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    New for Members—IRA Bridges: Instructional Units for the Engaging Classroom

    by Lara Deloza
     | Feb 19, 2014

    IRA Bridges logoIn the fall of 2012, the International Reading Association’s Literacy Research Panel (LRP) issued a call for a new kind of interdisciplinary unit, one that would “promote highly engaging research-based classroom practices and rich student learning.” Each was to be written by a team that included at least one classroom teacher and one researcher. In addition, the units were to be crafted specifically to support Common Core implementation.

    It was a tall order, yet within days of issuing the call, submissions started to roll in. The high quality of the proposed units impressed the LRP, who put each of them through a rigorous peer-review process.

    After all was said and done, 11 units were accepted for publication, and seven author teams were invited to present their work at IRA’s 2013 Annual Conference. An additional handful of teams will be presenting at this year’s conference in New Orleans, as part of a poster session titled “Evidence-based Practices for Education” (two of which will deliver data on enactments of units over the past year).

    The project resulted in a new line of resources—IRA Bridges: Instructional Units for the Engaging Classroom.

    These easy-to-implement units include assessments for each week’s teaching and learning activities, as well as an idea for a culminating project. Connections to the CCSS are provided as well, including web links to each individual standard the lesson addresses.

    Basically, if you’re a classroom teacher who wants to know what the CCSS should look like in your classroom, then these are the curricular units for you.

    Every quarter, IRA will aim to publish at least one unit in each of the following grade spans: K–2, 3–5, 6–8, and 9–12. Submissions for new units are accepted quarterly as well; the deadline for the next round is March 15. (For more information, see the official call for submissions.)

    Here’s an overview of the first four IRA Bridges units:

    IRA Bridges K-2 logoTITLE: Exploring Frogs and Toads: Integrating Math, Science, and Language for K–2
    AUTHORS: Kathleen Burrell, Traci Wagner, and Lisa Moriarty
    ONE-SENTENCE SUMMARY: Science unit that applies language and math skills to the high-interest subject of amphibians.

    IRA Bridges Grades 3-5 logoTITLE: Money Makes the World Go Around: Interdisciplinary Unit for Grades 3–5
    AUTHORS: Kim Beal, Diane Bottomley, and Peggy Rice
    ONE-SENTENCE SUMMARY: Economics unit for developing a deep understanding of content knowledge through close reading of fiction, informational text, and poetry.

    IRA Bridges Grades 6-8 logoTITLE: Courage: Facing Adversity—An Interdisciplinary Unit for Grades 6–8
    AUTHORS: Sharryn Larsen Walker, Lacey Goble, Kyle Hutchinson, Katie Wilson, and Naomi Zornes
    ONE-SENTENCE SUMMARY: Medieval times, technology, bullying, and bravery are explored through Rodman Philbrick’s novel FREAK THE MIGHTY and digital media projects.

    FREE SAMPLE UNIT!
    IRA Bridges Grades 9-12 logoTITLE: Understanding Power and Fear: School Integration in the South (1954–1964) [for Grades 9–12]
    AUTHORS: Cristina Nagel and Mary Hoch
    ONE-SENTENCE SUMMARY: Thought-provoking unit connecting literature and history through high-quality expository texts.

    IRA Members may access these units through the Members-Only section of Reading.org. Not a member? If you want IRA Bridges, you’ll have to join; unlike E-ssentials, IRA’s line of e-publications that delivers practical ideas for teaching literacy in today’s classroom, the IRA Bridges instructional units are an exclusive member benefit not available for purchase.

    Lara Deloza is the content strategist and senior writer at the International Reading Association. 

    In the fall of 2012, the International Reading Association’s Literacy Research Panel (LRP) issued a call for a new kind of interdisciplinary unit, one that would “promote highly engaging research-based classroom practices and rich student...Read More
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    New Reading Today Online Design Launches

    by Sara Long
     | Feb 10, 2014

    Welcome to the new Reading Today Online!

    We streamlined navigation and search features so you can get to the articles you love more quickly. Let us take you on a brief tour.

