Literacy Now

Preconference Institutes are a popular ramp-up to the ILA 2016 Conference. This year, we’ll spotlight each of the 15 all-day presentations designed to take a close look into the hottest topics in literacy (other installments will be linked at the bottom of this post). This week, we look at Empowering Students’ Literacy Learning.

Institute 02: Transforming Literacy Instruction With Digital Texts and Tools

Teacher educators and researchers: Get the chance to connect and discuss meaningful methods to engage all learners in this Preconference Institute! This interactive session not only combines research-based strategies for integrating literacy and technology in K–12 classrooms with instructional practices and Web 2.0 tools that promote multiliteracies but also provides theoretical foundations, strategy demonstration, and opportunities for hands-on practice.

This Preconference Institute will use a combination of whole-group, grade-level strands, and small-group breakout sessions. The role multiliteracies play in promoting engagement and inquiry-based reading and writing will encourage sharing and discussion among attendees and presenters. Attendees are invited to bring their own laptops and digital devices.

Institute 04: Cutting-Edge Word Study Practices and Activities to Teach All Students Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling

Learn new, research-based word study activities and routines through breakout sessions focused on topics like teaching students to reflect and share their thinking, transforming spelling instruction to teach reading and writing, word study in intervention, word study with English learners, academic vocabulary instruction, word study pre-K–12, and involving parents and families.

Participants will be engaged with nationally recognized literacy researchers and professionals in digital, online, interactive, and hands-on word study activities and explore a variety of topics related to word study and developmentally appropriate literacy instruction. Multimedia presentations will include online games and activities in contrast with dictionary and etymological resources.

The keynotes provide foundational information on word study and the research in orthography and literacy development. Breakout sessions further unpack the theoretical concepts presented in the keynote addresses and provide solid background for educators who wish to examine word study in more depth and implement word study in their classrooms.

Throughout the institute, presenters will discuss a variety of topics guaranteed to pique the interest in word study and familiarize the participants with the developmental approach to phonics, vocabulary, and spelling instruction. Student engagement activities and resources will provide opportunity to scaffold and deepen participants’ understanding of word study. Time will be set aside at the end of each session and at the end of the institute to engage the participants in a discussion where they will have the opportunity to ask questions and interact with one another. 

Institute 09: Intentional Literacy: Transforming Reading, Writing, and Teaching With Conscious Choices

As literacy demands become increasingly complex, students need skills to help them sort through the myriad of messages they receive in the modern world. Intentional literacy and voice (the choices readers and writers make as they seek and construct meaning) are central to these skills. In this Preconference Institute, educators will engage with presenters who are committed to changing the way students read, write, and think through three objectives.

A multimedia presentation that includes art and music and group discussions will introduce the concept of intentional literacy and the elements of voice and be used to help participants teach students to identify the elements of voice (diction, detail, imagery, figurative language, syntax, and tone) in grade-appropriate, complex text. Participants will also be able to help students understand the intentionality of crafted writing and how the elements of voice work together.

Then the group will break down according to grade level interest, specifically grades 3–5, 6–8, and 9–12. Participants will learn from experienced teachers how to critically discuss and respond to activities designed to teach deep reading of complex text, the intentional choices authors make as they build meaning, and the ways authors use the elements of voice in their own work. During this part of the institute, attendees will learn to teach intentional literacy and the elements of voice with grade-appropriate text, activities that include focused discussion of craft in difficult text and the modeling of expert writing that helps young writers improve their own practice.

Finally, participants will develop a plan to systematically implement classroom instruction in the elements of voice, the intentional choices authors make as they develop meaning, and techniques to empower students to be more purposeful and creative in their own writing. Presenters will help small groups of participants develop a plan to implement intentional reading, writing, and teaching in their own schools. 

Institute 12: Igniting a Sense of Wonder: Fueling Curiosity, Empowering Learning

Children have a remarkable capacity for wonder—they see the extraordinary in the ordinary and small marvels all around them. When teachers make children’s questions and observations a natural part of every curricular area, they create a world of wonder in the classroom, and learning erupts with literate vigor.

This Preconference Institute will include audience participation through group discussion of content broken down into three objectives. First, to provide techniques to help students from kindergarten onward become reflective learners, researchers, and “generators of wonder” through a number of skills including reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Second, to concentrate on authenticity, focusing on written and oral experiences driven by curiosity. Finally, to consider the impact of author perspective and purpose on “wonder” through the eyes of published children’s authors.

