Archive for IRA General News

The University of Texas at San Antonio's (UTSA) reading preparation program has been named as the first recipient of the International Reading Association's Certificate of Distinction. The International Reading Association (IRA) introduced this new program in fall of 2007 to honor outstanding reading preparation of elementary and secondary teachers. Four programs participated in the pilot.

UTSA will be formally recognized at a special session on Wednesday, May 7, during the IRA Annual Convention in Atlanta, Georgia. The session will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in Room C210 of the Georgia World Congress Center.

Ultimately, by establishing clear standards of excellence for programs that prepare teachers to teach reading in the classroom and by recognizing exemplary programs, IRA's Certificate of Distinction has the potential to have a major impact in the field of reading education.

Members of IRA's Quality Undergraduate Elementary & Secondary Teacher Education in Reading (QUESTER) Task Force reviewed written applications and made three-day site visits. The task force examined the programs for specific elements and sub-elements in the areas of Content, Faculty and Teaching, Apprenticeships, Field Experiences, Practica, Diversity, Candidate and Program Assessment, Governance, Resources, and Vision.

Both reviewers and the UTSA program participants found the clearly defined rubrics helpful. The reviewers also visited schools in which students were teaching. For UTSA staff, preparing the written report, gathering artifacts, and participating in the site visit was "extremely insightful," said faculty member Misty Sailors.

The UTSA is a fast-growing university with close to 30,000 students. The education program serves 1,600 students and is the largest producer of teaching degrees for Hispanics in the United States. All education majors take 12 hours of literacy courses. One unique aspect of the program is the Reading Place/Plaza de Lectura at UTSA's downtown campus, which provides literacy tutorials to inner-city children and offers opportunities for teacher candidates to work with struggling readers.

To have a reading preparation program considered for a Certificate of Distinction, contact IRA’s Gail Keating at 302-731-1600, x226 or gkeating@reading.org. You can also visit the following page on the IRA website. The application deadline is August 15, 2008.

 The International Reading Association is pleased to be a Founding Partner of the RTI Action Network. Offering new hope and promise to students, families, and educators in school districts nationwide, the RTI Action Network unites the public and private sectors with representatives from general education, special education, and family groups to support the implementation of Response to Intervention (RTI).

“This unique collaborative offers a rare opportunity for all stakeholders to work together to ensure that each child has access to quality instruction and that struggling students are identified early and given the necessary supports to succeed in school,” says Kathleen A. Whitmire, director of the RTI Action Network. “This initiative represents a powerful convergence to guide educators and families at the local level where implementation occurs.”

Notes incoming IRA President Barbara Walker, “Adapting instruction to support learning for all learners within every classroom is a demanding task. Classroom teachers along with reading specialists, special educators, and others can develop and implement classroom adaptations that advance student achievement. Reading specialists and literacy coaches, along with all members of the school team, must be continually collaborating to create instructional opportunities that advance learning. IRA, as a founding partner of this important network, is pleased to expand its ability to work with other professionals to promote our shared goal of providing effective reading instruction for all.”

The cornerstone of the initiative is the RTINetwork.org website, the premier source of research-based information and expert guidance on Response to Intervention. This new website offers informational resources and professional development as well as the opportunity to interact with top researchers and experienced practitioners. Educators and families now have an online meeting place to exchange information through discussion boards, shared stories, and other networking opportunities.

RTI is a multi-tiered approach to help struggling learners. Student progress is closely monitored during instructional interventions to determine the need for further research-based instruction and/or intervention in general education, special education, or both. RTI approaches are being implemented from preschool through high school, prompting the need for reliable information.

The RTI Action Network is dedicated to the effective implementation of Response to Intervention (RTI) in school districts nationwide. Its goal is to guide educators and families in the large-scale implementation of RTI so that each child has access to quality instruction and that struggling students--including those with learning disabilities--are identified early and receive the necessary supports to be successful. The RTI Action Network is a program of the National Center for Learning Disabilities, funded by the Cisco Foundation and in partnership with the nation’s leading education associations and top RTI experts.

RTI Action Network Founding Partners are as follows: America Federation of Teachers, International Reading Association, National Association of Elementary School Principals, National Association of School Psychologists, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Association of State Directors of Special Education, and National Education Association.

 "As educators, we need to devote time and resources to writing instruction if we want to see continued improved scores and a narrowing of the achievement gap," said Cathy Roller, Director of Research and Policy for the International Reading Association, responding to today's release of The Nation's Report Card: Writing 2007. "Teachers also need access to high-quality materials and ongoing professional development. This is especially important in urban schools, which often face challenges created by high levels of poverty and student bodies with large numbers of Black and Hispanic students, who continue to score at lower levels than Whites and Asians."