    Three Become One

    Woman with iPad reading Reading Today OnlineReading Today Online used to be divided into Reading Today Online, the Engage blog, and the Literacy Research Panel’s LRP Blog. Now these three are combined into Reading Today Online, but the topics you’ve told us you enjoy are still here. Access LRP articles by clicking on “Literacy Research” on the top navigation bar. Series and columns that were traditionally posted on the Engage blog now appear under the “Children’s & YA Literature” and “The Engaging Classroom” sections. So, if you’re looking for Teaching Tips, App a Day, and Plugged In, you’ll want to select “The Engaging Classroom.” Select “Children’s & YA Literature” for Anita’s Picks, 5 Questions With…, and The Librarians Recommend.

    About those Sections….

    Here is a breakdown of the new sections on Reading Today Online:

    • Member & Event News—including Association News for board and organizational announcements;Conference & Events for Annual Conference articlesas well as updates on the Council Leadership Academy and International Literacy Day celebration; Councils & SIGs for articles from our state and provincial councils and our special interest groups; International for news from our global affiliates; and Members of the Month for interviews with featured IRA members.
    • Literacy Research—the Literacy Research Panel’s section, which includes Ask a Researcher; Policy Monitor; Research & Practice, Our Take; Research Roundup; and Scintillating Studies.
    • Legislation & Policy—government and advocacy news from Capitol Hill and beyond
    • The Engaging Classroom—practical ideas for teachers including educational mobile app reviews in App a Day, writing lesson plans with curriculum connections in Beyond the Notebook, insights on integrating technology into literacy lessons from IRA’s Technology in Literacy Education Special Interest Group (TILE-SIG) in Digital Literacies, comments on the world of literacy education in In Other Words, technology tips from Julie D. Ramsay in Plugged In, how to frame a lesson around a book in Putting Books to Work, reflections with Mrs. Mimi in Quiet! Teacher in Progress, lesson ideas from teachers in Teaching Tips, articles from IRA’s Advisory Committee of Teachers (ACT) in Teaching in ACTion, and ways to use social media in the classroom in The Social Life.
    • Children’s & YA Literature—book lists and reviews of new juvenile fiction and nonfiction releases including K-12 Book Reviews from IRA’s Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG), Anita’s Picks from Anita Silvey, book ideas in The Librarians Recommend, and interviews with children’s book authors on 5 Questions With….

    Search & Ye Shall Find

    If you’re looking for an article on something specific or by a certain author, use the universal search at the top right of the page. This new search feature retrieves articles from every article published on Reading Today Online since May 2011, whether it was originally published on Reading Today Online, the Engage blog, or the LRP Blog.

    Check out the Archives

    Just browsing? Click on the “Archive” button on the top of the screen to see a list of all articles.

    Go On, Get Social

    Every article includes links to make it easy for your to share with your friends and followers on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, and more. Don’t have time to check the site every day? Follow IRA on Twitter, Facebook, or Google+ to find out what’s new on Reading Today Online.

    You May Also Like

    Love the article you just read? Read  similar ones or visit the resource links suggested in the “You May Also Like” section at the bottom of every article.

    Talk Back—We’re Listening!

    We welcome comments on articles at the bottom of each webpage. Comments are moderated before posting to avoid publishing spam messages.

    Digital Versions of Reading Today

    IRA members can still access the digital versions of the Reading Today print magazine by clicking on the link or the magazine cover image in the upper right corner of the screen.

    You, Too, Can Publish on Reading Today Online

    To learn how to submit content to Reading Today Online, click on the “Submissions” button at the top left of your screen.

    Back to IRA

    The link on the bottom left copyright area takes you back to the IRA home page on Reading.org.

    We hope you enjoy the new Reading Today Online design. Take a few minutes to look around, then let us know what you think!

