Literacy Now

The International Literacy Association (ILA) today announced the results of the ILA 2022 Board Election.

Kia Brown-Dudley, director of Programs and Partnerships for The Education Partners, is the newly elected vice president of the ILA Board of Directors. Brown-Dudley, currently a member-at-large, serves as the chair of the Program Committee and cochair of the Equity and Social Justice Committee, as well as a member on both the Global and Finance committees. Brown-Dudley’s new term begins July 1, 2022, and she will assume the presidency of the Board on July 1, 2023.

An ILA member since 1997, Brown-Dudley began her career as a teacher in the New York City Department of Education. Her expertise includes leading blended professional learning, developing research-based reading programs and directing national initiatives advocating for transparency and equity in pre-K–12 education. She is the author of the family guide Read and Rise: Preparing Our Children for a Lifetime of Success and has collaborated with organizations such as Boys’ Club of New York, Reading Is Fundamental and the National Urban League in service of family and community literacy empowerment.

Through her position with The Education Partners, Brown-Dudley works with educators and leading organizations to create and deliver transformational curricula and professional learning opportunities to improve student outcomes in literacy and early childhood education.

“I am energized to take on the role of vice president,” Brown-Dudley said. “Over the past three years, I have witnessed ILA transform, adapting to the evolving landscape to meet the needs of literacy educators and advocates. I look forward to working with the ILA community as we create more opportunities to empower and give greater agency to our global constituency to achieve our mission—to improve the quality of literacy learning across the globe in ways that are respectful, responsive and ethical.”

Three new Board members-at-large were also elected for the 2022–2025 term:

• Sue Corbin, professor and chair of the Division of Professional Education, Notre Dame College, OH. Corbin, a member of ILA for more than 30 years, is a former pre-K–6 literacy specialist and middle school reading teacher. She wrote literacy curricula for elementary and middle schools, founded a summer literacy clinic for readers who struggle and has presented at multiple ILA international and state conferences. Corbin is a current board member of ILA’s Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group, which she previously chaired. She has been a member of the editorial board of the group’s journal, The Dragon Lode, in addition to a member and chair of the group’s Notable Books for a Global Society committee.
  
  
• Rebecca Silverman, associate professor of early literacy, Stanford Graduate School of Education, CA. Silverman, an ILA member since 2001, began her career as an elementary school teacher in New Orleans, LA. She has presented at numerous ILA conferences and served as a contributor to and editorial review board member for ILA’s The Reading Teacher and Reading Research Quarterly journals. At Stanford, where Silverman leads the Language to Literacy Research Lab, she focuses on research and practice related to literacy development and instruction of early childhood and elementary-age children from diverse backgrounds. She has also worked in teacher education and professional development across the United States and internationally.
  
  
• Jeanette Toomer, 12th-grade English language arts teacher, Dr. Richard Izquierdo Health & Science Charter School, Bronx, NY. Toomer, an ILA member since 2015, has been teaching English language arts and literature, primarily in New York high schools, since 2001 and has written curricula for 10th through 12th grades. In addition, she served as a staff developer for schools and educational corporations and as a composition professor in local colleges.

Brown-Dudley, Corbin, Silverman and Toomer were elected by ILA’s membership during the ILA 2022 Board Election, which was conducted online between March 28, 2022, and May 6, 2022. The new vice president and members-at-large will begin their terms on July 1, 2022.

The International Literacy Association (ILA) Board of Directors announced today that Nicola Wedderburn has been appointed Interim Executive Director.

Wedderburn has been with ILA since February 2011, most recently as Director of Business Development, during which she oversaw ILA’s marketing program as well as membership, the chapter and affiliate network, customer service, and partnership development. In her new role, she will not only be the first Black woman to take the helm of the organization but also the first born outside of the United States.

Throughout her tenure, Wedderburn has been a strong advocate for ILA’s global membership, working diligently to ensure that the organization’s offerings reflect the interests and diversity of all constituents. Her background in business administration and proven record of partnership development, coupled with this “members first” philosophy, made her a natural pick to fill the vacancy left by Marcie Craig Post, who stepped down from the position in January.

