Mattatall, Chris

Associate Professor

Edu - Faculty Members

Phone
(403) 394-3964
Email
chris.mattatall@uleth.ca

About Me

Board of Governor's Teaching Chair (2023-2025)

Associate Professor of Education Psychology and Inclusion
Co-Editor of The Inclusive Educator Journal

Biography

Dr. Chris Mattatall holds a PhD in Cognitive Studies from Queen's University. He came to the University of Lethbridge in 2015 after spending four years in the Faculty of Education at Memorial University in St. John's, NL. Before entering post-secondary academic life, Dr. Mattatall was a Middle School and High School teacher in New Brunswick, including six years of teaching in a provincial young offenders treatment centre. During his tenure with young offenders, Chris created and directed a Blacklight Theatre Company where incarcerated youth could become involved in creative drama for the purpose of teaching others about how to get help for the struggles that teenagers are often faced with. As a result of this work Dr. Mattatall was awarded the National Excellence in Education Award from the Learning Disabilities Association of Canada, as well as a Special Recognition Award from the Province of New Brunswick. Working with students who experienced various learning difficulties and behavioural disorders eventually led to work as a district-level Student Services Supervisor in southeastern New Brunswick, where he worked with principals, parents, classroom teachers, resource teachers and education assistants to ensure that all students received the help and support they needed to learn.
Chris and his wife Gloria have three grown sons and a mischievous dog named Winston.

Publications

Creative Works: Website writing and webinars: https://www.GoodTeaching.ca


Mattatall, C.A. (2023). Ten-Minute On-Demand Webinar: Growth Mindset of Teachers and
Students (under development and launching January/February 2023)

Mattatall, C.A. (2022). Fostering a Growth Mindset in Children & Why This is a Great
Teaching Approach. Retrieved from https://www.goodteaching.ca/teaching-
approaches.html

Mattatall, C.A. (2022). Using Stories to Enhance Memory. Retrieved from
https://www.goodteaching.ca/teaching-approaches.html

Mattatall, C.A. (2022). Quizzing? As a Teaching Approach? Absolutely Yes! Retrieved from
https://www.goodteaching.ca/teaching-approaches.html



Journals

Luck, C., & Mattatall, C.A. (2021). Educators' Perspectives on Supporting Students
Experiencing Intergenerational Trauma. The
Inclusive Educator Journal, 5(1). https://www.cieducation.ca/newsletter-journal

Mattatall, C.A. (2019). Interpretive art projects from EDUC 5850 Diverse Learners. The
Inclusive Educator Journal, 4(1), 3-9.
Retrieved from https://www.cieducation.ca/newsletter-journal

Mattatall, C. A. (2019). Developing accurate student profiles: How big is your ruler? The
Inclusive Educator Journal, 3(1), 3-6.
Retrieved from https://www.cieeducation.ca/ newsletter-journal

Mattatall, C. A. (2016). Using peer assisted learning strategies for boys, aboriginal learners, and at-risk populations. Reading &
Writing Quarterly. doi: 10.1080/10573569.2016.1142914

Doyle, A., Zhang, J., & Mattatall, C. A. (2015). Spelling instruction in the primary grades:
Teacher's beliefs, practices, and
concerns. Reading Horizons, 54 (2), 1-34.

Mattatall, C. A. (2011). Technology, and the promotion of progress in education.
Antistasis 1(2), 30-32. Retrieved from
https://journals.lib.unb.ca/index.php/antistasis/article/view/18528

Mattatall, C. A. (2011). Using CBM to help Canadian elementary teachers write effective IEPs. Exceptionality Education
International, 21 (1), 61-71. Retrieved from http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/eei/index

Research Interests

1. The Science of Learning: particularly as it pertains to teaching. Because we all share the same basic human cognitive architecture it serves teachers well to understand how human learning occurs and develops...and what teachers can do to ensure students learn. Research in this area explores how teachers think, what informs their own teaching, and how small changes to methods and thinking can influence student learning.

2. The craft and science of reading acquisition and reading instruction: particularly as it relates to classroom instruction. Learning to read is a complex skill that needs to be taught. Reading instruction and intervention are studied in this area of my research.

3. Collaborative consultation: particularly as it relates to classroom teachers helping one another design instruction for students who struggle initially learning to read.

Creative Works

https://www.GoodTeaching. ca


A Website designed for educators. This website provides classroom teachers with resources to help them design instruction according to the principles of cognitive psychology and the Science of Learning.