Preconference Institutes are an additional cost to conference registration and run simultaneously Friday, July 8. Find out more about the sessions here before they’re sold out.

The ILA 2016 Conference & Exhibits will be July 9–11 in Boston, MA, with more than 6,000 attendees eager to cultivate new teaching practices. With over 300 sessions, including several new additions to the schedule, and the popular Preconference Institutes, the weekend is sure to be a memorable one. Register today for the conference to take advantage of special Early Bird pricing.

The International Literacy Association (ILA) is seeking nominations for its second annual 30 Under 30 list. The list recognizes the literacy leaders of tomorrow—the innovators and disruptors, the visionaries and motivators—who are changing the face of literacy across the globe.

“In 2015, we hand-selected 30 literacy champions from hundreds of nominees for the first-ever 30 Under 30 list. These honorees represent the next generation of literacy leaders who are already making a difference in literacy development around the world,” said Marcie Craig Post, ILA’s executive director. “We’re looking for 30 more literacy champions who are continuing to transform the literacy landscape.”

Nominations are open to educators, administrators, authors, librarians, students, nonprofit leaders, politicians, technology experts, volunteers, and advocates who are under 30 years old (as of Nov. 1, 2016) and are making an extraordinary impact across their communities to advance literacy for all.

If you or someone you know has shown exceptional commitment to advancing literacy, ILA invites you to complete a short form. All nominations must be received by May 16, 2016, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Each honoree will be featured in the September/October issue of Literacy Today, ILA’s bi-monthly magazine, and across ILA’s social channels. Each honoree will also receive a complimentary one-year ILA Online Membership and be recognized at the ILA 2017 Conference & Exhibits.

The 30 Under 30 list debuted in 2015 to honor rising literacy champions around the globe. See the inaugural class here.
Questions? E-mail 30under30@reading.org.

Preconference Institutes are a popular ramp-up to the ILA 2016 Conference. This year, we’ll spotlight each of the 15 all-day presentations designed to take a close look into the hottest topics in literacy (other installments will be linked at the bottom of this post). This week, we look at Discovering & Nurturing Skills of All Learners.

Institute 08: Accelerating and Extending Literacy for Diverse Students: DISCOVER the Strengths of All Learners

Explore the needs and strengths of struggling readers who are culturally and linguistically diverse students in this Preconference Institute. Learn about DISCOVER, a performance assessment based on Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences, and participate in hands-on breakout sessions on differentiation, digital literacy, and building strong home–school partnerships.

This Preconference Institute will use a variety of delivery methods: a series of keynote addresses, interactive breakout sessions, and a panel discussion. Participants will explore topics of interest to their work and learn more about the use of culturally responsive teaching to differentiate, accelerate, and extend the literacy of culturally and linguistically diverse students; examine the role of motivation in differentiating literacy instruction and the importance of building a strong home–school interface with meaningful parent involvement with diverse learners; and examine the role of digital technology in building content knowledge and in developing and nurturing talent and potential in diverse learners. 

Institute 10: Learning Differences: The What, When, and How of Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia, and Executive Functioning Disorders

Delve into dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, and difficulties with executive functioning through a learning disability simulation and expert-hosted roundtable discussions in this Preconference Institute. Discover research-based interventions for students who struggle with learning disabilities, and get strategies to help students manage their learning differences.

Presenters from the Dyslexia Training Institute will begin with the Dyslexia for a Day simulation. Additional simulations will relate to reading/decoding, writing, and processing speed. Each simulation will last 5–10 minutes, and there will be a debriefing process with participant reactions as well as practical information about dyslexia. 

Presenters will share information about the neural signature of dyslexia and signs and symptoms of dyslexia in addition to discussing and investigating dyslexia screening tools. Further, appropriate research-based intervention for students with dyslexia will be presented through multimedia presentations, instructional videos, and opportunities to practice new strategies. 

Preconference Institutes are an additional cost to conference registration and run simultaneously Friday, July 8. Find out more about the sessions here before they’re sold out.

The ILA 2016 Conference & Exhibits will be July 9–11 in Boston, MA, with more than 6,000 attendees eager to cultivate new teaching practices. With over 300 sessions, including several new additions to the schedule, and the popular Preconference Institutes, the weekend is sure to be a memorable one. Register today for the conference to take advantage of special Early Bird pricing.

