Literacy Now

The International Literacy Association (ILA) has partnered with the American Educational Research Association (AERA) on a unique initiative to amplify student voices in discussions surrounding social justice, educational research, and reimagining literacy education. This exciting work will be showcased during a cosponsored Presidential Session this weekend at the AERA Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, Pa.

The joint initiative invited K–12 students from across the country to engage in a dialogue about equity, diversity, inclusion, and social justice. Students were given thought-provoking writing prompts that encouraged them to reflect on their experiences and imagine a better world.

Student voices take center stage

The response was inspiring! Hundreds of submissions poured in from schools across the United States (and even some internationally). Select responses will be featured during a session entitled “Re/Reading and Re/Writing the Wor(l)d: Engaging in Racialized Conversations to Reimagine Literacy Engagement for Justice,” taking place on Saturday, April 13.

This session is part of the AERA Presidential Session Series and provides a powerful platform for students to share their perspectives with educators, researchers, and policymakers from around the globe. Attendees will be invited to participate in a gallery walk, where they can engage with the students' thought-provoking submissions.

“Students are not just passive recipients of education; they are active agents of change," said Nicola Wedderburn, executive director of ILA. "By elevating their voices, we are not only enriching the educational research landscape but also empowering students to become advocates for justice and equity.”

The importance of listening

This partnership underscores both organizations' shared commitment to inclusivity, diversity, and empowering the next generation to shape conversations surrounding education and social justice.

“In today’s complex educational landscape, it is imperative to center student experiences and perspectives. By providing a platform for students to share their insights, challenges and aspirations with us, ILA and AERA are paving the way for more meaningful and impactful outcomes in education,” said Jevon D. Hunter, Woods-Beals Endowed Chair for Urban Education at SUNY Buffalo State and 2023–2024 American Educational Research Association Program Cochair.

For more information, read this blog post by Hunter and Patricia A. Edwards, a past president of the International Reading Association (now ILA), in which they expand on the origins of the writing project and how they hope it “[illuminates] the courageous and creative ways youth imagine and participate in acts to promote a more just world.”

ILA Member Tihesha Morgan Porter
Principal, McMullan Elementary School
Channelview, Texas

How did you begin your career, and what led you to your current position?

I started my career as an elementary classroom teacher. Throughout my experience, I learned so much about guided reading and balanced literacy. My love for literacy led me to become an interventionist and, in that role, I was fascinated to learn more about students who struggled with reading. Eventually, after a few more years as an interventionist and educator, I had the opportunity to become a reading coach and dyslexia specialist. I truly loved working with students and helping them grow and have a desire to learn. Due to my leadership skills and literacy support, I wanted to have a bigger impact on my campus, so I became the assistant principal which then led to my current position as principal.

What is the biggest challenge in your current role?
The biggest challenge in my current role is having the desire to be more of a change agent but being restricted due to politics. It is great to have passion and teach children the way that they deserve to be taught.

What are you reading (personal or professional)?
Personally, I am going back to an oldie but goodie, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey. Professionally, I am currently reading PLC+: A Playbook for Instructional Leaders by Nancy Frey, Dave Nagel, Douglas Fisher, Toni Osborn Faddis, and Aida Allen-Rotell.

How long have you been a member of ILA, and how has membership influenced your career?
I have been a member consistently since 2019, but even longer than that, I started being a member back in 2012. Reading the magazine and being aware and “in the know” about important literacy changes helped me tremendously when I was the reading coach and interventionist. It helped me to learn about different professional books that helped me to grow as a literacy leader. Reading many of the articles helped me to better understand others’ experiences and apply that experience with my own students.

What do you consider to be your proudest career moment?
The proudest career moment was hearing students call me the shoe lady. Let me elaborate: As a reading coach, I would model lessons for the teachers. One lesson I loved to teach was choosing just the right book. I would read a book to the class, Shoes for Me! by Sue Fliess, and I would bring a few different types of shoes and different sizes to demonstrate how to choose the correct book. Having real-life examples helped the students better understand how to choose the book that fits them perfectly. The kids loved it and for years I was known as the shoe lady. I do this for them!

What do you like to do when you’re not wearing your educator hat?
When I am not wearing my educator’s hat, I like to travel, binge-watch a few shows, volunteer in the Houston area with the Epsilon Phi Chapter of Iota Phi Lambda, Inc., and spend time with my family and friends.

What is a little-known fact about yourself?
I learned how to read at 4 years old. My mom wanted to ensure that when I went to school, I was prepared.

What do you believe is the biggest challenge in literacy education today?
The biggest challenge is finding ways to merge literacy with technology. Finding ways to still make it interesting and meaningful so that the students get the immediate response of touching a button, but they are also able to practice their reading and writing skills. Many teachers have students play educational games using devices but struggle with understanding how to use technology to help teach the lessons.

What advice would you give a new teacher that either you received or wish you had?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions, and just because you are a new educator does not mean that you don’t have valuable input.

When did you know you wanted to become a teacher?
The first time was when I used to play school with my dolls and stuffed animals as a child and then again when I was in college and had the opportunity to volunteer and support middle school students with their reading skills.

