Literacy Now

Registration is open for the 2014 International Reading Association Council Leadership Academy from July 10-13 in Tampa, Florida. This  event is a unique opportunity for council leaders—and council members looking to make more of a difference in their communities—to learn the ins and outs of nonprofit management and to network with peers from across the U.S. and Canada. Attendees will learn best practices in membership marketing, finances, governance, communications, advocacy, and more.

Professional Development Program

The program begins on the evening of Thursday, July 10 with a keynote address from IRA Executive Director Marcie Craig Post followed by a networking reception. On Friday, “learning track” sessions begin. Attendees will be assigned to one of two tracks based on leadership experience. The “Strategic Planning 101” track is for beginners, and the “Organizational Management 201” track is for intermediate. Both tracks will attend sessions with Marcie Craig Post and IRA Director of Finance Linda Marston and with IRA Council Advisors Angela Rivell and Tiffany Sears.

Lunch on Friday features speaker Fred Wheeler, Assistant Vice President of Forrest T. Jones & Company. Forrest T. Jones & Company is the administrator for the Trust for Insuring Educators (TIE), through which the IRA Member Insurance Program is offered. The TIE insurance program consists of more than a dozen insurance plans, including life, accident, disability, health, long-term care, auto and professional liability coverages underwritten by some of the nation's leading insurance companies. Many plans are specially designed for educators, with features, benefits, and rates not readily available elsewhere in the market.

Programming continues after lunch with “Role-Alike Sessions,” where attendees can network and learn with council members with similar responsibilities and job positions. Attendees are asked to choose one role that is most closely related to their current or desired Council board position/activity on the registration form. There will be sessions for Council Presidents and Vice Presidents, Council Treasurers, State Coordinators, Legislative Chairs, and Directors of Membership Development.

Then attendees choose from the following topics for two “Choice Sessions:” advocacy, leadership, meeting planning, and IRA/ILA information. The same content will be given in Session #1 and Session #2, so we recommend choosing a different topic for each. The sessions are presented in a lecture format with short break-outs.

Friday afternoon concludes with presentations on IRA council updates from Rivell and Sears. After that, attendees are free to go out to dinner with their colleagues and to network with other attendees.

After we serve breakfast on Saturday morning, attendees launch into learning track sessions with IRA Associate Executive Director Stephen Sye and IRA Senior Writer and Content Strategist Lara Deloza. Each session will be a combination of lecture and break-out/small group activities.

After a group lunch, attendees continue with “Learning Labs,” where they participate in hands-on activities in strategic planning, financial planning, membership, communications, governance, and advocacy. Learning Labs are 100% hands-on, with no lecture. Bring your Council issues—areas of concern, questions, and problems. Facilitators will provide face-to-face, hands-on problem-solving assistance. Attendees may choose the same topic for both Learning Labs if they want to focus on a single issue over two hours. 

The weekend concludes with the Council Academy Awards including a group dinner and presentation of several new awards for councils.

Enjoy the Benefits of a Brand New Facility

The Council Leadership Academy will be held at the recently renovated Sheraton Tampa East Hotel. All traditional guest rooms feature an outdoor balcony, and the hotel amenities include tennis courts, a fitness center, a pool, and the Panfilos Restaurant.

Reserve your room by June 18, 2014 to receive the special CLA rate of $109/night. Call 1-888-627-8169 and provide group booking code IRJ09A or reserve online at /CLA14hotel.

How to Register

Visit /cla14 for more details, the registration form, and a flier to share with colleagues. The registration form asks you to choose your two Choice Sessions and two Learning Labs in advance, so that IRA can plan room sizes and amenities. Registration forms can be faxed to (302) 737-0878 or mailed to CLA, International Reading Association, 800 Barksdale Road, Newark, DE 19711. For more information, call (800) 336-7323 or e-mail customerservice@/.

Sara Long is an editor/content manager at the International Reading Association.

