Literacy Now

ILA is accepting session abstracts for ILA Intensive: Nevada, a two-day professional learning event focused on recognizing and addressing biases in literacy instruction, now through January 6, 2019.

Designed and delivered by literacy educators, Intensives offer more personal, in-depth, and hands-on learning experiences where participants will learn the latest research and strategies while connecting and networking with like-minded practitioners.

The upcoming Intensive, taking place June 21–22, 2019, in Las Vegas, NV, is designed to help educators create classroom and school environments that are diverse, inclusive, affirming, and culturally sensitive.

ILA encourages abstract submissions that provide attendees with practical skills and tools they can immediately apply in their practice. Submissions should demonstrate a clear connection to the theme of Equity and Access to Literacy; highlight current research and best practices; and include participatory elements. Please review the submission guidelines for more detailed instructions for abstract submission.

All presenters are responsible for their ILA Intensive: Nevada registration fees and any expenses associated with the presentation, including attendance at the event. Note that due to the small size of the program and the interactive format of this event, the selection process will be highly competitive.

Click here to learn more about ILA Intensive: Nevada. For questions related to the event or the abstract submission process, contact intensives@reading.org.

Alina O’Donnell is the communications strategist at ILA and the editor of Literacy Daily.

The widely anticipated appeal in the Detroit literacy lawsuit tossed out by a judge last June—the first case in the United States to assert that literacy is a constitutional right—was filed last week.

The appeal was filed with the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. In addition, multiple amicus curiae briefs were filed in support—most notably one signed by the International Literacy Association (ILA) and several other influential leaders in the education space.

In fact, it was ILA and Kappa Delta Pi, both early supporters of the case, that helped recruit this latest round of backers with an assist from the Advocates for Literacy Coalition. There are now 17 organizations attaching their name to the amicus brief, including the National Council of Teachers of English and the National Association of Secondary School Principals.

The purpose of the amicus brief: to not only request that the court reverse its earlier decision to dismiss the case, but also to highlight the multiple deficiencies the filers have found that they agree are “plausible allegations” against the defendants—the governor of Michigan and multiple education officials.

“We have long argued that literacy is a human right and therefore should be regarded as a constitutional right,” says Bernadette Dwyer, president of the Board of ILA. “We vowed to continue our support, and we’re happy to sign on to the appellate amicus brief in what may well turn out to be a landmark case.”

The federal class action lawsuit, dubbed Gary B. v. Snyder, was initially filed in 2016 on behalf of Detroit Public Schools students. Its main claim is that access to effective literacy instruction is a civil right under the U.S. Constitution, and that the state of Michigan, along with education officials, have failed to deliver on that right. The argument is that, because of unsafe conditions, a lack of resources, an unprepared teacher pool, and curriculum without a strong evidence base, Detroit students have been denied access to even minimum standards in literacy education.

When the judge dismissed the case earlier this year, he stated that literacy is of “incalculable importance,” but the plaintiffs failed not only to prove it fundamental but also to prove deliberate actions by the defendants that have led to these conditions.

Both this new amicus brief and the appeal detail accounts ranging from improperly trained teachers to unrepaired bullet holes, not enough desks and chairs to outdated reading materials, and a rampant rodent problem to broken heating systems.

These “concrete barriers,” the brief asserts, are the result of failure on the state’s part.

“The fact that the students in Detroit schools severely lag behind their peers in their literacy scores is a direct and unmistakable consequence of the state’s failure to provide the safe, nurturing environment that experts have identified as a necessary ingredient for learning,” the brief states.

Although the U.S. Supreme Court has never declared literacy to be a constitutional right, it opened the door for a future ruling by commenting in the 1973 case San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez that some “identifiable quantum of education”—some small piece—might be a constitutionally protected prerequisite to the meaningful exercise of other legal rights.

It is argued that basic literacy is that “identifiable quantum,” the indispensable skill required to exercise the First Amendment and other rights.

“[We] have also seen firsthand both the great benefits that public education provides to students as well as the devastating consequences that students suffer when their education systems fail,” the brief states. “Denial of access to literacy has cascading effects on students that can disadvantage them throughout their lives.”

The following organizations have signed the amicus brief with ILA: American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, Association for Middle Level Education, Association of Teacher Educators, Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, Creative Change Educational Solutions, Educational Leaders Without Borders, International Council of Professors of Educational Leadership, Learning Disabilities Association of America, National Association for Multicultural Education, National Association for Professional Development Schools, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Collaborative for Digital Equity, National Council for the Social Studies, National Council of Teachers of English, School Social Work Association of America, and Teaching for Change.

In addition, multiple other entities and organizations filed their own amicus briefs last week, including the city of Detroit, the Detroit Public Schools Community District, the ACLU of Michigan, and the American Federation of Teachers.