    Welcome to the new Reading Today Online! We streamlined navigation and search features so you can get to the articles you love more quickly. Let us take you on a brief tour. Three Become One Reading Today Online used to be divided into Reading...Read More
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    Affective Reading Education Journal Requests Submissions

    by Janet Finke
     | Feb 06, 2014

    Affective Reading Education Journal (AREJ) is a peer-reviewed journal published once or twice a year by CARE (Concern for Affect in Reading Education), a Special Interest Group of the International Reading Association. The Journal accepts articles pertaining to the affective domain of reading and other facets of literacy, including experimental and descriptive studies, literature reviews, theoretical papers, and descriptions of innovative teaching practices. Submissions for peer review are adjudicated by editor Janet Finke. Submissions must be received no later than March 1 for consideration in the 2014 AREJ

    CARE Membership

    Membership in CARE is open to all members of the International Reading Association and other interested persons. Authors need not be members of CARE to submit manuscripts for review. However, membership in CARE will be required of authors whose manuscripts are accepted for publication. When the manuscript is accepted, non-members will be given information about joining CARE. Membership dues are currently $15.00 per year.

    Manuscript Form and Style

    All manuscripts must be submitted via e-mail. Authors should use the guidelines for style and format given in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th Edition). Text should be double-spaced in 12-point font using Microsoft Word and any images should be submitted in tif or jpg format. Manuscripts should be no longer than 12 pages (including tables, figures, and images) in length.

    Submissions should include:

    • Cover letter, including your name and affiliation (as you would have them published) and your mailing and e-mail addresses. Any coauthors should be listed in preferred order, with name, affiliation, and contact information.
    • Abstract of 150 words, written in the third person and without citations.
    • One blinded copy of the manuscript.
    • Tables and figures in separate file(s) 

    The editor/s reserves the right to edit papers for style without author preview.

    Janet FinkeDr. Janet Finke is the editor of the Affective Reading Education Journal and a professor at Central Washington University, finkej@cwu.edu.

    Affective Reading Education Journal (AREJ) is a peer-reviewed journal published once or twice a year by CARE (Concern for Affect in Reading Education), a Special Interest Group of the International Reading Association. The Journal accepts...Read More
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    Richard Long Looks Back: A Farewell Reflection from IRA’s Government Relations Director

    by Richard Long
     | Jan 31, 2014

    Note: Richard Long, IRA’s Director of Governmental Relations, is resigning from IRA after 35 years of service to the Association to take up new challenges, including consulting in the education policy space and  teaching an online course. On this occasion, Reading Today invited Rich to share a look back at the major education policy milestones that occurred during his time here. What follows is his farewell reflection.

    Richard LongWhen I joined IRA’s staff in 1977 I had little idea that I would be part of the organization for 35 years, bear witness to some fascinating events, meet some insightful researchers, teachers and leaders and every now and again influence some of those events. 

    The contrast between then and now is striking. IRA had just gone through a period of explosive growth in membership with the passage of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act which pumped a large part of almost $1 billion into the recruitment of reading specialists (of which there were very few). 

    My hiring came after the passage of the Education for All the Handicapped Act in 1974 and with it the federal definition of learning disabilities, in which IRA felt that it had been left out of the conversation. In contrast, by 2014 the issues themselves had multiplied, and complexity of those issues is as much a part of the education policy debate as it is a debate over what level of government should be doing what.

    The “Prayer Breakfast”

    One of my early tasks was to bring together many parts of the government who were working on reading policy. This was done with the creation of the “prayer breakfast.” It was held at the Holiday Inn across from what is now the U.S. Department of Education. In that group were staff members from the reading research team of the National Institute of Education, the Right to Read Office/Office of Basic Skills, and Title I, as well as several program officers focused on reading. 

    Richard Long
    Richard Long speaking at International
    Literacy Day in 2013

    During those breakfasts we would talk about what was going on and what needed to be done, and then find ways of sharing what could be shared to move an agenda of improvement forward. (I can talk about this now, as I am the last person still working who was in that group.) It was a great boon to me as I was able to learn about the integrities of the government, what was working and what needed more funds, and then share (some) of that information with staff members and Members of Congress.

    Creation of the Department of Education

    One of my first big roles was working on creating the cabinet level Department of Education. The coalition that created that agency was complex, with money coming in to hire high-level talent, support a public relations campaign, and collect information. It was fun stuff, with meetings at the White House and on the Hill, always talking and moving information on who was voting for and who was voting against. It was also fun when we won the right to have the IRA President at the White House with the then Executive Director Ralph Staiger. A picture of that event is hanging on the wall in Headquarters.