We need to place emphasis on both reading and writing in order to raise overall writing scores and to narrow racial/ethnic achievement gaps and gaps between students in urban schools and students in other settings, said Roller. Results of the nationwide assessment showed gains among both 8th- and 12th-graders, as well as gains among most racial/ethnic groups and in several large school districts that participated in the Trial Urban District Assessments. However, significant gaps remain between girls and boys, White students and Black and Hispanic students, and large urban districts and the nation as a whole.

The 2007 NAEP writing assessment was administered between January and March 2007 to approximately 140,000 students at grade 8 and 28,000 students at grade 12. The assessment provided an overview of student achievement in narrative writing, informative writing, and persuasive writing. Results were presented nationally for both 8th- and 12th-grade students, and in 10 participating urban districts for 8th-graders only.

The International Reading Association is a community of reading professionals with more than 80,000 members in nearly 100 countries, dedicated to promoting higher achievement levels in literacy, reading, and communication worldwide. A network of 1,250 councils and more than 40 national affiliates forms the working foundation for the Association. The Association has spotlighted urban education issues in a number of ways. For further information, visit the IRA website and click on the Quick Links box. Once inside that page, click on Urban Education for recommended readings and other resources.

 Patricia A. Edwards, distinguished professor of teacher education at Michigan State University, has been elected as the incoming vice president of the International Reading Association. She will assume this position at the end of the IRA Annual Convention in May. She will serve as vice president of the Association in 2008-2009, as president-elect in 2009-2010, and as president in 2010-2011.

Three new members of the IRA Board of Directors also were elected: Janice F. Almasi, Carol Lee Robertson Endowed Professor of Literacy Education, University of Kentucky; Marsha Moore Lewis, second grade National Board Certified Teacher, Kenansville Elementary School, Kenansville, North Carolina; and Alfred Tatum, associate professor and reading clinic director, University of Illinois at Chicago. They will serve three-year terms that begin at the end of the IRA Annual Convention in May.

 The International Reading Association has added history to its website as part of its Web Resources: Issues in Literacy section. The IRA website now has a page titled “Focus on the History of Reading: IRA Programs and Resources” along with its many other Focus on Topics in Reading entries.

The new Focus on History page has much information about the History of Reading SIG, but its chief contribution may be its two bibliographies. The first offers “Selected Topics in the History of Reading and Writing” across the world, and the second narrows its focus to “Persons Who Influenced Reading Instruction in Colonial America and the United States.” (Only persons who are no longer living are included.) The Topics bibliography lists books and articles alphabetically on a wide variety of subjects. The more than 130 persons named in the Persons bibliography range from Jacob Abbott, who in 1835 wrote Rollo Learning to Read, or, Easy Stories for Young Children, to the progressive educator Laura Zirbes (1884-1967). Both bibliographies are searchable by individual words.

For further information, visit the Focus on History page on the IRA website.

 The International Reading Association has endorsed the declaration by the National Alliance of Black School Educators (NABSE) that "Education is a Civil Right." The declaration insists that the United States establish a zero tolerance policy on illiteracy, dropping out, and failure.

"Research clearly reveals the extensive and growing inequities between white and black students in academic achievement, dropout rates, grade retention, suspensions, and special education placement," says NABSE. "Disparities continue into and throughout adulthood in the criminal justice system, unemployment, wage earnings, and life expectancy. NABSE contends that these inequities can be reduced and finally eliminated through quality education."

For further information, visit the NABSE website.

Robert B. Cooter Jr., an education expert who specializes in improving literacy, especially among economically disadvantaged urban schoolchildren, and who is co-editor of IRA’s The Reading Teacher, has been appointed to a new endowed chair at Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky.

Cooter, who will begin working at the university this summer, has been appointed to the Ursuline Endowed Chair of Teacher Education at Bellarmine’s school of education. He currently is a distinguished professor at the University of Memphis.

“I am delighted that Bellarmine University has attracted a person of Dr. Cooter’s prominence,” Bellarmine President Joseph J. McGowan said. Read more in The Courier-Journal online.