ILA Vice President of the Board Kenneth Kunz said that Wedderburn’s appointment “comes at a vital point in ILA’s history,” adding, “Nicola’s innovation, contagious enthusiasm and commitment to ILA’s mission will help to carry out strategic initiatives.”

It is a sentiment shared by his colleagues on the Board—a group that unanimously approved Wedderburn’s appointment.

“Her ability to build and sustain relationships has breathed new energy into the ILA network,” said Stephen G. Peters, ILA Immediate Past President of the Board and chair of ILA’s Equity and Social Justice Committee, on which Wedderburn serves. “She is a leader whom others trust to value their voice and feedback, and we all look forward to working with her.”

“Nicola brings the humanity, the ability, and the drive to engage ILA in making a difference in the advancement of literacy worldwide,” concurred ILA President of the Board Robert J. Tierney. “She ushers in a bright, bold day for ILA—one filled with possibility and promise.”

Jungmin Kwon, an assistant professor in the Department of Teacher Education at Michigan State University, has been named associate editor of The Reading Teacher, ILA’s peer-reviewed journal for literacy educators working with learners up to age 12.

Kwon’s research engages with language and literacy practices of immigrant children and families, and her interests include exploring how bilingual parents support their children's language and literacy learning locally and globally. She has published in journals such as International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, Bilingual Research Journal, Language Arts, and Language and Education.

Kwon fills the vacancy left by departing associate editor Lucia Cardenas Curiel. She will serve alongside of fellow Michigan State University educators Tanya Wright, senior editor; Patricia Edwards, coeditor; Laura Tortorelli, associate editor; and Shireen Al-Adeimi, associate editor, through June 30, 2024.

“We are so excited for Dr. Kwon to bring her expertise to our editorial team,” said Wright.

The July/August 2021 issue of The Reading Teacher—the first produced under the direction of the new editorial team—is will soon be available as an open-access publication.

The International Literacy Association (ILA) today announced the recipients of its 2021 awards and grants, including the William S. Gray Citation of Merit—ILA’s highest honor—which was awarded to Arizona State University’s (ASU) Steve Graham.

The William S. Gray Citation of Merit honors a nationally or internationally known individual for their outstanding contributions to multiple facets of literacy development—research, theory, practice, and policy. Past recipients have included P. David Pearson, Roger Farr, and Jeanne Chall.

Graham, an ILA member since 2007 and the Mary Emily Warner Professor in the Division of Educational Leadership at ASU’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, is a leading expert on the educational psychology of writing and the connections between reading and writing. His research, spanning over 30 years, focuses on identifying the factors that contribute to writing development and difficulties, developing and validating effective instructional procedures for teaching writing, and the use of technology to enhance writing performance.

“The news that I was awarded the William S. Gray Citation of Merit came the way that news so often comes today—over the web, and in this case, through email. I looked once, and then a second time, and finally on the third look, I was literally dancing on the moon,” Graham said. “I learned to read with Dick and Jane books, which Gray played a part in developing, and I have always admired his careful and methodical approach to research and instruction. I am honored to be a member of the impactful group of scholars who previously received this recognition.”

Along with being a current member of ILA’s Literacy Research Panel, Graham is a frequent conference presenter and contributor to ILA’s journals. He is coauthor of the Handbook of Writing Research, Handbook of Learning Disabilities, Powerful Writing Strategies for All Students, and more. He is the former editor of several journals, including Exceptional Children, Journal of Writing Research, and the Journal of Educational Psychology.

Graham has also served as an advisor to a variety of organizations, including UNESCO, National Institutes of Health, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and National Writing Project. He was elected to the Reading Hall of Fame in 2018.

“Steve’s work is influencing veteran and emerging scholars, classroom teachers and school administrators, policymakers and legislators,” said ILA Executive Director Marcie Craig Post. “We are thankful for his service to our organization and the field, and we are honored to present him with this award.”

