Literacy Now

Educators from all around Asia recently gathered for the 2011 Asian Literacy Conference in Penang, Malaysia. International Reading Association (IRA) Global Operations Unit staff, in conjunction with the Chair for the International Development in Asia Committee (IDAC), organized a full day leadership workshop on October 11, 2011, at the Berjaya Georgetown Hotel. The main focus of the leadership workshop was to encourage council and affiliate leaders in Asia to work on literacy leadership and capacity building activities for their organizations and to take advantage of the IRA resources available to members.

In attendance were representatives from Bangladesh, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand, as well as the IDAC Chair Ms. Merlene Alon from the Philippines, former board members Rizalina Labanda and Dr. Maryanne Manning, Amy Awbrey Pallangyo (Project Manager of the IRA-GLPDN project), and three members of the IRA Global Operations staff, Sakil Malik, Amy Kushner, and Elizabeth Ndungu.

The leadership workshop included various topics such as: modeling and mentoring in leadership, capacity building, and membership development. The participants were also updated on the new IRA member network Engage as well as other online resources available to IRA committees. The IDAC committee members were presented with a handbook to guide them on IRA’s online resources and a guide to IRA awards and grants.

The workshop also featured a session on work plan development and affiliate capacity building presented by the Global Operations Unit director, Sakil Malik. Amy Awbrey facilitated the session on modeling and mentoring in leadership, and former board members Rizalina Labanda and Dr. Maryanne Manning presented on IRA’s Strategic Plan, membership development, and Celebrating Literacy Leadership around the World.

Preceding the leadership workshop was the IDAC business meeting conducted by IDAC Chair Ms. Merlene Alon. Participants discussed issues concerning the national affiliates in Asia, future national and regional conferences, and promising contacts and potential new affi liates in Timor-Leste, Nepal, Iraq, and Iran.

Pictured above: Sally Labanda

Leaders from the IRA’s International Development in Asia Committee (IDAC) and IRA staff met in Penang, Malaysia

This article was re-published from the December 2011/January 2012 print issue of Reading Today. Get news faster -- join IRA today!

Busy with preparations for their "February Fling" conference on the fourth, Nancy Nix of the Alabama Reading Association took some time to answer questions about the council's activities.

1. Are you especially proud of any of your council's projects?

Yes, we are very proud of our annual Fall Conference held every November. We are also very proud of our peer reviewed journal, The Reading Paradigm. This journal is published every year. We are also very proud that our local councils participate in the Honor Council program.

2. What are the benefits of joining your council?

We have a strong contact with our state department of education. A benefit is being able to be on the very edge of reading education in the state of Alabama. We have a very low membership fee and many opportunities to network with universities and local councils. We have a newsletter published on our website three times a year and a peer-reviewed journal that is printed once a year.

3. Are there any future projects in store for your council?

Our most exciting new project is our one day drive in professional development opportunity that we’ve entitled “The February Fling.” This year we are hosting Patrick Allen and Cris Tovani.

4. How does one join your council?

You can join our council by going to our website at Alabama-/ to contact our Membership chairperson, Catherine Johnson.

5. Is there a website, newsletter, or another way to find more information about your council? Is there a person that prospective members can contact?

Yes, our website at Alabama-/ has our newsletter and ways to contact all of our executive board members.

IRA Board Member Dr. Kathy Headley, current ARA President Peggy Teel, and IRA Representative Rayann Mitchell

IRA Exemplary Reading Award Winners with Sandy Luster, Chair of the committee

ARA Reading Teachers of the Year

Nancy Nix speaks at the Alabama Reading Association Conference in November 2011.

Current Council President Deborah Setliff shares news about the Tennessee Reading Association's projects, which include scholarships, grants, a new website, and their annual conference in December.