“This is a case that has the potential to improve the lives of students in Detroit and beyond,” says Dan Mangan, ILA’s director of Public Affairs. “What they are doing isn’t just about their school system. They are fighting for literacy to be a constitutionally mandated right for every child, everywhere, regardless of zip code. ILA is proud to stand among the multiple organizations in this brief that are urging the court to reverse its decision and see this case move forward.”

Colleen Patrice Clark is the editor of Literacy Today, ILA’s member magazine.

Last week, the Michigan State Board of Education approved new teacher preparation standards for lower elementary (pre-K–3) and upper elementary (3–6) education, making it the first state to formally incorporate ILA’s Standards for the Preparation of Literacy Professionals 2017 (Standards 2017).

ILA’s Standards 2017 are the first-ever set of national standards guiding the preparation of literacy professionals. Drafted by a team of 28 literacy experts from across the United States, and led by project cochairs Rita M. Bean, University of Pittsburgh, PA, and Diane E. Kern, University of Rhode Island, the updated standards describe what candidates for the literacy profession should know and be able to do in professional settings, integrating research-based promising practices, professional wisdom and feedback from various stakeholders during public comment periods.

Since 2015, third-grade reading scores have seen the largest decline in a subject area in the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress’s three-year history. According to the Michigan Department of Education, the percentage of Michigan third graders passing the English language arts test—which measures reading, writing, listening and language—dropped to 44.1% in 2017, compared with 50% in 2015.

In an interview published by WKAR, Nell K. Duke, a professor in literacy, language and culture and the combined program in education and psychology at the University of Michigan and a past member of ILA’s Literacy Research Panel, identified teacher preparation as one of the major keys to successful literacy reform.

“Michigan is not where we want it to be in terms of literacy achievement, and so we’re looking for all different ways to try to address that issue,” she said. “One of the ways we can address it is by trying to have our teachers as well prepared as possible to teach reading and other literacy skills.”

Stakeholders representing pre-K–12 teachers and administrators, college and university teacher educators and education researchers began meeting in October 2016 to revise elementary education teacher preparation standards to better meet the unique learning needs of students at each grade level. The elementary teacher preparation standards were the first set of standards selected for review and revision due to an expressed focus on early literacy.

Sean Kottke, manager of the Educator Preparation Unit of the Michigan Department of Education, says Michigan stakeholders are already working to incorporate Standards 2017 into the 5–9 and 7–12 grade bands as well as the state’s standards for reading specialists.

ILA Executive Director Marcie Craig Post congratulated Michigan on becoming a national leader in adopting the standards.

“We are thrilled to see Michigan leading the way in adopting the standards,” she said. “This is a powerful mark of their commitment to continuous improvement.”  

Learn more about ILA’s Standards 2017 here.

Alina O'Donnell is the communications strategist at ILA and the editor of Literacy Daily.

Alabama is known for its historical landmarks, and arguably nowhere in the state
will you find more than in the small town of Tuscumbia, tucked snugly into the
northwest corner of the Heart of Dixie.

The hometown of Helen Keller, our most famous resident, Tuscumbia also
boasts a rich Native American heritage and was the first frontier railroad town
west of the Alleghenies. The Trail of Tears passed through a young Tuscumbia,
and the residents at the time, aghast by the horrors of the Indian Removal,
were the only ones on record to petition the federal government to allow the
Native Americans to stay and live among them rather than continue west onto
reservations. The Alabama Music Hall of Fame, a tribute to the famous Muscle
Shoals sound of the area, is in Tuscumbia, just a few minutes away from Ivy Green,
Helen Keller's world-renowned birthplace.

The Northwest Alabama Reading Council, the local affiliate of the Alabama
Literacy Association and the International Literacy Association, capitalized on these rich community assets to organize a series of STEAM events for local teachers and students, presenting ideas for using and integrating these assets across the curriculum in local elementary classrooms.

The STEM framework includes science, technology, engineering, and math. The Rhode Island School of Design championed the addition of art to this concept, creating the STEAM initiative. Our version of STEAM includes the social sciences and the arts, incorporating history, geography, storytelling, visual arts, photography, painting, and writing into the more traditional STEM framework. Adding the arts to STEM activities offers students invaluable opportunities to express their creativity, imagination, and innovation as they explore, create, and problem solve within science and math endeavors.

Three of our most successful STEAM events were STEAM Night at the Tennessee Valley Art Museum, a workshop for elementary teachers; STEAMing Into History at the Tuscumbia Depot, a field trip for elementary students; and Putting the ART in Language Arts, presenting ideas for integrating photography and theater into STEAM lessons.