Affective Reading Education Journal (AREJ) is a peer-reviewed journal published once or twice a year by CARE (Concern for Affect in Reading Education), a Special Interest Group of the International Reading Association. The Journal accepts articles pertaining to the affective domain of reading and other facets of literacy, including experimental and descriptive studies, literature reviews, theoretical papers, and descriptions of innovative teaching practices. Submissions for peer review are adjudicated by editor Janet Finke. Submissions must be received no later than March 1 for consideration in the 2014 AREJ. 

CARE Membership

Membership in CARE is open to all members of the International Reading Association and other interested persons. Authors need not be members of CARE to submit manuscripts for review. However, membership in CARE will be required of authors whose manuscripts are accepted for publication. When the manuscript is accepted, non-members will be given information about joining CARE. Membership dues are currently $15.00 per year.

Manuscript Form and Style

All manuscripts must be submitted via e-mail. Authors should use the guidelines for style and format given in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th Edition). Text should be double-spaced in 12-point font using Microsoft Word and any images should be submitted in tif or jpg format. Manuscripts should be no longer than 12 pages (including tables, figures, and images) in length.

Submissions should include:

• Cover letter, including your name and affiliation (as you would have them published) and your mailing and e-mail addresses. Any coauthors should be listed in preferred order, with name, affiliation, and contact information.
• Abstract of 150 words, written in the third person and without citations.
• One blinded copy of the manuscript.
• Tables and figures in separate file(s) 

The editor/s reserves the right to edit papers for style without author preview.

Dr. Janet Finke is the editor of the Affective Reading Education Journal and a professor at Central Washington University, finkej@cwu.edu.

The International Reading Association's Literacy and Social Responsibility Special Interest Group (SIG) awarded the first annual Social Justice Literature Awards at the International Reading Association’s 2013 conference in San Antonio, Texas. The Award was given to two books: The House on Dirty-Third Street by Jo S. Kittinger and illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez for Best Picture Book and Summer on the Moon by Adrian Fogelin for Best Non-Picture Book.

The Literacy and Social Responsibility SIG created this award to highlight children’s and young adult literature that illustrates qualities of social justice. The award is the result of a year-long process of the SIG. This process included selecting co-chairs Carolyn Cook, Kenneth Fasching-Varner, and Aimee Rogers; developing criteria for evaluating nominated texts; reviewing all entries; and coming to a final decision. The main categories created were Picture Books and Non-Picture Books with the potential subcategories of poetry, narrative and nonfiction. The committee was supported by the generous mentoring of Alma Flor Ada and Isabel Campoy, both of whom have experience with similar book awards.

The award committee selected the top 10% of the nominations received from publishers. In reviewing texts the committee considered two principles: recognition of the literary and artistic qualities of the text, as well as the reader response. With respect to literary and artistic qualities, texts were evaluated on how they fostered respect and understanding of diverse populations, promoted social responsibility (including equity, justice, and peace), presented social issues in their complexity, and addressed social responsibility towards individuals, communities, societies and/or the environment.  With respect to reader response, books were evaluated for the extent to which the text invites reflection and socially responsible action by the reader. Furthermore, in the reader response the committee judged how the text encourages the analysis of past injustices showing possible alternatives and/or challenges and how the text opens the reader’s imagination to other possibilities. Lastly, the committee considered the appeal of the text to the targeted readers.

Selected Picture Book

The House on Dirty-Third Street by Jo S. Kittinger and illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez
Peachtree Publishers, 2012, 32 pp.
ISBN 978-1561456192
Age Range: 4-8

In The House on Dirty-Third Street, a mother and her daughter have just moved into a different house to get a new start. As a result of limited income, it is located in an uninviting neighborhood. They spend much time and energy cleaning the house and yard, but they are discouraged because there is so much work to be done. People appear to paint and repair the house. Through the help of the community the house soon lives up to the visions mom had when she bought it. The double-page illustrations pull the reader into the emotions of the story. The illustrations are rendered in dull colors which gradually brighten as things improve for the mother and daughter. The reader understands life as a single mom and sees the power of faith and a giving community.