Joining Graham in this year’s ILA awards and grants program are nine other educators and literacy leaders, including Yukie Toyama, University of California, Berkeley. Toyama received the Timothy & Cynthia Shanahan Outstanding Dissertation Award for her dissertation, “What Makes Reading Difficult? An Investigation of the Contribution of Passage, Task, and Reader Characteristics on Item Difficulty, Using Explanatory Item Response Models.”

Other award recipients include the following:

• Corwin Literacy Leader Award, presented to Connie Obrochta, Evanston/Skokie School District 65, Illinois
• Diane Lapp & James Flood Professional Collaborator Award, presented to Sonia Q. Cabell, Florida State University, and Tricia Zucker, University of Texas Health Science Center
• Jeanne S. Chall Research Fellowship, presented to Lori Bruner, Michigan State University
• Jerry Johns Outstanding Teacher Educator in Reading Award, presented to Kelly Wissman, University at Albany, State University of New York
• Leaders Inspiring Readers Award, sponsored by Achieve 3000, presented to Holly Lane, University of Florida
• Maryann Manning Special Service Award, presented to Kathy Champeau, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
• Steven A. Stahl Research Grant, presented to Cortney Dilgard, Jacksonville City Schools, Alabama

The full list of awards/grants and recipients can be found here.

On Monday, June 7, the International Literacy Association (ILA) held “Disrupting Instructional Paradigms by Embracing Culturally Responsive Pedagogy,” a webinar featuring Glendaliz Martinez Almonte and hosted by ILA member Julius B. Anthony, who also serves as president of the St. Louis Regional Literacy Association.

Almonte, a 20-year career educator, currently supports school districts in their planning, writing, and implementation of curriculum to ensure equity and access for marginalized students.

More than 2,000 people registered for the event, which was sponsored by Curriculum Associates and simulcast through Facebook Live. The on-demand recording is now accessible on ILA’s YouTube Channel as well as archived on Facebook.

The following is a list of resources Almonte recommends:

On the web

Teacher Competencies that Promote Culturally Responsive Teaching

Guide published by New America to help facilitate self-appraisal, goal setting, and critical conversations across core culturally responsive teaching competencies

Dear White Teachers: You Can’t Love Your Black Students If You Don’t Know Them

Education Week op/ed by Bettina L. Love, associate professor of educational theory and practice at the University of Georgia

5 Ways Culturally Responsive Teaching Benefits Learners

Blog post from New America on how culturally responsive teaching practices promote the social, emotional, and academic development of all students

Saddleback Books

High interest, low reading level books for students who are learning to read or developing reading skills

On the shelf

The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin

An Introduction to Multicultural Education by James Banks

Other People’s Children: Cultural Conflict in the Classroom by Lisa Delpit

Culturally Responsive Teaching: Theory, Research and Practice by Geneva Gay

Culturally Responsive Teaching and The Brain by Zaretta Hammond

Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching and Learning by Sharroky Hollie

The Dreamkeepers: Successful Teachers of African American Children by Gloria Ladson-Billings

We Want to Do More Than Survive by Bettina Love 

Cultivating Genius: An Equity Framework for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy by Gholdy Muhammad

Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies: Teaching and Learning for Justice in a Changing World by Django Paris

For young readers

The Questioneers Series by Andrea Beatty:

• Ada Twist, Scientist | Ada Magnifica, Scientifica
• Sofia Valdez, Future Prez | Sofia Valdez, Presidenta Talvez
• Rosie Revere, Engineer | Rosa Pionera, Ingeniera
• Iggy Peck, Architect | Pedro Perfecto, Arquitecto

Islandborn | Lola (Spanish version of Islandborn) by Junot Díaz

La Madre Goose: Nursery Rhymes for los Niños by Susan Middleton Elya

Latinx publishers

Arte Publico Press

Jade Publishing

Lil' Libros