    Education for All 

    During the 1980s adult literacy was a hot issue. Monthly meetings were held with Mrs. Barbara Bush to focus the government on helping the millions of adults who didn’t have the reading skills needed to succeed. IRA membership in the National Coalition for Literacy was a key component of this push that resulted in the passage of the National Literacy Act. This took six years of intensive work but resulted in my being one of 25 people who witnessed the President’s signing of this Act.

    Barbara Bush and Adult Literacy

    A unique opportunity came my way with the U.S.’s effort to become part of the Education for All movement in 1988. A group was called together to chart the North American regional consultation for this movement and I was selected as its chair.  As a result I was meeting with the heads of UNESCO, UNDP, UNICEF, and leaders from US AID as well as several Canadian agencies.  Out of these efforts came a set of policies and initiatives.

    Richard Long
    Richard Long at International Literacy
    Day in 2013

    A small but important initiative was created when IRA decided to ask the question, “Who is teaching our children?” and sought to change the practice of having paraprofessionals teach many of our disadvantaged youth. With a combined targeted public relations and legislative campaign, IRA was able to secure the requirement that professional teachers teach our neediest children and for the paraprofessionals to have access to the education and training they needed.

    The IRA-NCTE Standards

    A difficult period occurred when the IRA and NCTE released their standards for the English Language Arts/Reading in 1996. This development was part of the push for disciplinary standards that came out of the reform movement initiated by the nation’s governors and then President George H. W. Bush in Williamsburg. Implementing this agenda fell to the Clinton Administration. Unfortunately the standards developed by the two associations were not what the government wanted.

    The IRA-NCTE Standards focused on what we wanted students to be able to do with respect to thinking and the use of language arts, not grade by grade goals. I was told in no uncertain terms by senior leaders that they felt let down by the recommendations. Frustration was voiced in a Washington Post editorial where I was criticized by name. Ironically, these standards were later used by some states to develop their own standards.

    The focus on reading and achievement continued to be in the forefront of federal thinking and a large reading program was passed in 1997, the Reading Excellence Act. This Act contained language that defined both reading and reading research. Many in the field believed that this approach of having federal definitions was the wrong way to go. But what isn’t widely known is that the IRA leadership signed off on the definition, when the Senate education staff asked for comments.

    Rich Long
    Richard Long presenting a session at
    the IRA Annual Conference

    What happened afterward was amazing: three years later, when Reading First passed, the earlier Act’s definition of reading research was then interpreted as meaning that all of the conditions it specified needed to be met, not any conditions individually. So, for example, a study published in a peer-reviewed journal would constitute only one element of an acceptable evidence base. Other conditions, including a requirement that the study be an experimental study, now also needed to be met. Even those who drafted this interpretation know that the pool of usable knowledge was made too restrictive, but they wanted to create a push to use what was known. This was a big difference and has caused over a decade’s worth of controversy.

    Response to Intervention (RTI)

    But there have been other controversies in the reading education policy field. Some involved things like the creation of the Response to Intervention (RTI) program. IRA had been pushing to move away from the deficit model for identifying those students with a learning disability as well as to make a greater use of the reading specialist to provide help for those students. However, by the time this idea began to take hold, the changes in schools had seen a shift from the hiring of reading professionals in most Title I schools and many others to having a reading coach or intervention specialist whose job it was to improve the instructional knowledge of the classroom teachers. It became the teacher, not the professional, doing the intervention itself.

    The LEARN Act and Beyond

    As the Congress reduced the funding for Reading First, investigations into its implementation continued, and it became clear that new legislation was needed. The legal structure needed to reflect what had been learned, not just in Reading Excellence and Reading First but back to the Right to Read program as well. One of the key lessons was that we couldn’t get the results the nation wanted without focusing on access to evidence based practices and it needed to cover the entire age spectrum. 