STEAM Night

Our chapter's STEAM Night at the Tennessee Valley Art Museum hosted approximately 50 local teachers who enjoyed dinner in the museum, a guided exhibit tour, and STEAM sessions facilitated by the University of North Alabama's (UNA) departments of Elementary Education and Geography and the Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Initiative (AMSTI).

The museum exhibit at the time was "Oklahoma Skies" by Veda Reed. Capitalizing on this theme, the STEAM sessions focused on sky-related activities. Teachers downloaded apps on their phones to examine the stars, wrote Twitter poems about the art as they perused the exhibit, then doffed their shoes and engaged in lively
geography lessons on a giant floor map of Alabama.

These giant floor maps, which include state, national, and world maps, are available to be checked out for classroom use through our state's Alabama Geographic Alliance. To find out if your state offers similar resources, visit the National Geographic Network of Alliances for Geographic Education at nationalgeographic.org/education/programs/geographyalliances.

STEAMing Into History

STEAMing Into History at the Tuscumbia Depot was the result of a collaboration among the Tuscumbia Parks and Recreation Department, our chapter, AMSTI, and UNA's departments of Elementary Education and Geography. Third through fifth graders were given a train ticket for their journey, which was punched by a conductor at each stop, or station, as they STEAMed through history. 

Students toured the Railroad Depot, built in 1888 and now a museum, led by storytellers portraying characters from the 19th century. Reenactors were provided by the local Colbert County Historical Landmarks Foundation and included a portrayal of Captain Keller, Helen Keller's father, arriving at the Depot to bring home a young teacher named Annie Sullivan. Keller's original carriage is on display at the Depot.

Students then walked next door to an event center called The Round House, where they engaged in hands-on sessions that included computer coding to make an Ozobot travel along a map of Tuscumbia, the giant floor map of Alabama on which they played a geographic version of Alabama Twister, and a challenging session putting together tabletop maps of Alabama. They also watched a steam engine create steam and learned how steam propelled early train engines. Finally, they toured an elaborate model train exhibit created by the local Shoals Model Train Club.

Putting the ART in Language Arts

Held in a beautiful boutique bar called The Creative Grape, teachers who attended our Putting the ART in Language Arts event enjoyed a rich discussion about the arts led by famed photographer Abraham Rowe and author/director Darren Butler.

Rowe and Butler shared creative ideas for incorporating photography and theater into elementary language arts instruction. Rowe encouraged teachers to allow children to use their devices to take photographs throughout the day and to use those photos to inspire science or history research, write poetry, examine math concepts, or practice writing descriptively. Butler offered ideas for incorporating theater into the classroom to empower literacy instruction by having students act out scenes from a novel or create their own scripts during writing workshop.

STEAMing into your community

Each STEAM event, whether designed for teachers or students, was wildly successful and filled to capacity. Through community partnerships with the Tennessee Valley Art Museum, the University of North Alabama, and the Tuscumbia Parks and Recreation Department, our chapter designed powerful opportunities for professional growth and student engagement.

To create strategic partnerships in your own communities, consider contacting your local tourism office for ideas, connections, and resources. Find a local community landmark, invite others to join you, and build your own STEAM event to create a fun and meaningful learning experience for all.

Lorie Johnson, an ILA member since 2007, is the ILA state coordinator for the Alabama Literacy Association.

This article originally appeared in the September 2018 issue of Literacy Today, ILA’s member magazine.

Representatives of ILA addressed education agency consultants Wednesday at the State Collaborative on Assessment and Student Standards (SCASS) Fall Meeting in Boston about improving and increasing the effectiveness of state literacy programs.

Rita M. Bean, University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, and Diane E. Kern, University of Rhode Island, were invited by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) to brief Collaborative members from across the country about ILA’s Standards for the Preparation of Literacy Professionals 2017 (Standards 2017). Their message? The standards, although written for educator preparation programs, can—and should—be used to navigate decisions about curriculum and instruction.

Kern, who along with Bean served as co-chair of the committee charged with updating ILA’s standards, says the presentation offered a platform for this broader application. They also shared how ILA can support states in the ongoing development and assessment of existing literacy programs.

As Kern and Bean shared with attendees, Standards 2017 provides “a framework for thinking about their own initiatives and challenges, including the development of their state comprehensive literacy plans.”

The presentation included an activity during which attendees divided into seven groups to analyze the content of and research behind a standard. The groups then shared their findings across the English Language Arts collaborative, a subgroup of the SCASS.

Participants demonstrated interest in how ILA’s standards could inform schools’ disciplinary literacy and digital literacy practices and their professional learning initiatives.

“We asked them to think about how [the standards] could offer solutions to their challenges,” says Bean. “[Attendees] were saying the standards would be a powerful and valuable tool for evaluating where they are and where they’re going.”

Learn more about ILA’s Standards 2017 here.

Alina O'Donnell is the communications strategist at ILA and the editor of Literacy Daily.