 The International Reading Association’s Board of Directors recently approved reincorporation of IRA in Delaware under a revised set of Bylaws. (The Association is currently incorporated in Pennsylvania.) In order to ratify the Board’s recommendation, the Association will need the approval of a majority of all members in a special ballot to be conducted between April 2 and June 30, 2008. This is an important issue for IRA, and we respectfully ask each and every member to participate in the process. The Board of Directors recommends your approval of reincorporation in the State of Delaware and approval of the revised set of Bylaws.

The current Bylaws and proposed Bylaws have been posted on the IRA website. There is also a link to provide feedback. If you are an IRA member, please read this information carefully and prepare to cast your vote. Voting will take place between April 2 and June 30, 2008.

 Over the past year, Reading Today Daily has posted roughly 1,000 items pertaining to a wide range of reading-related topics. We hope readers have found these postings informative and interesting.

The IRA Headquarters office wll be closed from December 24 until January 2. Reading Today Daily, too, will be taking a break during this time. The staff of Reading Today Daily wishes our readers a happy and relaxing holiday season. We will return in 2008 ready to continue providing access to interesting articles and useful information.

Everyone wants to be an American Idol or have a few minutes of fame on America’s Got Talent. Now there’s a way schools can become “Stars,” too.

In their latest joint venture, the International Reading Association (IRA) and Rotary International (RI) have developed “Every School a Star,” a Web-based resource designed to help Rotary clubs and IRA reading councils cooperate on literacy projects.

Asociación Peruana de Lectura (APELEC), a not-for-profit association located in Peru and an affiliate of the International Reading Association, is building a mobile library that can be deployed in communities destroyed by recent earthquakes in Peru.

Organizers of the project, titled “Happiness Is Reading and Writing: A bibliotherapy project for children and families in Peru,” are seeking assistance in obtaining school supplies and other materials.

Interested individuals and councils should contact APELEC representative Gloria Vilchezz (e-mail: gloriavilchezz@yahoo.com) for more information.

The International Reading Association has launched two audio podcast series. Class Acts draws on IRA journals and books to present research-based, classroom tested teaching techniques appropriate for different grade levels. Five Class Acts are currently available and provide ideas for instruction in phonics, vocabulary, reading comprehension, and fluency.

IRA Insights, the other series, features interviews and commentary on a range of literacy issues. The first two podcasts in this series are interviews with Dick Allington on Response to Intervention (RTI) and Peter Afflerbach on assessment.

IRA podcasts in MP3 format are available for free download on the IRA website. The podcasts also are available at the iTunes store.

  Richard L. Allington, coeditor of No Quick Fix, The RTI Edition, is the second contributor to be featured in IRA’s new series of podcasts, IRA Author Insights. In this podcast, Allington on RTI, the former IRA president discusses research-supported early reading intervention models and issues related to a successful approach to RTI.

  Following the release of the National Assessment of Educational Progress reading and math results yesterday, which showed that reading test scores improved two points for fourth grade students, and only one point for eighth grade students, IRA President Linda Gambrell pointed out the need to continue to stress adolescent reading instruction.

“The inability of eighth grade students to demonstrate continuing growth is significant because it reflects a second type of achievement gap—one that narrows students’ options just as they are beginning to make adult life choices about careers and further education.” Gambrell suggested that the mainly primary school model of reading instruction may be dated. “As students age, they confront more complex material in and out of school that requires an increasing level of reading accomplishment. Why not provide middle and high school students with an instructional focus that allows them to master content in science, social studies, and other areas while improving their critical reading skills? As for students who are still grade levels behind in reading, provide special assistance so they can close their skills gap. The older they are, the more urgent the challenge.” Read more of Gambrell’s comments.

  IRA has entered the world of podcasts. The association’s first podcast, IRA Author Insights: Afflerbach on Reading and Assessment, is now available as a free download on the IRA website. In this podcast, author Peter Afflerbach discusses how classroom assessment, not NCLB accountability testing, influences reading achievement. He highlights the need to support teachers so that they provide excellent instruction to all students. Download the podcast, and look for more in the near future.

 Applicants for selected IRA research grants will now be able to complete their applications electronically via our new online application system. Eligible programs include the Elva Knight Research Grant, Helen M. Robinson Grant, Jeanne S. Chall Research Fellowship, Nila Banton Smith Research Dissemination Support Grant, Reading/Literacy Research Fellowship, Steven A. Stahl Research Grant, and Teacher as Researcher Grant.

Applicants for other research awards and grants should see individual award descriptions. For more information, please send e-mail to research@reading.org.

  IRA honors educators, authors, and others involved in reading and literacy efforts through nearly 40 awards and grants. Several of those awards have application deadlines that are fast approaching. Review the awards with approaching application deadlines on IRA’s website.