    The LEARN Act (Literacy for Every American, Results for the Nation) was written and support secured. But while this program is awaiting the passage of a new Elementary and Secondary Education Act, we were able to secure a pilot program in six states, the Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy Program, and protect its funding during a time period when funding for education programs aimed at specific areas was basically reduced to almost nothing.

    Now we look just over the horizon and the reading field will be facing more challenges as:

    • the RTI program moves to its next phase of identification of those with a learning challenges
    • new standards are implemented with an emphasis on disciplinary literacy
    • demands are made for changing teacher education to both make use of the five reading elements
    • early education is expanded into the child care system

    In addition, the need to incorporate research based ideas on reading instruction into the next phase of school reform remains. There are tough challenges ahead, and as long as IRA is engaged in finding answers the future will be as rich as the past.

    Richard Long’s final day as the International Reading Association’s Director of Government Relations is January 31, 2014.

    Note: Richard Long, IRA’s Director of Governmental Relations, is resigning from IRA after 35 years of service to the Association to take up new challenges, including consulting in the education policy space and  teaching an online course. On...Read More
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    Featured Speakers at the 2014 IRA Annual Conference

    by Chelsea Miller
     | Jan 22, 2014

    Register soon for the International Reading Association 59th Annual Conference to experience professional learning at its best. IRA 2014 offers a multitalented expert lineup of speakers, researchers and authors, that are sure to engage attendees and transform lives.

    Richard Allington

    Richard AllingtonAn annual favorite speaker, Allington has obtained recognition for his contributions to understanding reading and learning disabilities. He is a professor at the University of Tennessee and a past president of the International Reading Association and the Literacy Research Association. He currently serves on the editorial boards of Reading Research Quarterly, the Journal of Educational Psychology, Remedial and Special Education, and the Elementary School Journal. Allington has received the IRA William S. Gray Citation of Merit for his contributions and has been named to the Reading Hall of Fame. He also wrote and edited many books, including Summer Reading: Closing the Rich/Poor Reading Achievement Gap co-edited by Anne McGill-Franzen.

    Gail Boushey & Joan Moser (The 2 Sisters)

    Gail Boushey & Joan MoserCombining their knowledge, these sisters have experience in grades K–6, Special Education, and Literacy Coaching. Their books, The Daily 5: Fostering Literacy Independence in the Elementary Grades and The Café Book–Engaging all Students in Daily Literacy Assessment and Instruction, are renown to teachers around the world. In addition, they participate in conferences around the nation, and provide timely professional development through their DVDs and extensive website www.thedailycafe.com.

    Timothy Rasinski

    Timothy RasinskiRasinski’s expertise includes reading fluency and word study, reading in elementary and middle grades, struggling readers, and parental involvement. He is a professor of literacy education at Kent State University, and in 2010 Rasinski was elected to the International Reading Hall of Fame. He has served on the Board of Directors of the International Reading Association, and his research on reading has been published in journals such as Reading Research Quarterly, The Reading Teacher, Reading Psychology, and the Journal of Educational Research. Rasinski has also served as co-editor of The Reading Teacher and the Journal of Literacy Research.

    Doug Buehl

    Doug BuehlBuehl is a teacher, professional development leader, and adolescent literacy consultant. He spent 33 years in the Madison Metropolitan School District and presents literacy workshops, collaborates with teachers as a school literacy coach, teaches struggling readers, coordinates a school wide content area tutoring program, teaches college-preparatory advanced reading, and teaches night school students returning for their high school diploma. In addition, he was a founding member of IRA’s Commission on Adolescent Literacy and was a part of the interdisciplinary task force that drafted the national Standards for Middle and High School Literacy Coaches (2006), a joint collaboration between IRA, the National Council of Teachers of English, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the National Science Teachers Association, and the National Council for the Social Studies. He is the author of many books, including Developing Readers in the Academic Disciplines and Classroom Strategies for Interactive Learning, Fourth Edition.