What can literacy educators do to motivate kids to want to read?
Literacy educators need to start by first understanding who they are as a literacy advocate and their literacy style. That will help determine in which ways they would like to help motivate students. Students love excitement! Find books that can capture their attention and read to the students with passion and enthusiasm. Find ways to do schoolwide events. For example, a read-a-thon, a book character parade, writing pumpkin stories, book fairs, book challenges and incentives, etc. The sky is the limit!

The International Literacy Association (ILA) has commenced its annual election for its Board of Directors. Eligible ILA members are encouraged to vote for three at-large candidates and one vice president candidate. Read about the candidates before casting your ballot.

The ILA 2024 Board Election will be conducted entirely online. Individual ILA members with an active membership and a valid email address will receive email reminders with a link to the online ballot

If you haven’t received your email ballot, please confirm your membership is in good standing and that the email address connected to your membership is accurate by signing into your membership account or by phoning ILA’s Constituent Services Team at 800.336.7323 (U.S. and Canada) or 302.731.1600 (all other countries). 

The election closes at 5:00 p.m. ET on April 30.

Pleasantville Elementary, a K–Grade 5 school in New Castle, Delaware, recently unveiled its fully renovated, future-forward library–a project funded in part by ILA (made possible through a grant from the Delaware Community Foundation).  

The initiative aims to create a more engaging and efficient learning environment by leveraging innovative technology, such as a new RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) system that includes student-fiend kiosks that make self checkouts a snap. Now, any student who comes to the library can leave without a book, even if the library staff are teaching a class or otherwise engaged in group work.

The RFID chips have simplified the process of tracking inventory as well. Now, an entire bookshelf can be logged in with a wave of a scanning “wand.” In other words, what used to take an entire week can now be finished in a couple of hours.

The same software can be used to monitor the types of books students are checking out and track other information about the collection, such as how long a particular book has been on the shelves.

For instance, in 2016, the average age of a book in Colonial School District’s libraries was 22 years old. But no one knew that until Colonial partnered with the Delaware Library Consortium and the libraries were thoroughly audited.

“We discovered that circulation in most of our schools was around 20 percent, which is quite low,” said Tom Gavin, Colonial’s Supervisor of Instructional Technology & Libraries.

In 2017, he reported, Pleasantville's circulation was a dismal 4 percent. But thanks to the new technology and revitalized collection—one that reflects the rich diversity and interests of the student body—circulation has leaped to nearly 91 percent. 

Moving forward, Pleasantville aims to retire most books after seven years, replacing those cycled out with new offerings. The RFID helps with that, too: New books come shelf-ready, their RFID chip already implanted. All that’s needed is a wave of the wand and that book is ready for its new home.

One thing the RFID hasn’t replaced: the librarian. “The role might not have the same name,” said Colonial School District Superintendent Jeff Menzer, but library staff remain “essential” to a child’s literacy development.

As we enter the final few weeks of the submissions period for the International Literacy Association’s (ILA) awards and grants program, we’re taking a look back at some of our past recipients and their significant contributions to literacy teaching and research.

In part III of our series (you can read Part I and II here), we continue to delve into the experiences of some remarkable individuals. Each interview provides valuable insights into the impact of being recognized, how grant recipients used their funding, and why they believe initiatives like ILA’s awards program are vital for moving the field of literacy forward.

After reading, don’t forget to follow their advice: Submit a nomination for yourself or a colleague by March 15. There are awards for students, educators, and scholars, and funding opportunities for research that you won’t want to miss.

Chase Young

Professor, Sam Houston State University
Diane Lapp & James Flood Professional Collaborator Award, 2023 (along with Tim Rasinski)

How did receiving an award from the International Literacy Association (ILA) impact you both personally and professionally?

As many do, I suffer from a bit of imposter syndrome, but seeing our names announced as the winners of this prestigious award eased a bit of that feeling and comically made me think, “Well, I guess I do know what I’m doing.” It was a great shock to be selected and I am proud of the work we have done.

Looking back, how has the recognition and support from ILA motivated you to continue your efforts in advancing literacy, and what future goals do you have in this regard?

We love what we do, and it is always great to know that others appreciate our work. It’s motivating to know that what we do makes a difference in classrooms and ultimately improves literacy outcomes.

Timothy Rasinski

Professor Emeritus, Kent State University
William S. Gray Citation of Merit, 2020
Diane Lapp & James Flood Professional Collaborator Award, 2023 (along with Chase Young)

 How did receiving an award from the International Literacy Association (ILA) impact you both personally and professionally?

Receiving the William S. Gray Citation of Merit affirmed the four decades of research, teaching, and service to the literacy community. It continues to be the highlight of my career.

Looking back, how has the recognition and support from ILA motivated you to continue your efforts in advancing literacy, and what future goals do you have in this regard?

ILA is now and has been my professional home since entering the literacy education community in the early 1980s. ILA has supported me throughout my professional journey, and more importantly has been a source of support for teachers and students in the development of effective literacy instruction.

How do you believe ILA’s awards and grants program contributes to raising awareness about the importance of literacy and its impact on individuals and communities?