Barbara Morgan, longtime member of the International Reading Association, is set to take off on the 22nd flight to the International Space Station in orbit around Earth. STS-118, as the mission is called, will be the first flight for Endeavour since 2002. Launch remains on target for Wednesday, August 8, 2007, at 6:36 p.m. (EDT), according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration website. Morgan served as the “Teacher in Space” alternate to Christa McAuliffe for the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger mission. After the Challenger tragedy, Morgan continued her ties with NASA and eventually left her job as an elementary school teacher in Idaho to become a full-time astronaut in 1998. For updates and more about the mission, including links to educational activities, visit the NASA space shuttle website.

 The International Reading Association recently created the Status of Reading Instruction Institute to provide accurate and detailed descriptions of effective reading practices in the United States and around the world. The objective of the Institute is to support increased literacy skills for all students by providing objective, reliable information about effective reading instruction for parents, teachers, other professional educators, and policymakers. The Institute is guided in this mission by a strong advisory board of recognized and experienced reading and research experts and directed by Karen Douglas (kdouglas@reading.org).

The first step in improving reading instruction is to provide rigorous and accurate descriptions of how reading is being taught in the classroom. Toward that end, the Institute is soliciting proposals for a study of reading instruction in a nationally representative sample of first- and fourth-grade classrooms in the United States. This description will form the foundation for further study of what constitutes effective reading instruction. The Request For Proposals outlines the study goals and contractor requirements. Proposals are due by noon (EST) October 2, 2007.

For further information about the Institute and the RFP, visit the Institute's webpage.

The UNESCO IRA Literacy Prize for 2007 goes to the Community Education Administration Centre, Longsheng Ethnic Minority Autonomous County, People’s Republic of China. The Centre was established in a remote, rural, and mountainous area in the northeast of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and serves a large ethnic population that has a high illiteracy rate, especially among women. For more than 10 years, the Centre has conducted, in addition to a literacy program for women, a program for the eradication of poverty through education, and a comprehensive system for rural education. The award, sponsored annually by the International Reading Association, carries a monetary prize of US$20,000, and will be presented by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization in September as part of the celebration of International Literacy Day

 Visitors to the IRA website will soon see a change in the look and feel of the site’s main page, www.reading.org.

The new design marks the first phase of a project initiated by the Association’s Board of Directors to make it easier for site visitors — especially first-time visitors — to access the information they’re seeking.

An expanded menu bar in the left column is intended to display more site content than the current design, arranged in categories that better reflect the kinds of information available from IRA. More room for headlines and breaking news and a variety of new graphic elements also characterize the page, giving site visitors a wider range of content options from which to choose.

An enhanced search engine and expanded Site Index provide additional navigation options for users in a hurry.

Frequent users of the site will find the inside pages little changed, so bookmarks and direct links will yield the same valuable content as before.

Planning for the next phase of the redesign will begin immediately.

The Delegates Assembly during the IRA Annual Convention took a number of important actions, including the following:

* approved the Association’s proposed operating budget for 2007–2008,
* approved three revised resolutions—“On Abridgment or Adaptation of Important Works of Literature,” “On Literacy Curriculum Development with Teacher Involvement,” and “Sustained Funding for ‘At Risk’ Students,”'
* approved a bylaws change placing responsibility for annual budget adoption with the Board of Directors, and
* endorsed the “Position Statement on Reading First” passed by the Board of Directors in November 2006.

In addition, a proposal was put forth from the floor that candidates for IRA elective office and other leaders provide disclosure of any ties with commercial publishing companies. This proposal is being referred to the Bylaws and Resolutions Committee for review.

L’Association Internationale pour la Lecture conduit de nombreux programmes de développement en éducation dans les pays en développement, notamment en Afrique de l’ouest.

L’Association recrute des volontaires qui souhaitent apporter une assistance technique à ces programmes. Il s’agit pour le volontaire de mettre ses compétences professionnelles, son savoir-faire et ses aptitudes personnelles au service d'une mission internationale de développement en éducation. Les volontaires interviennent comme formateurs, conseillers techniques ou animateurs et travaillent en partenariat avec des éducateurs et cadres nationaux.

 Dame Marie Clay, a member of the Reading Hall of Fame and one of the world’s most distinguished researchers of educational literacy, died today at age 81. Her Reading Recovery early intervention program is credited with changing the face of primary school literacy worldwide and is now being widely used in Australia, Great Britain, Canada, and the United States.

