Faculty Directory
Arianna Banack, Ph.D.
Banack holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Connecticut and a Ph.D. in literacy studies from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She began her teaching career in East Hartford, Connecticut, where she taught ninth-grade English language arts. At the University of South Florida, Banack teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in English teaching methods, specializing in the integration of contemporary literature to engage young readers. Her courses emphasize providing future educators with practical tools and strategies to meet the diverse needs of their students.
Her research focuses on innovative ways to integrate contemporary youth literature to foster engagement among adolescent readers. Through her work, she supports secondary educators in incorporating youth literature through strategies such as using excerpts, planning literature circles or teaching full-class novels. Banack also emphasizes collaboration between universities and secondary schools to strengthen teacher preparation and student learning.
She currently serves as a column editor for English Journal’s “Telescopes: Possibilities in YAL” and previously completed a five-year term as co-editor of The ALAN Review. In addition, she is an elected board member of ALAN, with her current term concluding in 2025.