1. Are you especially proud of any of your council’s projects?

Although we are facing repercussions (as is everyone) from our national financial situation our state board strongly believes in continuing our focus on membership scholarships, grants, and award opportunities. Some of these opportunities include the following: 

• TRA State Conference Scholarship
• Academic Scholarship
• Community Service Project Grants
• Reading Improvement Grants
• Support Storytelling Grants
• Celebrate Literacy
• Newspaper in Education
• Recognition of  outstanding literacy professionals
• Honor Councils

Another project we are proud of this year is the publication of a new website www.tnreads.org for our state council. This is helping with the issue of communication between councils and state officers as well as members and nonmembers. The site provides past journal and newsletter issues, information and registration access to our yearly conference, committee information and forms, and application forms needed for applying for the numerous scholarships and grants we offer each year.

The last project that I am extremely proud of and that I started at last year’s conference was increasing the involvement of preservice and inservice students in the organization by offering them free membership and conference fees by volunteering their time working at the conference as Student Ambassadors. Last year we had thirteen students, this year we have twenty five students who are becoming involved in the organization by volunteering their time.

2. What are the benefits of joining your council?

Benefits include the aforementioned grants, scholarships, and awards. Members also receive three online newsletters each year providing them information on local and state issues and usually a professional literacy article or tidbit as well. In the past members received two issues of our peer-reviewed professional journal, Tennessee Reading Teacher. This year members will receive one hard copy journal. Our yearly conference fees are also reduced for our members. The conference co-chairs, Kathy Brashears and Jana Crosby and their spectacular team of volunteers have been busy for the past eight months planning and setting up an excellent conference agenda. The Conference title says it all: Literacy…Pass it On!

3. Are there any future projects in store for your council?

Our board is beginning to see the value of student involvement and will be discussing at our December board meeting implementing a separate student membership fee. Several local councils are already cutting their own local membership fee allowing students to join their local councils. I have also challenged the local Presidents this year to mentor at least one new teacher by offering them waived membership fees and providing them physical support during their first year or two as a novice classroom teacher. As you all remember, that is an especially trying time for every new teacher and I feel that should be a part of our involvement in the schools. By mentoring new teachers we are helping facilitate their transition into becoming literacy professionals.

4. How does one join your council?

Each of our fourteen active local councils have a membership director who is available to send application forms or answer questions. Although new members can join any of the local councils most want to join a council that is close to their home or school. Jill Barnett, state membership director can guide newcomers to their choice of active councils. Eventually our goal is to have this information on our website so that new members or renewing members can be in control of this process.

5. Is there a website, newsletter, or another way to find out more information about your council? Is there a person that prospective members can contact?

The new TRA website www.tnreads.org is the perfect resource for finding out information about the state and local councils. Past journals and newsletters are available as well. Prospective members can contact Jill Barnett, TRA Membership Director at barnettj@charter.net or myself Deborah Setliff, 2011-2012 TRA President at dsetliff@tntech.edu.

Photo caption of installation of 2011-2012 Board: Back row from left to right: Melissa Brock, Immediate Past President; Deborah Setliff, President; Randy Kincaid, State Coordinator; Kathy Brashers, President-Elect;Lou Ann Walker, Treasurer; Elinor Ross, District Coordinator; Vickie Manus, District Coordinator; betty Denton, District Coordinator;Kay Watts, District Coordinator; Front Row from left to right: Jana Crosby; Conference Co-chair; Jill Barnett, Membership Director; Imagene Reagan, Immediate Past Membership Director; Angel Viera, Vice President. Not shown: Nancy Carter, Corresponding Secretary; Anita Armstrong, Recording Secretary; and Sandra Hitt-Smith, Treasurer Elect.

by Wendy Carss

As the result of a valuable partnership between Scholastic New Zealand and the New Zealand Reading Association (NZRA), $NZ6,895 worth of quality children’s books are now on their way to schools in Samoa. These books were donated during the recent successful NZRA conference “A Literacy Explosion” held in Rotorua, NZ in mid-July. Conference attendees were able to purchase books from the specially set up Scholastic stands to donate to the Samoan project. For every book purchased Scholastic contributed a book of equal value to the cause. Scholastic then packaged up the books and paid the freight costs involved in shipping to Samoa.