A native of Wellington, New Zealand, Dame Marie served as president of the International Reading Association in 1992–93, the only non–North American ever to hold that office. Speaking of her passing, IRA Executive Director Alan Farstrup noted, “Dame Marie was a true friend to all of us and a renowned leader of our profession. Her wise and calm counsel will be sorely missed.”

See the Association’s press release for additional information about Marie Clay’s contributions to the field of literacy. More information may be found in The New Zealand Herald.

  Legislation introduced by Senators Jeff Sessions (R-AL) and Patty Murray (D-WA) will vastly expand the capacity of schools to help older students who struggle with reading, according to Alan Farstrup, IRA executive director. The Striving Readers Act of 2007, introduced today, authorizes $200 million for FY2007 for adolescent literacy programs directed at students in 4th through 12th grade. As Tim Shanahan, IRA’s president, points out, “Enhanced primary grade reading instruction is effective, but insufficient. The number of older students who struggle with reading—particularly boys and language minority youth—is troubling. This legislation sends a positive message that it is not too late for older students.” The bill is cosponsed by Senators Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Richard Burr (R-NC), Thad Cochran (R-MS), Christopher Dodd (D-CT), Pete Domenici (R-NM), John Kerry (D-MA), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), and Trent Lott (R-MI). Read more details about IRA’s support of this bill.

 The International Reading Association is pleased to announce the launch of its online review system for book proposals and manuscripts—the fifth and final site of IRA’s new online submission portal, Manuscript Central. In the past year, IRA journals and ReadWriteThink.org have been using ScholarOne’s Manuscript Central database, and now we are offering the ability to submit and review book proposals and manuscripts with the convenience and accessibility of an online peer-review system. We invite prospective authors to go to the IRA Books portal, create an account, and submit a proposal. For more information on submitting a book proposal to IRA, go to our Writing a Book for IRA webpage.

 The results are in from the 2007 IRA election. Kathryn H. Au, adjunct professor at the University of Hawaii, has been elected vice president. Joining IRA’s Board of Directors will be Donald J. Leu, professor of education, Neag Endowed Chair in Literacy and Technology, University of Connecticut, Taffy E. Raphael, professor of literacy education, University of Illinois at Chicago, and D. Ray Reutzel, Emma Eccles Jones Professor of Early Childhood Education, Utah State University. They will take office in May, at the 52nd Annual Convention.

 Cathy Roller, director of research and policy for the International Reading Association, will summarize findings from two notable research efforts—a major programmatic study conducted by the National Commission on Excellence in Elementary Teacher Preparation in Reading Instruction and a comprehensive review of empirical literature in the area of reading education—at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, March 1, in room 383 of the Hall of the States, 444 N. Capitol Street, Washington, D.C.

The International Reading Association has identified six essential elements that differentiate the quality of undergraduate and graduate programs in preparing teachers for reading instruction—faculty and teaching, content, field experiences, diversity, assessment, vision and governance. Preparing teachers for excellent reading instruction is a recognized key to promoting student learning and a vital element in closing the achievement gap that challenges many schools. Students are more actively engaged in reading appropriate texts and have access to a wider variety of reading materials in classrooms where beginning teachers have graduated from programs that emphasize reading instruction compared to those whose programs are more general.

  Voting has begun in IRA’s 2007 election. Members are electing a new vice president and three new members to the IRA Board of Directors from a slate of two candidates for vice president and six candidates for the Board. Get more information and vote online.

 As IRA's Headquarters is closed until January 2nd, Reading Today Daily will not be posting new items until that date. We would like to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season and a healthy and prosperous new year.

 Seven IRA members are among the educators named as 2007 State Teachers of the Year as part of the National Teacher of the Year project, which is coordinated by the Council of Chief State School Officers and supported by ING. These teachers now become eligible for consideration as National Teacher of the Year. That person will be named in the spring of 2007. This year’s IRA State Teachers of the Year are as follows:

California—Alan Lawrence Sitomer
Delaware—Caridad Alonso
Iowa—Jan Keese
New York—Marguerite D. Izzo
North Dakota—Marlene Srock
Vermont—Kathleen Sullivan
Wisconsin—Terry Lee Kaldhusdal

IRA congratulates these members on this honor and wishes them luck in the next stage of the process. Watch upcoming issues of Reading Today for updates on the process and for further information about the work of some of these individuals. For further information about the National Teacher of the Year project, visit the following page on the Council of Chief State School Officers website.

