tampa, FL
(Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2018
Lauterbach, M. D., Miles, K. P., Dembek, G. A., Tabone, F., & Murano, D. Developmental reading trajectories for students with special needs (July, 2018). Poster presented at the 25th annual meeting of the Society for the Scientific Studies of Reading. Brighton, England, UK
(Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2018
Miles, K. P., Lauterbach, M. D., Murano, D., & Dembek, G. A. Reading rescue: A follow-up on the
effectiveness of an intervention program (July, 2018). Poster presented at the 25th annual meeting of the Society for the Scientific Studies of Reading. Brighton, England, UK
(Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2018
Dembek, G.A. "The effects of the talk aloud problem solving instructional package on statement and problem solving fluency". In S. M. Datchuk (Chair), Achieving fluency with academic behaviors: Procedures and results from three intervention studies on reading and writing. Symposium conducted at the meeting of the Association for Applied Behavior Analysts International Conference. Denver, CO (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2017
Guest Lecturer: Differentiation for Diverse Learners with Disabilities (SPCED 2051). New York University. Foundations of Curriculum for Diverse Learners (Graduate Students).
(Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2017
Dembek, G.A. "Think Aloud Problem Solving: Research in Reading and Content Area Skills". Refereed paper presented at the Association for Applied Behavior Analysts International Conference. Chicago, IL (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2016
Dembek, G.A. "An examination of fluent thinking skills: Developing research in academic content". Invited paper presentation at the meeting of the Northeastern Federation for Precision Teaching Conference. Pittsburgh, PA (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2015
Dembek, G.A. "Fluent thinking skills: Research in reading and content area skills". Paper presented at the International Precision Teaching Conference. St. Pete Beach, FL (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2015
Dembek, G., D.E. Kostewicz, K. Melroe and R.M. Kubina. "Training Classroom Teachers to Implement Evidenced-based Instructional Technologies." Refereed conference panel presentation at the International Precision Teaching Conference. Chicago, IL (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2014
Dembek, G.A. & Kubina, R.M. "Talk Aloud Problem Solving: An Exploration of Acquisition and Frequency Building for Students With Learning Disabilities." International Precision Teaching Conference. St. Pete Beach, FL (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2013
Witcoski (Dembek), G.A. "Effect of Talk Aloud Problem Solving Using Science Text: Evaluating Fluency for Students At-risk for and With Learning Disabilities" poster. Meeting of the Association for Applied Behavior Analysts International. Minneapolis, MN (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2013
Witcoski (Dembek), G.A. "The Effect of Talk Aloud Instruction on Problem Solving Skills: Evaluating Fluency and Content in Science Text." Science Education for Students with Disabilities (SESD) Annual Conference. San Antonio, TX (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2013
Witcoski (Dembek), G.A. "Measuring the Effect of Talking Aloud on Problem Solving Using Expository Text: An Evaluation of Fluency Measures." The Behavior Analysis Research Colloquim (BARC) Presentation. University Park, PA (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2012
Witcoski (Dembek), G.A. "The Effect of Talking Aloud on Problem Solving Using Expository Text: An Evaluation of Fluency Measures." Meeting of the Standard Celeration Society International. Chicago, IL (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2012
Culler, E., Witcoski (Dembek), G.A., Datchuk, S.M., & Kubina, R.M. "Effects of Practicing Passage Retell to a Fluency Criterion to Increase Summarization." Meeting of the Association for Applied Behavior Analysts International. Denver, CO (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2011
Witcoski (Dembek), G.A. "What Are the Effects of a Think Aloud Procedure on Reading Comprehension?" The Behavior Analysis Research Colloquium (BARC) Presentation. University Park, PA (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2011
Lee, D.L., Witcoski (Dembek), G.A., Datchuk, S.M. & Nimick, A. "The Applied Behavior Analysis Program at Penn State: University Park" poster. Meeting of the Association of Applied Behavioral Analysis International. San Antonio, TX (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2010
Other Professional Activities
Webinar: Talk Alouds: Incorporating Instruction and Systematic Practice Routines for Students with Special Needs During Problem Solving https://courses.precisionteachinguniversity.com/courses/talk-alouds-incorporating-instruction-and-systematic-practice-routines-for-students-with-special-needs-during-problem-solving 2019