On arrival in Samoa, distribution will be organized by Dinah Iusitini, Primary Inclusive Education advisor for SENESE Inclusive Education Services in Samoa, and a member of the International Development in Oceania committee (IDOC). The books will be divided among Samatau Primary School, Senese Secondary School, and Vailuutai Primary School.

Donna Lene, director of SENESE, is thrilled at the infusion of books. “This is going to be fantastic as we have an increasing number of schools that we are working in, and we see the need for quality literature in these schools to assist all children to develop a love for reading. We have some great principals in Savaii now and would love to reward them for their great work with a chance to improve their libraries. Thank you once again for your hard work and efforts to assist Samoa.”

Ongoing Relationship with Scholastic

This year’s donations are part of an ongoing partnership in the Books for Oceania project established in 2007 through collaboration between Rob Southam at Scholastic New Zealand, and Wendy Carss, currently President of NZRA and a member of the IDOC. Rob is also the Auckland Reading Association’s delegate and, as such, was well aware of the distribution problems experienced with some of the earlier attempts to distribute books from conferences throughout the Pacific region. One year, the books failed to arrive at their destination, and other times, unexpected costs associated with Saleapaga Primary School in Samoa with donations made at the World Congress on Reading in Auckland customs duty have made it difficult for recipients to lift the books off the docks once they arrived. Such problems have now been eradicated through utilization of Scholastic’s established freight procedures and contacts. The added bonus of having the donations of conference attendees doubled through Scholastic’s contributions makes this a benefi cial partnership that both contributors are keen to continue.

As Rob Southam explains, “Scholastic is proud to partner with NZRA in this unique and exciting project, bringing books to the children of Oceania, and supporting our Oceania colleagues. The books we send help ensure that Oceania children are exposed to a wide range of the latest books that will engage them and inspire them in their path to lifetime readership.”

The project has now become an expected event at NZRA conferences, and several New Zealand regional reading councils now set aside funds in their annual budget to purchase books at conference. Members of the council hosting the annual conference liaise with Rob and her staff to supervise the book stands and manage transactions.

Selecting Recipients and Qualifying Donated Items

Each year recipients for the books within the Oceania region are identified through consultation with IDOC committee members. Last year donations by those attending the IRA World Congress on Reading in Auckland, New Zealand, enabled $16,424.70 to be sent to schools affected by tsunamis in Aitutaki, Cook Islands, and Samoa. The School of Education library at the Solomon Islands College of Higher Education, Veiuto School in Fiji, and schools in Niue have also benefitted in the past.

Both NZRA and Scholastic New Zealand are mindful of the need to adhere to the IRA Resolution on book donations to economically developing nations which states that donations “should be limited to high quality recently published books and other literacy materials that will meet the actual needs of the receiving communities.”

We would like to publicly thank all those who have generously contributed to this project over the past five years and we look forward to your continued support in the future.

Wendy Carss is the President of the New Zealand Reading Association (NZRA) and in the Incoming Chair of the International Reading Association’s International Development in Oceania Committee (IDOC). She is on the Faculty of Education at the University of Waikato in New Zealand.

The International Reading Association (IRA) Oceana Affiliates

Global Operations at IRA

Their proximity to Washington, DC, isn’t the only thing that gives the members of the State of Maryland International Reading Association Council (SoMIRAC) their passion for policy. This council, which is over 40 years old and over 1,800 members strong, boasts many active movers and shakers who invest in the future of literacy in many ways. The following two articles exemplify Maryland’s unique legislative efforts. Visit www.somirac.org to fi nd out more about SoMIRAC.

Dr. Suzanne Clewell shares that the Government Relations Committee of SoMIRAC has been actively involved in promoting literacy causes through outreach to both the US Congress and the Maryland General Assembly over the past ten years. Recently, they met with members of Congress and have communicated with them regarding the landmark literacy bill called LEARN Act, Literacy Education for All, Results for the Nation. This legislation responds to the clear need for literacy instruction and high quality support for students at all ages (birth to grade 12) to ensure that students have the literacy skills to succeed in school and their future careers. It provides for comprehensive literacy programs as well as professional development opportunities for instructional staff. Finally, this act supports promising and innovative practices to improve literacy and writing, especially for students reading and writing below grade level.