 The candidates for the 2007 International Reading Association election have been announced:

The candidates for vice president are Patricia L. Anders, department head and professor, University of Arizona and Kathryn H. Au, adjunct professor, University of Hawaii.

The candidates for director are Henrietta Dombey, professor emeritus of literacy in primary education, Brighton University, United Kingdom; Paul Kropp, teacher, consultant, author, Canada; Donald J. Leu, professor, John and Maria Neag Chair in Literacy and Technology, University of Connecticut; Pamela A. Mason, director, language and literacy program; lecturer on education, Harvard University; Taffy E. Raphael, professor of literacy education, University of Illinois at Chicago; and D. Ray Reutzel, Emma Eccles Jones Distinguished Professor of Early Childhood Education, Utah State University.

 The International Reading Association seeks an associate director for its new Status of Reading Instruction Institute. The associate director will report directly to the director of Research and Policy.

Responsibilities: The associate director, Status of Reading Instruction Institute, will direct and supervise all research projects that involve collecting and/or using existing data to describe the status of reading instruction in the United States and ultimately reading instruction around the globe. For a complete job description and application details, visit the IRA Career Center and scroll down until you see the listing for this position.

 The Literacy Coaching Clearinghouse, jointly sponsored by the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English, is open for business, according to director Nancy L. Shanklin. The Clearinghouse is designed to provide information to literacy/reading coaches, teachers, administrators, other educators, and policymakers about factors contributing to the success of literacy coaching programs across the country.

Located at www.literacycoachingonline.org, the Literacy Coaching Clearinghouse provides access to research and best practice, enhancing the knowledge base coaches rely on as they work within schools and districts to create excellent reading instruction in all classrooms. Among the site’s features are professional standards for literacy/instructional coaches, issue briefs, a library, and a blog. Beginning in November, the Clearinghouse will begin a forum series, available to all interested parties through a free log-on. Each forum will focus on one topic and will be hosted by a member of the Clearinghouse’s National Advisory Board.

See joint IRA–NCTE news release for more information.

 A large earthquake hit very close to the Big Island of Hawai'i early Sunday morning, October 15, 2006. Fortunately, no loss of life or major injuries resulted from this event. No one at the Hilton Waikoloa Village, site of the IRA 18th West Regional Conference, November 14–17, 2006, sustained any injuries nor was there any structural damage to the property from this earthquake. The 18th West Regional Conference will go forward as planned.

 As Congress contemplates revising the centerpiece of U.S. national education policy, the International Reading Association has released a statement that supports several specific components of No Child Left Behind but calls for “significant reform” in a number of areas:

• Support for high quality teachers
• Well-defined criteria for excellent reading instruction
• Assessments designed to inform instruction
• More accurate descriptions of adequate yearly progress
• Funding allocations to students most in need

Download a copy of the statement or find more information about NCLB on the IRA website.

 As part of the International Reading Association’s continuing mission to ensure that everyone can attain the highest level of literacy, the Association is pleased to join National Geographic’s just-launched “My Wonderful World” campaign to promote geographic literacy. The goal of the campaign is to improve the geographic literacy of young people ages 8–17 by motivating parents and educators to expand geographic offerings in school, at home, and in their communities. Find details in the August/September issue of Reading Today.

 Over the years many IRA councils and affiliates have sponsored deserving literacy projects throughout the world. A new section of the IRA website is designed to facilitate connections between some great ideas and the people who can help make them a reality.

 The 2006 UNESCO International Reading Association Literacy Prize has been awarded to the National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) of Pakistan, for its National Literacy Programme, which aims to increase the nation’s literacy ratio by the year 2015. The winning program provides literacy classes to adults and to out-of-school children, collects data through door-to-door surveys, and recruits village volunteers and teachers to ensure wide community participation in the enrolment of children in school.

The award, which carries a US$20,000 prize funded by the International Reading Association, is one of five UNESCO literacy prizes to be awarded this year on September 8, International Literacy Day. For more information on the UNESCO International Reading Association Literacy Prize, visit the awards and grants area of the IRA website.

 “At a time when knowledge about reading has been expanding and the need for effective and diverse reading instruction is clear, teachers and teacher educators aren’t receiving the support they need. It’s time to change this,” notes IRA president Timothy Shanahan.

Shanahan suggests in a press release titled Preparing Teachers for Reading Instruction that IRA’s Standards for Reading Professionals can guide the types of investments needed to build professional development programs that are comprehensive and rigorous.