Selected Non-picture Book

Summer on the Moon by Adrian Fogelin
Peachtree Publishers, 2012, 256 pp.
ISBN 978-1561456260
Age Range: 9-12

In Summer on the Moon, summer vacation is just beginning for Socko and his best friend Damien. The first problem is dealing with Rapp, the leader of the local gang and neighborhood bully. However the best the friends can do is to postpone, but not solve the problem of Rapp. The next problem comes when mom unexpectedly moves Socko away from this bad neighborhood to Moon Ridge Estates, a half-built housing development. Socko is lost without Damien and the comfort of his former neighborhood. He spends his time taking care of his grumpy great-grandfather, the General. With this new responsibility and his deepening understanding of the situation at Moon Ridge Estates, Socko discovers that it is not where one lives that determines one’s character, but rather one’s actions. In addition, the reader learns with Socko the power found in family and friends no matter where you live.

2014 Committee and Award

The Committee is currently taking nominations from publishers for the 2014 award. Please contact Carolyn (cook@msmary.edu), Kenny (varner@lsu.edu), or Aimee (aimeearogers@gmail.com) with book submissions or questions. The 2014 committee will consist of Sarah Harrison-Burns, Patricia Dean, Zanthia Smith, Denise Stuart, and Joyce Wheaton. Nominations for the 2015 committee are also being taken. The committee will proceed with members rotating off after a multi-year commitment.

I was thrilled to discover that the 18th European Reading Conference was going to be hosted by the Swedish Council of the International Reading Association (IRA) and held in Jonkoping, Sweden. Visiting Sweden and learning more about how the world reads were two items on my must do list. As an added bonus, members of IRA’s Diversity Learning Committee, Wendy C. Kasten, Diana Sisson and I, presented on “Diversity in United States Teacher Education Programs in Literacy and Reading: A Nationwide Investigative Study” (Kasten, Sharma & Sisson, 2013).

Sisson, Kasten, and Sharma


Boat Tour


Sue Ann Sharma

In between fulfilling these aspirations, the conference itinerary included superb keynotes, new report findings, and rich conversations. Here are some impressions for anyone considering participating in an IRA affiliated conference in a distant country.

Exploring Jönköping

Jönköping is Sweden’s 9th most populated city. It is known for it matchstick industry 1845-1970 and home to ABBA’s group member, Agnetha Faltskog. When arriving via a three-hour train ride from Stockholm, the city can be spotted nestled against Lake Vättern, Sweden’s 2nd largest lake. The Sommarstället Munksjön’s boat ride is a must. Waiting to be explored are the many different shops from antique to hip. Taste an array of ethnic cuisine among the city’s 85 restaurants. The cuisine is indicative of the diversity in this university town, which has attracted 1500 students from over 65 countries. The food and people of Jönköping will capture your heart.

How the World Reads: New Challenges, New Literacies, Global Context

Mirroring the international students that attend Jönköping University, teachers and teacher educators from around the world gathered together to learn and have grand conversations about contextual issues related to 21st Century literacy practices. My fingers couldn’t keep up as I tried to capture every word of the variety of literacy aspects being addressed during the plenary sessions. Here’s a glimpse at both European and American context.

European Context

Insights gleaned from Digital Futures: Learning and Teaching Literacy in the Digital Age affirmed for me that teachers worldwide are meeting the challenges of new media literacies in many different ways. During this lecture, Jackie Marsh, from the University of Sheffield, United Kingdom, shared some unique ways in which children use virtual worlds. Examples included children selecting a bedtime story from QR codes on pajamas and the blurring of online/offline classroom investigations in which children retrieve information from QR codes placed on trees.