Preconference Institutes are a popular ramp-up to the ILA 2016 Conference. This year, we’ll spotlight each of the 15 all-day presentations designed to take a close look into the hottest topics in literacy (other installments will be linked at the bottom of this post). This week, we look at Boosting Secondary-Level Engagement & Comprehension.

Institute 03: Who’s Doing the Work? Teaching for Transfer Across Read-Aloud, Shared Reading, Guided Reading, and Independent Reading

This Preconference Institute will explore the connections between read-aloud, shared reading, guided reading, and independent reading, as well as “next generation” lessons for each context. Additionally, research will investigate mind-set, student engagement, text level, and teacher language to evaluate when they do (and do not) help students develop efficient processes and enthusiasm for reading.

Attendees will make the most of hands-on formats, with just two brief, formal presentations before jumping into a series of breakout sessions to collaborate with colleagues in small groups to process and apply content. Short video demonstrations will bridge the gap between learning the reading strategies and preparing to take those lessons back to the classroom.

Institute 06: Supporting Adolescents to Meet the Literacy Challenges of the 21st Century

Gain a better understanding of the current demands of 21st-century literacy and practical, research-based strategies to prepare adolescent learners to meet them in this Preconference Institute. Interactive keynote presentations and breakout sessions facilitated by experienced researchers and practitioners will provide opportunities to collaborate, explore the latest research, and connect the research to effective practice.

The coupling of the theory and research will be followed by opportunities to learn about and design classroom applications in smaller groups. Participants will leave with solid understandings of three topics: Meeting the Literacy Demands of the 21st-Century, Supporting Struggling Adolescent Readers, and Engaging Adolescents with Reading and Writing. Participants can follow a single topic all day or choose breakout sessions across strands.

This Preconference Institute is a joint effort of the Adolescent Literacy Committee of ILA and the Secondary Reading Interest Group, each of which will bring diverse and valuable experience to codesign and present this topic.

Institute 13: Using Informational Text to Enhance Literacy and Collaboration Across Disciplines

The CCSS makes literacy everyone’s responsibility, which is both a daunting challenge and a valuable opportunity. This Preconference Institute shows participants how to use resources like CommonLit to find engaging informational texts, offers two practical models for using informational text to enhance literacy and engagement (participants will use one model to begin developing a unit), and suggests strategies for collaboration with colleagues across disciplines.

Models and resources will be presented through multimedia presentations and hands-on activities.

Breakout sessions with individual and small-group coaching from the presenters will address a number of classroom issues including identifying challenges, opportunities, and strategies for collaborating with colleagues in other disciplines; using online resources to find high-quality, engaging informational texts that are deeply and meaningfully connected to their existing literary or content-area curriculum; and drafting meaningful essential questions that invite students to think about what they read and to make connections with other texts and relevant content-area knowledge. 

Preconference Institutes are an additional cost to conference registration and run simultaneously Friday, July 8. Find out more about the sessions here before they’re sold out.

The ILA 2016 Conference & Exhibits will be July 9–11 in Boston, MA, with more than 6,000 attendees eager to cultivate new teaching practices. With over 300 sessions, including several new additions to the schedule, and the popular Preconference Institutes, the weekend is sure to be a memorable one. Register today for the conference to take advantage of special Early Bird pricing.

Last year, ILA recognized 30 outstanding leaders from across the globe whose efforts are reshaping the literacy landscape in new and powerful ways. Now we’re catching up with these trailblazers about the strides they have made since being featured in our inaugural 30 Under 30 list.

The last we spoke with Bhawana Shrestha, Teach for Nepal fellow and teacher at Jyotidaya Cooperative School in Chapagaun, Lalitpur, she was fighting to get her students back in classes after the devastating April 2015 earthquake. This year, Shrestha has been busy reconstructing her school and bringing attention to education inequality in Nepal through her blog. Still as dedicated as ever to her students, Shrestha is proud to report that two of her female students received scholarships to continue their education after Shrestha’s work caught the international community’s attention.

Seventh-grade math teacher Meagan Stass has found increased recognition for her success since being featured in the 30 Under 30 list. Not only has she been approached for several interviews and articles, but she is also a Chicago Khan Academy Ambassador, allowing her to host workshops and further develop her literacy strategies. Her innovative “flipped” teaching model has attracted the attention of educators across the United States who want to incorporate literacy in the math classroom. “It’s been a pleasure meeting with teachers and discussing how I approach teaching math through technology, literacy, and student-centered activities,” says Stass. “I am beyond grateful for this ILA recognition. It encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and gave me the courage to grow as a professional.”