 The International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English have announced the appointment of Nancy Shanklin as director of the new Literacy Coaching Clearinghouse. A joint project of IRA and NCTE, the Clearinghouse is designed to provide information to teachers, administrators, and other educators about factors contributing to literacy program success at diverse schools across the country. See joint IRA–NCTE press release for details.

 In the spirit of celebration of February as Black History Month, IRA has endorsed the 17th National African American Read-In Chain, sponsored by the Black Caucus of the National Council of Teachers of English. State and/or local councils of IRA are invited to serve as hosts to create a chain of readers on Sunday, February 5, 2006, or Monday, February 6, 2006. The chain involves reading works authored by African American writers at community sites on Sunday and in school buildings on Monday. Get details.

 As IRA's Headquarters is closed from December 26th through January 2nd, Reading Today Daily will not be posting new items during that period except for news of major importance. We would like to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season and a healthy and prosperous new year.

  People concerned about the shaping of US federal education policy now have a new way to keep abreast of developments on Capitol Hill. IRA’s new Legislative Action Team Advisory publishes breaking news and commentary about legislation that will affect reading instruction and the literacy community.

IRA member Sabir Farhat directs the Pakistan Rural Workers Social Welfare Organization (PRWSWO). This nongovernmental organization is currently accepting donations to provide relief to those suffering the effects of the devastating October earthquake in the region. Donations should be sent directly to the PRWSWO account at Saudi Pak Commercial Bank Ltd., Bahawalpur, Pakistan (details). Please do not send donations to IRA. For more information about this relief effort, contact Sabir Farhat at farhat2@mul.paknet.com.pk.

Through the generous donations of many members, the International Reading Association received approximately US$60,000 in funds to support relief efforts for victims of last December’s tsunami. Throughout this year, the Association has been working with members in Indonesia to identify specific relief projects that might be supported in the hard-hit Aceh region.

A proposal has now been received that will support several worthwhile projects:

Library in Lhok Nga. This includes a building, book shelves and books, an honorarium for a librarian, library training, and an opening ceremony.
Books for 2,586 students in Sigli. These books will cover a wide range of school subjects.
Scholarships. Five teachers will be supported in finishing their schooling, and computers will be provided to help them in their work.
Transportation and accommodations. This is for professional personnel involved in the project and for the delivery of books.
Digital camera. This will allow for the chronicling of specific parts of these relief projects.

IRA thanks its members for their generosity in supporting the tsunami relief project. Special commendation goes to Kyle Williams and the staff and students of Red Mill Elementary School in Virginia Beach, Virginia, who raised over US$22,400.

 Add an IRA regional conference to the list of casualties of Hurricane Katrina: the International Reading Association has canceled its 24th IRA Southeast Regional Conference, which was to have been held at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans, December 11–14, 2005.

In announcing the cancellation this morning, IRA Executive Director Alan E. Farstrup said, “Our hearts go out to the people of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida as they struggle through the terrible tragedy that has befallen them. We applaud them for their immense courage; our thoughts and prayers are with them. We hope to reschedule the conference in New Orleans as soon as practical.”

Additional details may be found at the regional conferences page of the IRA website.

 The International Reading Association seeks to fill a new staff position, Director of Development, with a successful fundraiser with four to six years experience in a comprehensive development program who can provide leadership and direction to the creation of a sustained effort of identifying, soliciting, involving, and retaining individuals who can contribute significant funds annually to the association.

The International Reading Association is seeking a Leadership Development Associate to serve the Southeast and Plains regions in the United States.

Responsibilities include planning and implementing council and affiliate services activities: Assisting state and local councils with leadership training and consultation on organizational development, problem solving, and planning; serving as the primary IRA contact for council leaders in the assigned regions; and developing support materials for councils and affiliates. This position offers excellent opportunities for a self-motivated individual who enjoys the challenge of working with volunteers and with a team of coworkers. The salary is competitive, based on experience, and is accompanied by an attractive benefit package.

Applicants must have an advanced degree in reading or a related area, experience in education, demonstrated knowledge of and experience in the operation of volunteer-based professional organizations, and must reside in one of the regions served by this position.

Strong oral and written communication skills and experience in the organization, facilitation, and presentation of workshops are essential; effective interpersonal skills, including the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships, are highly desirable. Candidates should live within 50 miles of a major airport and must be able to travel regularly. This is a full-time, year-round position that requires flexible hours, including activities in the evenings and on weekends.

