Literacy Now

by Kathy Barclay

What’s the short scoop on the Illinois Reading Council (IRC)? IRC is an affi liate of the International Reading Association that serves approximately 5,000 members, publishes both a refereed journal and a quarterly newsletter, awards over $60,000 in grants for literacy projects in the state and internationally, and attracts over 3,000 attendees at its annual conference that yields a profit of over $320,000. IRA’s 2012 annual convention will take place in our “home court” next spring.

Like other state IRA councils, the IRC advocates quality literacy opportunities for all learners and serves as an organization to provide educators at all levels access to research, materials, and methodologies to promote and teach lifelong literacy and learning. Recognizing that its strength is in its membership, the IRC supports an active, well-organized system of local and special interest council and state committees that, in turn, provide a viable network for communication, exchange of information, and grass roots involvement of a diverse membership.

Local and Special Interest Councils

There are 27 local councils in communities in Illinois and five special interest statewide councils, including the Illinois Council for Affective Reading Education (ICARE), Secondary Reading League (SRL), Illinois Title I Association (ITA), College Instructors of Reading Professionals (CIRP), and the Illinois Language and Literacy Council (ILLC). In addition, there are 11 standing committees, 14 special committees, and two ad hoc committees. Among the committees are those devoted to legislation, studies and research, intellectual freedom, international, and RTI/Common Core. As one can imagine, when there are as many cogs in the wheel as there are within the IRC, high-quality, well-functioning leadership is a must!

Permanent Executive Office

Almost 25 years ago, the elected leadership of IRC had the foresight to realize the organization’s future role as a comprehensive state literacy organization within Illinois, and it voted to establish a permanent office staffed by a full-time Executive Director. Arlene Pennie has served as the Executive Director since the creation of the position, and the state IRC staff has expanded to also include an Assistant Executive Director, Carrie Sheridan; a Membership Coordinator, Brenda Ferrara; and an Exhibits Coordinator, Kendra Kornfeld.

Each year, the Board of Directors meets bimonthly to review state and local council events and activities. These regular meetings help us maintain a strong statewide connection and system of support and communication for our council and members. In addition, each summer the IRC hosts a three-day Leadership Retreat for Local Council Officers, State Committee Chairs, Regional Directors, and Executive Officers.

Expanding Use of Technology

Personal, face-to-face communication is augmented by our expanding use of technology. In addition to an everexpanding website, the IRC is now on Facebook, and has its own social networking site, IRC Ning, where members can create their own page, host discussions on topics of interest, share photos, post and retrieve conference handouts, and much more. A new Technology Committee facilitates use of technology during, and shares classroom tips, at each of our IRC board meetings.

Membership Values

Members may join a local council of their choice, with the price of joining the local council included in the $40 state membership fee. Local councils support their members in myriad ways. Most hold three or more local events annually, such as speakers, conferences, or Family Reading Nights at their libraries.

IRC’s five special interest councils also host regular offerings and special events throughout the year, including a stand of sessions during the annual statewide conference.

The Secondary Reading League (SRL) sponsors a number of annual events, including Illinois’ premier secondary reading and literacy conference with over 20 concurrent sessions featuring the latest best practice in reading and literacy instruction.

The College Instructors of Reading Professionals (CIRP) will be hosting a teleseminar, Chasing Grant Dollars, on January 30, 2012, to help members and other interested participants update their grant-writing skills.

The Illinois Council for Affective Reading Education (ICARE) is accepting submissions for Books Created for Illinois Students, By Illinois Students. This unique literacy project is designed to gather information about statues, memorials, or monuments in communities throughout Illinois.

The Illinois Language and Literacy Council (ILLC) hosts a statewide Young Authors’ Conference each May. Designed as a celebration to honor exceptional writing by students in grades K through 8, the conference provides an opportunity for these young writers to meet published authors and to hear how the authors themselves create the characters and stories that have become their books.

Illinois Title I Association (ITA) promotes successful instructional practices. ITA members are kept current on research, regulations, and policies associated with Title I programs in Illinois and the nation through regular meetings held throughout the year.

A full listing of these and other upcoming state and local events may be found on the IRC website at www.illinoisreadingcouncil.org/eventscalendar.html.

Publications

Members also receive our highly acclaimed journal and newsletter, both of which are packed with relevant and interesting articles and information about upcoming opportunities. The Illinois Reading Council Communicator is a quarterly newsletter to keep members up-to-date on current activities. The Illinois Reading Council Journal (IRCJ) is published four times a year exclusively for IRC members with topics, issues, and events of interest to teachers, reading specialists, and administrators involved in literacy programs at all levels of education. Both publications are also available online for IRC members.

Annual Statewide Conference

On March 15 to 17, 2012, the IRC will host its 44th Annual IRC Conference, “Literacy in the Land of Lincoln,” in Springfield, Illinois. This statewide annual conference is held each year in March, and features many popular authors, exhibitors, and the opportunity to network with friends and colleagues from all over the state. This year’s conference will feature sessions by Donna Ogle, Gary Paulson, Patricia McLachlin, Jack Gantos, Harvey Daniels, Sonia Whitaker, Victoria Risko, Sally Hampton, and Laurie Henry, to name but a few of the many authors and researchers scheduled to appear.

Grants and Awards

IRC has an exceptionally strong grant program aimed at promoting literacy development in the school and community and providing professional development opportunities related to the improvement of reading and writing instruction. Grant awards range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars depending on the project, and projects vary widely in topic.

We also confer a number of awards to recognize those individuals who have excelled in their efforts to promote literacy development within Illinois. These honors include the Barack Obama Library Award, the Prairie State Award for Excellence in Writing for Children, the Legislator of the Year Award, the Illinois Reading Educator of the Year Award, the Parents and Reading Award, the Gene Cramer ICARE for Reading Award, the Hall of Fame Award, the Illinois Reading Educator of the Year Award, and the IRC Service Award.

External Collaborations

Recognizing the importance of statewide collaboration for literacy, the IRC has established strong ties with several organizations and agencies in Illinois. Liaisons from the Illinois State Board of Education, the State Foundation for Literacy, the Rebecca Caudill Award Committee, and the Illinois School Library Media Association serve as members of the IRC Board of Directors. The Executive Director and representatives from the IRC are also frequent exhibitors at the national IRA conference as well as at conferences hosted by a variety of other professional educational and civic organizations.

Stimulating Professional Growth

The IRC’s mission is to stimulate the professional growth of literacy educators in Illinois. With support from IRA, the Illinois Reading Council continues to seek new ways to collectively foster the expansion of our vision within and beyond our state borders.

Explore our website at www.illinoisreadingcouncil.org or call our offi ce at 1-888-454-1341 to learn more about how you can establish and maintain a vibrant state council that truly serves to support and expand literacy in your state.

Kathy Barclay is professor and former chair of early childhood and literacy at Western Illinois University, and the editor for the Illinois Reading Council Journal.

This is an excerpt of an article from the December 2011/January 2012 print issue of Reading Today. Get the scoop faster -- join IRA today!

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