The Committee has also advocated for the rewriting of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and the inclusion of assessmentsthat inform instruction. Although this legislation has not been reauthorized in three years, they are hopeful that fl exibility with federal funding and multiple methods of assessment will be a part of ESEA. In the past, the Committee has been successful with advocacy for many bills including the Early Learning Challenge Fund and the Educator Jobs Bill. Their voice has also been strong with the Maryland General Assembly when they meet with delegates and communicate concerns. They are pleased to see the results of the educator effectiveness academies with Race to the Top and are heartened to see the importance of critical thinking in the Common Core Standards and in Maryland counties’ curricular alignments. Currently, the Government Relations Committee has posted a policy statement of formative assessment that aligns with the Common Core Standards on their website (at www.somirac.org).

Through their work, they are continually striving for the improvement of literacy education and for student selfrefl ection that leads to lifelong learning.

Dr. Suzanne Clewell is the IRA and SoMIRAC Government Relations Chairperson, and is the former Coordinator of Reading for Montgomery County Public Schools, MD.

Dr. Carolyn L. Cook explains that Literacy Educators of Maryland (LEM) is a special interest group of SoMIRAC that acts as a liaison between SoMIRAC and the higher education community of the state. Carolyn Cook from Mount St. Mary’s University chairs this committee of dedicated faculty from various universities across the state. The value of IRA and SoMIRAC is immeasurable for staying current with literacy policies and practices. Involvement in these organizations is vital for higher educators because they produce research and train future teachers. SoMIRAC becomes the platform for connecting research from higher education with teachers in today’s classrooms and for introducing pre-service teachers to quality professional development. LEM is the bridge for this interaction to occur.

LEM’s goals are to increase SoMIRAC membership, to involve pre-service teachers in professional development, and to create a teacher education strand at the annual conference. The committee divides the state’s higher education institutions among its members and personally sends emails with information about SoMIRAC’s membership and conference. Receiving regular emails from the same person concerning SoMIRAC personalizes the connection. In this way, it is much easier for the professor to make an inquiry about the event or the organization. With the support of the SoMIRAC president and board, our goals were met last year. At the annual conference committee members and their students or colleagues presented nine concurrent sessions and one feature session which enabled LEM to create a higher education strand. SoMIRAC was awarded the IRA Gold Award for increased student membership. This successful year encouraged the committee members to strive even more to reach out to faculty and students in Maryland higher education institutions.

This year LEM continues with its goals to increase membership and participation in SoMIRAC. The 2012 annual conference is spotlighting Poster Sessions so that university students can share their literacy research with teachers across the state. The committee will invite professors to encourage their students to share their action research. Carolyn Cook looks forward to working with LEM’s committee members: Glynis Barber from Coppin University, Kelly Bull from Notre Dame of Maryland University, Cheryl North-Coleman and Nancy Rankie Shelton from University of Maryland Baltimore Campus, Patricia Dean from Salisbury University, Vicki McQuitty from Towson University, Debra Miller from McDaniel College, and Joyce Wheaton from Frostburg State University as they unite literacy professors across the state of Maryland.

Dr. Carolyn Cook, an assistant professor in the School of Education and Human Services, teaches reading courses to graduate and undergraduate students at Mount St. Mary’s University.

Photos:

SoMIRAC President Donna Michel and Second Vice-President Gayle Glick accepting the Honor Council award at the 2011 IRA Annual Convention

Members of the Government Relations Committee at their symposium at the 2011 IRA Annual Convention: Julie Collins from the Oklahoma Reading Association, Suzanne Clewell from SoMIRAC, Cynthia Clingman from the Michigan Reading Assocation, and Pam Hamman from
the Oklahoma Reading Association

Carolyn Cook and Mount St. Mary’s University senior elementary education students Ellen Rocha, Elizabeth Smith and Selene Rayho presented “Motivating Students to Write: The Sky is the Limit” at SoMIRAC Conference 2011