The anticipated starting date for this position is October 1, 2005. Letters of interest, along with supporting materials (resume and names, addresses, and telephone numbers of three references) must be submitted by August 15, 2005, to the Director of Council and Affiliate Services, International Reading Association, 800 Barksdale Rd., PO Box 8139, Newark, DE 19714-8139, USA. E-mail responses to LDAPosition@reading.org.

The International Reading Association, with 90,000 members worldwide, provides a broad range of services to reading educators, including publications, conferences, research services, and advocacy. International Reading Association is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer. For further information about IRA, visit our website.

 Literacy projects in Mozambique, Spain, and Sudan are the winners of the 2005 UNESCO Literacy prizes, announced today by the Organization’s Director-General, Koïchiro Matsuura. The winner of the US$15,000 UNESCO International Reading Association Literacy Award is the Associação PROGRESSO, a nongovernmental organization working for community development in Mozambique. Find details at UNESCO’s Education for All website.

Get more information about IRA’s International Literacy Award.

UNESCO is inviting applications for the 2005 International Literacy Prizes, which include the International Reading Association Literacy Award. The theme for this year’s prize competition is Literacy and Sustainable Development. Deadline for submissions is April 30, 2005. Information on the program is available on UNESCO’s Education for All website.

Named for the main character in E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web, the Charlotte Award is designed to encourage students to read outstanding literature and ultimately become lifelong readers. Additionally, the award recognizes the authors and illustrators of such literature. Students in New York State will read titles on the ballot and vote for their favorites. Winners will receive their awards at the 40th Annual New York State Reading Association Statewide Conference in November 2006. Information is available on the NYSRA website.

 The Australian Literacy Educators’ Association has criticised Australia’s national voucher system as an inadequate solution to the problem of helping struggling readers. The group’s president, Dr Jan Turbill, said benefits from home-based tuition were unlikely to be sustained because most struggling readers came from disadvantaged families unable to impose good reading habits.

 Due to a huge volume of spam comments generated by robot software, Reading Today Daily's staff has regretfully closed the comments option on the blog's posts temporarily. Because we very much want Reading Today Daily to be an interactive service, we are investigating several possible solutions for the problem and will enable readers to make comments again as soon as defenses against automated spammers are in place. Until then, anyone who would like to comment on a topic or suggest a subject for posting is encouraged to go to the About This Blog link and e-mail the staff.

 Parents and schools alike will need a thorough understanding of the response-to-intervention process called for by the recently reauthorized Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA). Brenda Townsend, council and affiliates director for the International Reading Association, stressed comprehensible information and guidance in her remarks at a recent public hearing sponsored by the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), U.S. Department of Education.

“IRA supports the reauthorized act and wants to see all children receive a quality education that responds to their unique needs as diverse learners," Townsend said. "We need to know with certainty whether low-achieving children are 'failing' in classrooms or whether classrooms are failing to provide the full range of quality instruction these children require.”

The International Reading Association identified several key concerns in its statement. Specifically, IRA wants OSERS to describe the relationship between special education and regular education for children in the pre-referral period. Further, if response to intervention is to be used in identifying children with learning disabilities, then it is essential to clearly describe how determinations will be made about high-quality classroom instructional programs, appropriate classroom interventions and delivery methods, and whether interventions are successful. Validating response-to-intervention methods is an especially crucial aspect for success in IDEA implementation. IRA also stressed the need to clarify the definition of scientifically based reading research, so that educators can access the full range of knowledge and methods available to them.

  On October 21, 2004, the International Reading Association joined 26 other organizations in issuing a joint statement on the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), which forms the core of U.S. federal education policy. In the joint statement the organizations pledge their commitment to the Act’s objectives of strong academic achievement for all and closing the achievement gap, and they endorse the use of an accountability system. However, the groups take issue with the law’s emphasis on sanctions for failure to raise test scores, and they list 14 specific “central structural changes” that ought to be made to the NCLB legislation. Full text of the statement is available on this site.

MaryEllen Vogt, president of the International Reading Association, and Alan E. Farstrup, IRA executive director, congratulate Margaret Spellings on her nomination as Secretary of Education.

The John Chorlton Manning Public School Service Award honors teacher educators whose work encourages and supports the improvement of public education. Find details and application materials here.

Welcome to Reading Today Daily, IRA's new weblog. Reading Today Daily will include news and features about reading around the world, as well as news about the activities of the International Reading Association. You'll also find occasional surveys, polls, and other interactive features, and we invite all readers to comment on the material they read at Reading Today Daily. We hope you'll bookmark our site and visit regularly. Happy reading!