    Jana Echevarria & MaryEllen Vogt

    Jana EchevarriaBoth Echevarria and Vogt are co-developers with Deborah Short of the Sheltered Instruction Observational Protocol (SIOP) Model of Instruction. Echevarria’s experience includes elementary and secondary teaching in general education, special education, English as a Second Language (ESL), and bilingual programs. Her research focuses on effective instruction for English Learners, including those with learning disabilities. She has published over 50 books, book chapters, and journal articles.

    MaryEllen VogtVogt has been a classroom teacher, reading specialist, special education specialist, curriculum coordinator, and teacher educator. She was invited to serve as a Visiting Scholar at the University of Cologne in Germany. Vogt was the President of the International Reading Association, inducted into the California Reading Hall of Fame, and received her university’s Distinguished Faculty Teaching Award.

    Phyllis C. Hunter

    Phyllis HunterHunter had the esteemed experience of being an advisor to the President of the United States and the Secretary of Education. As a reading manager of the Houston ISD, she led the reading initiative that ultimately shaped the nation’s reading policy. She serves on the advisory board for the Broad Prize in Urban Education, the Consortium for Reading Excellence (CORE), the Neuhaus Education Center, and the National Center for Family Literacy. She was also named the Marcus Garvey Educator of the Year in 2002 by the National Alliance of Black School Educators. And in 2009, Scholastic Inc. presented her with its inaugural Heroes Award for her contributions to the field of children’s literacy. In addition, Hunter is the author of the Phyllis C. Hunter Classroom Libraries and It’s Not Complicated: What I Know for Sure About Helping Our Students of Color Become Successful Readers.

    Michelle Kelley & Nicki Clausen-Grace

    Michelle KelleyMichelle J. Kelley focuses on comprehension and the role of independent reading in terms of engagement, motivation, self-efficacy, and metacognition. She is an associate professor in reading at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, where she teaches pre-service teachers and graduate students in the Teaching and Learning Principles Department. She recently became a Professor in Residence at Carillon Elementary School in Oviedo, Florida. Kelly has authored several children’s books, been recognized with several Disney Teacherrific awards, and received numerous grants to facilitate literacy. Currently, she’s a co-editor of Literacy Research and Instruction, a journal published by the Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers.

    Nicki Clausen-GraceNicki Clausen-Grace is a teacher, author, consultant, and staff developer. As a consultant, she speaks about reading engagement, content area reading, literature/text circles, word study, and comprehension strategies. Clausen-Grace teaches fourth grade at Carillon Elementary School in Oviedo, Florida. She has won numerous Disney Innovative Teaching Practices and Teacherrific awards, and she attained National Board Certification as a Middle Childhood Generalist in 1999. As a columnist for Central Florida Family, she has authored more than 50 articles on local schools and other education topics. Clausen-Grace and Kelly have recently released Comprehension Shouldn’t Be Silent: From Strategy Instruction to Student Independence, Second Edition.

    Jennifer Altieri

    Jennifer AltieriAltieri has conducted workshops at the elementary and middle school levels on various literacy topics, and served as a reading consultant for elementary and middle schools in the St. Louis Public and University City school districts in St. Louis, Missouri, and at Port Royal Elementary in Beaufort, South Carolina. She is a professor at St. John’s University in Queens, New York, and author of Powerful Content Connections: Nurturing Readers, Writers and Thinkers in Grades K-3; Content Counts! Developing Disciplinary Literacy Skills, K–6; and Literacy + Math = Creative Connections in the Elementary Classroom. Altieri has published articles in Teaching Children Mathematics, Teaching Exceptional Children, Reading Psychology, Reading Research and Instruction, among other professional journals. In addition, she served on IRA’s 2010 Standards Committee and Charleston Mayor Riley’s Literacy Task Force.

    The IRA 2014 Conference is in New Orleans from May 10–12, 2014, and Institute Day is May 9. Register online, by phone, by fax, or by mail. See www.iraconference.org for details. We look forward to seeing you in New Orleans!

    Chelsea Miller is the strategic communications intern at the International Reading Association.

    Register soon for the International Reading Association 59th Annual Conference to experience professional learning at its best. IRA 2014 offers a multitalented expert lineup of speakers, researchers and authors, that are sure to engage attendees...Read More
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