This year's International Reading Association (IRA) Annual Convention is a professional development event that cannot be missed. Here are a few of the hundreds of informative sessions that deal with "hot topics" effecting reading teachers and specialists.
LITERACY AND LEARNING
On Tuesday, May 1, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., Michael Grave from the University of Minnesota (Emeritus) and James Baumann, University of Missouri-Columbia present Words, Words Everywhere; But Which Ones Do We Teach? Insights from the Multi-faceted, Comprehensive Vocabulary Instructional Program and Beyond. That day at 11:00 a.m., join Deborah Shefren and Sarah Weisberg for The Forgotten Literacy: Importance of Talk in the Primary Grades.
LITERACY AND TECHNOLOGY
At 11:00 a.m. on Monday, April 30, Kristin Ziemke Fastabend from Chicago Public Schools presents The 21st Century Literacy Workshop—Using iPads to promote reading, writing and collaboration in the primary classroom, and Tamie Lynn Pratt-Fartro from the University of Mary Washington and Kristina DeWitt from Liberty University present You Want Me to Blog in PE? A Study of How Adolescents Skillfully Make Connections between In-School Learning and Out-of-School Living at 3:00 p.m. that day.
TEACHING ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS (ELL)
Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey from San Diego State University present Implementing RTI with English Learners on Monday, April 30, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. On Tuesday, May 1, at 11:00 a.m., come to Enhancing Adolescent English Language Learners’ Literacy and Identity Development through the Approach of Writers’ Workshop with Elizabeth C. Lewis and Lauren M. Amoros from Dickinson College.
ASSESSMENT
Attend Making the Most of Writer’s Workshop: Conferencing with Students Keeping the Common Core in Mind with Sarah Cordova from the Distinctive Educator’s Institute on Monday, April 30, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. Scott Filkins and Christopher Belt from Central High School in Champaign, Illinois, present Using IRA/NCTE Standards for Assessment and the Common Core Standards to Assess Secondary Readers for Learning and Growth on Wednesday, May 2, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
TEACHING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN READING AND WRITING
On Tuesday, May 1, at 11:00 a.m., join Beth Olshansky from the University of New Hampshire for Picturing Writing: Engaging Diverse Learners by Treating Pictures and Words as Equal Languages for Learning. And on Wednesday, May 2, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., Jauquita Hargus from Texas A&M University-Texarkana speaks about Integrating Reading and Writing: Using Children’s Literature as Model Texts to Study Author’s Craft to Develop Critical Writing Skills.
These are just a few of the hundreds of sessions at the IRA 57th Annual Convention in Chicago from April 29 through May 2, 2012. Dates and times are subject to change. Visit the Annual Convention itinerary planner/program grid online tool for updated information. For more details or to register, visit www.iraconvention.org.
This article was printed in the February/March 2012 issue of Reading Today. Click here for more information about viewing the digital versions of Reading Today issues.