American Context

While sharing results from several online research projects, Donald Leu, from University of Connecticut, United States, helped us contextualize the social practices of literacy in a digital age using the dual level theory of new literacies (Leu, Kinzer, Coiro, Castel, & Henry, 2013). The dual level theory of new literacies focuses on trends and patterns emerging from “Upper Case New Literacies,” based on common findings from localized and domain-specific “lower case new literacies” such as social interactions occurring with text messaging. The Digital Futures in Teacher Education Project and Online Research and Comprehension Assessment (ORAC) projects promote new insights in both theory and practices that prepare teachers and students for the future.

Creating Opportunities for International Collaboration

Literacy topics across nine strands framed the parallel sessions and verified for me common literacy challenges being addressed worldwide including “The Third Progress in International Literacy Study (PIRLS)” report which revealed information on international trends in reading achievement in fourth graders from 49 countries. In response to the adolescent reading difficulties made evident by the PISA studies, an international team formed to address the lack of reading instruction across the curriculum. This collaboration resulted in the European Comenius Project: “BaCuLIt” – Basic Curriculum for Teachers’ In-Service Training in Content Area Literacy in Secondary Schools.

International Teacher Educator Exchange

As Americans, we know our classrooms are becoming increasingly more diverse. However, I can now testify from the discussion with teacher educators from around the world, that this is the case worldwide. Ultimately, this conference heightened my curiosity about addressing the complexities teachers face when meeting the diverse needs of learners globally.

Final Thoughts

I loved the learning that took place during breaks and lunch. These informal interludes held their own charm. They provided time for thoughtful dialogue concerning teacher educational programs around the world while sipping tea with colleagues from countries such as Australia, Turkey, and Russia.

The European Reading Conference was an incredible experience.  I discovered    many admirable literacy practices.   Mark your calendar for the 19th European Reading Conference.  In 2015 this biennial will be held in Klagenfurt, Austria.

References

Leu, D. J. (2013, August). New literacies of online research and comprehension: Reading with a lens to the future as well as a lens to the past. Paper presented at the 18th European Reading Conference. Jönköping, Sweden. Retrieved from. http://www.slideshare.net/djleu/18th-european-conference-on-reading-scira-25083475.

Leu, D. J. (2013, August). Online reading comprehension assessment. Paper presented at the 18th European Reading Conference. Jönköping, Sweden. Retrieved from. http://www.orca.uconn.edu/

Marsh, J. (2013, August). Digital futures: learning and teaching literacy in a digital age. Paper presented at the 18th European Reading Conference. Jönköping, Sweden. Retrieved from. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/ed1jam/ecor-marsh

Marsh, J. (2013, August). Digital futures in teacher education.  Paper presented at the 18th European Reading Conference. Jönköping, Sweden. Retrieved from http://www.digitalfutures.org/.
Institute for German Language and Literature II, University of Cologne, Germany (2013). BaCuLit. Retrieved from http://www.alinet.eu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=53&Itemid=50

International Development in European Committee of the International Reading Association (2013). 19th European Reading Conference. Retrieved from http://www.literacyeurope.org/meetings-conferences/european-conferences/

International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), 2011. Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pirls/pirls2011.asp

Kasten, W. C., Sharma, S. A., Sisson, D. (2013, August). Diversity in United States teacher education programs in literacy and reading: A nationwide investigative study. Paper presented at the 18th European Reading Conference. Jönköping, Sweden.

Leu, D. J., Kinzer, C.K., Coiro, J., Castek, J., Henry, L.A. (2013). New literacies: A dual level theory of the changing nature of literacy, instruction, and assessment. In N. Unrau & D. Alvermann (Ed.s), Theoretical models and processes of reading (6th ed., pp. 1150-1181). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

Sue Ann Sharma is a visiting assistant professor at Oakland University in Michigan, dr.sueann@gmail.com.

This article is an addendum to an article from the October/November 2013 issue of Reading Today. IRA members can read the interactive digital version of the magazine here. Nonmembers: join today!