The National Science Teachers of America (NSTA) and the International Reading Association are teaming up to promote the importance of literacy in science education. The NSTA Area Conference on Science Education is Oct. 16-18 at the Greater Richmond Conference Center in Richmond, VA. Science and literacy are important partners, experts say, and teachers need more training to address the connection. On the final day of the conference, an entire series of sessions will focus on how literacy is vital to deep science learning.
NSTA and IRA will convene a panel to kick off the day’s sessions. As the day goes on, the series of sesions will also feature a panel of eight award-winning authors affiliated with the NSTA and American Association for the Advancement of Science to meet with families and discuss literacy through a scientific perspective.
Juliana Texley, President of the NSTA, says the motivation of science will encourage students to improve their reading skills, while great literature extends the ways in which students can apply their understanding of science.
“Children approach science from many backgrounds, perspectives and learning styles. Great literature challenges the imagination, extends and deepens concepts,” Texley said. “The whole child benefits when great literature is used to put active learning in context. We must not only learn science but communicate it!”
Saturday morning, IRA Exective Director Marcie Craig Post and Bill Badders, retiring president for the NSTA, plan to talk about literacy in the context of science. The pair is expected to provide concrete examples of the connection between the two areas.
“We know literacy is the foundation of all learning,” Post says, “and that all teachers are educators of literacy, in every content area.
“IRA supports teachers in every classroom, to deepen cross-curricular learning, and to make all students career and college ready.”
Other area NSTA conferences are ongoing through the Fall. Registration for the full Richmond conference and for single days is still open.
Morgan Ratner is a communications intern for the International Reading Association.