Alejandro Gac-Artigas continues to see Springboard Collaborative, the literacy organization he founded to help end the summer reading gap, flourish. From his home base in Philadelphia, PA, Gac-Artigas is in the process of expanding Springboard further into the East Coast and Bay Area. When we published our inaugural list, Springboard was serving 2,000 students; this year, that number is expected to double.

Last year, Madrid-based high school teacher Inés Guillorme partnered with a Florida school to encourage cross-cultural collaboration in the classroom. Now, she has used the increased attention from the 30 Under 30 list to bring several new global education initiatives into schools around the world. These projects include a book review exchange through the Virtual Teenage Library as well as the Global Climate Change Project, which encourages students to research and debate the planet’s future. She has also become involved with Edcamp Global, a virtual conference connecting students from such diverse places as Canada, Argentina, France, Italy, and Japan, among others. “Despite the obvious challenges involved in overcoming language barriers and coordinating schedules with schools internationally, our global initiatives continue to be highly successful and encouraging,” Guillorme says.

Ana Dodson, founder of Peruvian Hearts, has seen her organization gain more support since the 30 Under 30 list. Perhaps even more important, the gender inequality and cycle of poverty that Peruvian Hearts is working to reverse has attracted the attention of more people in the international community. “I heard from people who support the value of girls’ education as a critical social justice issue as well as a key to changing the world and impacting intergenerational poverty,” she says. Dodson has received an outpouring of encouragement and donations that will go far in continuing her mission.

Benjamin Freeman is continuing to bridge the achievement gap in his native Liberia through the organization he founded, the Liberia Institute for the Promotion of Academic Excellence (LIPACE). In the past year, LIPACE has implemented a core literacy project called Libraries for Change to address the lack of textbooks in Liberia. The initiative seeks to build 50 microlibraries in underprivileged neighborhoods by 2018. “Our collective resolve, willpower, courage, passion, and fortitude to implement this project stem from our recognition as one of the [30 Under 30] inaugural honorees,” Freeman says.

Special education teacher Christina Richard is continuing her work with her school’s glee club in New York City, which has reached more than 250 at-risk students by encouraging them to express themselves through literacy, music, and dance. Richard was also named a Scholastic Cool Teacher thanks to the 30 Under 30 list.

Louise Baigelman, executive director of Story Shares in New York, has been working hard the past year expanding her organization and reaching as many struggling teen and young adult readers as possible. In the past six months alone, Story Shares, which provides readable content for students reading below grade level, has been adopted by more than 200 schools and programs. Furthermore, a Kickstarter campaign brought in $50,000 to the organization, and its digital library of Relevant Reads is continuing to grow. “There are so many ways to make reading exciting,” Baigelman says. “This is just the first chapter.”

When named to the 30 Under 30 list, Marique Daugherty, a language and literacy specialist jn Jamaica,was establishing The Five Steps Literacy Programme with support in reading, comprehension, fluency, and word recognition. She is now in the United Kingdom and is “thrilled” to expand the program there. She continues researching the effects of language on the literacy rates of Jamaican high school students.

Jennifer Albro’s nonprofit Pages & Chapters has seen tremendous growth and support this year. Her partnerships with several K–5 schools in the Kansas City and Washington, DC, areas have continued to flourish and increase student academic performance. Several publications have recognized Albro’s work in providing a supportive learning environment both in and out of the classroom, increasing the organization’s visibility in the literacy community and encouraging more volunteers to get involved.

Kids Tales founder and Wisconsin teenager Katie Eder garners continued success in expanding her organization. Kids Tales, which organizes creative writing workshops for underserved 8- to 12-year-olds, has been busy preparing for their summer programs. This year, there will be 30 workshops offered throughout the United States, as compared with only nine last year. Eder is focused on international impact by expanding her program into Canada and teaching a workshop at a Guatemalan orphanage, as well as sending a group of high school students to a Syrian refugee camp in Hungary this summer through Kids Tales’ partnership with AFS Intercultural Programs.

Nominations for the 2016 30 Under 30 list open Monday and will run through May 16.

Nicole Lund is ILA’s communication intern.