ILA’s award/grants program provides a vehicle for supporting ongoing and novel approaches and research to literacy education. The funding provided by ILA is often not available through other sources.

For educators and researchers considering applying for the current awards and grants submissions period, what advice or insights would you offer based on your experience?

Don’t be shy about your work and your accomplishments. ILA’s awards and grants allow literacy educators to share their work and innovations with the larger professional community.

Kyley Pulphus

Founder, We Scribblin’ LLC and Doctoral Candidate, Louisiana State University
Helen M. Robinson Grant, 2023

How did receiving an award from the International Literacy Association (ILA) impact you both personally and professionally?

I was quite humbled to be granted the Helen M. Robinson award for my dissertation. I received many messages of congratulations from members of the ILA community. I felt so seen and affirmed. I was also thankful for the financial support. The costs of conducting research can accumulate quickly, and the stipend made my research more manageable.

Can you share a specific project or initiative that was made possible through the support of the award/grant, and how it has contributed to advancing literacy education?

As a part of my dissertation research, I published a book of youth writing. We celebrated the book release at the Louisiana Children’s Museum (LCM). It was a beautiful event attended by the young writers’ families and friends. The specialness of the moment was so touching to me and the Chief Learning Officer at LCM, Shannon Blady, that we have discussed a potential partnership. We want young people in New Orleans to have the writing skills they need to be successful in their personal and professional lives, and to be celebrated for their hard work. Stay tuned!

How do you believe ILA’s awards and grants program contributes to raising awareness about the importance of literacy and its impact on individuals and communities?

The ILA awards and grants program is so important to the literacy education community. It honors the contributions of outstanding educators who have worked in the field for years, while also recognizing innovative newcomers with great potential for impact. Both are needed to create educational spaces our young people deserve. It’s inspiring and motivating to learn about the people who are doing great things for literacy education

Lori Bruner

Assistant Professor of Early Literacy, University of Alabama
Timothy & Cynthia Shanahan Outstanding Dissertation Award, 2023
Jeanne S. Chall Research Fellowship, 2021

How did receiving an award from the International Literacy Association (ILA) impact you both personally and professionally?

I received both awards at the beginning of my academic career. In both cases, these awards encouraged me to stay focused on my line of research and keep working hard in that direction. In addition, both awards have opened doors for me professionally. For instance, the Jeanne S. Chall Research Fellowship was my first external grant, and it was so helpful to have this experience while on the job market during the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you were nominated by a mentor or colleague, do you know who nominated you? What impact has this person had on your career?

Neither of my awards required a nomination, but my graduate school advisor, Tanya Wright, introduced me to the ILA awards and grants program. She deserves all the credit for both awards and for encouraging me to pursue my current line of research. In the early stages of graduate school, she told me, “People love good ideas.” This advice helped me focus on my own research interests and passions instead of trying to assess what others might think is important—a distinction I still carry with me today.

Can you share a specific project or initiative that was made possible through the support of the award/grant, and how it has contributed to advancing literacy education?

The Jeanne S. Chall Research Fellowship allowed me to expand the scope of my dissertation and recruit more participants for my study. As a result, I was able to record 156 read-aloud sessions with caregivers and their preschool children—a large dataset that has been invaluable at the start of my career. One of the most exciting projects to grow from this dataset has been a comprehensive look at the types of conversations caregivers have with their young children during read-alouds and how their conversational moves compare between printed books and digital stories. This work has contributed new information about how caregivers read digital stories and provided a more nuanced look at previous research findings.

Have there been any unexpected benefits or outcomes as a result of receiving the award/grant that you didn’t anticipate?

One of the most rewarding benefits has been developing relationships with members of the ILA leadership team. I’ve had the chance to interact with people I might not have met otherwise! Through these conversations, I’ve been invited to be an Editorial Review Board member for Reading Research Quarterly, contribute two articles to Literacy Today magazine, and share information for an EdWeek report on digital reading.   

For educators and researchers considering applying for the current awards and grants submissions period, what advice or insights would you offer based on your experience?

My biggest advice is to go for it! If you meet the eligibility for an award, there is nothing to lose by applying. It always seems risky to put yourself out there, but remember what brought you to your work in the first place and that these experiences are valuable—both to yourself and to others. Once you start the application, it’s helpful to clearly define the rationale for your work and to be specific about how you see yourself contributing to research and practice.

Karis Jones

Assistant Professor of ELA Education, Empire State University – SUNY
Helen M. Robinson Grant, 2020

How did receiving an award from the International Literacy Association (ILA) impact you both personally and professionally?

I was thrilled to receive the Helen M. Robinson grant. It was the first time my dissertation was recognized as having potential to impact the field. Now I have many pieces published from it in practitioner and research journals!

Can you share a specific project or initiative that was made possible through the support of the award/grant, and how it has contributed to advancing literacy education?

This award supported my dissertation process. Not only did it help me to transcribe my data quickly so I could move on to analysis but also it was great to be able to highlight the award on the job market!

How do you believe ILA’s awards and grants program contributes to raising awareness about the importance of literacy and its impact on individuals and communities?

I appreciated the committee’s commitment to equity and their willingness to recognize literacy projects that attend to cultural relevance and social justice.