Love of literacy knows no bounds at IRA’s 52nd Annual Convention

A daily review of convention news from the staff of Reading Today

 With a “top o’ the mornin’ to you,” outgoing President Timothy Shanahan greeted thousands of “my closest friends” to open the 52nd Annual International Reading Association Convention in Toronto, Canada. After paying tribute to local arrangements Chair Shelley Stagg Peterson, Shanahan honored Carl Braun, 1990–1991 past president, and draped the blue Grand Marshal banner across his chest. “We are here to learn, share, and celebrate literacy,” Shanahan said, “Toronto’s story is written in several languages.”

And by way of example, one of the promotions subcommittee chairs, Simon deJocas, welcomed attendees in French and English. He pointed out that bilingualism has equal rights in Canada, that Canada has a Prime Minister—not a President—and to laughter from the audience, he avowed, “Canada is NOT the 51st state.”

Avis E. Glaze, chief student achievement officer and CEO of Ontario’s Literacy & Numeracy Secretariat, provided an overview of the continuing progress of an educational initiative aimed at the province’s 120,000 French, English, Catholic and public school students. One of the goals is for 85% of students to graduate high school by 2010–2011, and, she said, there are clear signs of progress in this third year of continuing improvement. Some 64% of third and sixth-graders are meeting provincial standards, the gender gap in mathematics is closing and special education and English language learners also are showing improvement. She said new strategies are needed to meet the needs of this “Net Generation.” There is a moral imperative, an economic imperative, and an enlightened self-interest required to create an optimal future, she said. “Democracy and education are inextricably intertwined. Excellence and equity are two sides of the same coin.”

In his Presidential Address, Shanahan expanded on similar themes and proclaimed that for IRA, “diversity is our greatest strength.” Literacy breaks down barriers—and there are many to be broken, he said. He described working with veterans in hospitals who lacked literacy skills and social connectedness, helping victims of consumer fraud, and victims of non-accessible health care in Cook County, Illinois. Because of low literacy skills some of our citizens find themselves exploited economically, unable to get health care to which they are entitled, and excluded from the body politic.

“Illiteracy is the friend of fatalism,” he said. And fatalism leads to frustration and a sense of despair. Suicide bombers exist because they have no sense of possibility, no way to participate in society, Shanahan said, but HOW we teach literacy is also key. Literacy must include the wherewithal to evaluate, make judgments, reflect on the past, and look to the future. In short, it must be critical literacy—so that individuals can actively participate as citizens and fulfill their social responsibilities.

Shanahan concluded his address to a standing ovation and wished for all present an abundance of “hope, faith, and love, today and every day.”

Patrick Gaston, president of the Verizon Foundation, took the podium and described the work of Thinkfinity.org, a digital educational platform with 11 content partners including IRA. Verizon seeks to leverage literacy to increase productivity and social responsibility, Gaston said. Thinkfinity is a free resource and the cornerstone of Verizon’s literacy initiative to promote educational achievement and professional development for teachers.

Other highlights of the day included a performance at the Opening General Session by the children’s chorus from Whitney Public School in Ontario, the grand opening of the Exhibit Hall, the Primary Literature Luncheon, and a special featured presentation by Arthur creator Marc Brown.