Archive for IRA Publications

 On page 39 of the December/January issue of Reading Today, in an article about the IRA book Inspiring Reading Success, there is a typo in the 800 telephone number for IRA. The correct number is 800-336-7323. We apologize for the error.

 Reading Research Quarterly (RRQ) is an international research journal published by the International Reading Association. It publishes the highest quality research on reading and literacy for and by scholars throughout the world. As such, its primary mission is to foster connections among researchers to build a coherent knowledge base in reading and literacy across geographic and intellectual borders.

RRQ welcomes submission of research-oriented manuscripts that make significant contributions to advancing knowledge and understanding of reading and literacy, broadly defined. Articles published in RRQ are primarily reports of original, rigorously conducted research employing diverse epistemologies, methodologies, methods, and disciplinary perspectives. These may be reports of field-based (classroom and non-classroom) studies, historical studies, laboratory studies, or text analysis studies. Other appropriate research-oriented articles include comprehensive syntheses of research and theoretical analyses. Regardless of genre, articles need to be oriented toward developing new understandings and furthering research and theory-building in the field.

Submissions are invited from scholars working both within and outside the traditional arenas of reading and literacy research. These include: Anthropology, Cognitive Science, Communication Sciences, Critical Social Theory, Education, History, Learning Sciences, Legal Studies, Linguistics, Literacy Studies, Literary Theory, Neuroscience, Philosophy, Policy Studies, Psychology, Rhetoric and Composition, Sociolinguistics, and Sociology.

For further information about submitting materials to RRQ, visit the Publications section of the IRA website.

  Robert B. Cooter, Jr. and J. Helen Perkins, professors at The University of Memphis, are the new editors of The Reading Teacher. They are committed to providing teachers with better and more effective ways of teaching children to read, and are excited about exploring new directions for the journal. Some areas they will focus on are teaching English-language learners, increasing family involvement, assisting children living in poverty, improving classroom assessment, reading in the content areas, and using technology effectively. Learn more about The Reading Teacher and read Cooter’s and Perkins’ thoughts about their vision for the journal.

 Have the last four years been “the best of the worst times” or “the worst of the best times” for teachers in the United States? Outgoing editors Judith Mitchell and D. Ray Reutzel look back on their term as editors of IRA’s flagship journal, The Reading Teacher, as a time of challenge and opportunity for K–6 educators. Their essay in the May issue is available for free download on the IRA website.

 Adolescent literacy is the hottest topic in literacy for 2007, according to a front-page article in the February/March issue of Reading Today, IRA’s membership newspaper. Authors Jack Cassidy and Drew Cassidy present results of the 11th annual survey of top literacy leaders.

At this time of year, families often gather, share stories, prepare food, and observe traditions rooted in their religious or cultural heritage. The following are links to complete lesson plans about storytelling, sharing family stories, exploring history and a listing of IRA/NCTE standards met by the lessons. All are available through the readwritethink.org website or by clicking on the link.

For K–2, From Little House to My House: Exploring History and Family Roles, click here.

For Grades 3–5, My Family Traditions: A Class Book and a Potluck Lunch, click here.

For Grades 3–5, Storytelling in the Social Studies Classroom, click here.

For Grades 6–8, Exploring and Sharing Family Stories, click here.

For Grades 6–8, My Life/Your Life: A Look at Your Parents’ Past,
click here.

 The International Reading Association invites applications from qualified members for the editorship of its Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy. This volunteer position has a term of six years. Application deadline is October 1, 2006. Find complete information at the IRA website.

 IRA Author William G. Brozo’s book To Be a Boy, To Be a Reader is featured in a newspaper article that offers tips on raising boys to read.

Learn more about Brozo’s view of the issue in an IRA news release.

 The editors of IRA’s Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy are seeking manuscripts for a special themed issue on electronic portfolios. The submission deadline is March 15, 2006. Download details and submission guidelines here.

 IRA announces the launch of the Reading Teacher and Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy sites that are part of its new online submission portal, Manuscript Central. This new service will allow authors, reviewers, and editors to interact more efficiently and conveniently, and will get their work into readers' hands more quickly.

 Among the top items on the education agenda for the U.S. Congress this term are the Striving Readers initiative, which seeks to boost middle and high school literacy, and the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which is undergoing extensive revision. IRA Director of Government Relations Rich Long offers an insider’s perspective on these and related issues in his Washington Update column in the current issue of Reading Today.

 In her article on this growing phenomenon in American education, author Barbara Hall writes, “Like other educational innovations, from charter schools to enriched after-school programs, literacy coaching is protean, varying from venue to venue and even described by different terms in various regions of the country.” Drawing on the IRA position statement The Role and Qualifications of the Reading Coach in the United States, Hall argues for the need to arrive at a common understanding of the proper role of this “new” kind of reading professional. Read her essay in the Carnegie Reporter.

 Scientific, evidence-based reading research and instruction is the hottest topic in literacy for 2005, according to a front-page article in the December/January issue of Reading Today, IRA’s membership newspaper. Authors Jack Cassidy and Drew Cassidy present results of the ninth annual survey of top literacy leaders.

Do current education policies and standards go against your beliefs about how students learn and how they should be assessed? Do you believe that decisions regarding what is taught in public schools should be made by teachers and school-based personnel rather than politicians? If so, it’s time for you to take action and be an advocate for the education issues important to you.

Educators on the Frontline provides a starting point for classroom teachers and other school- and university-based personnel seeking to become education advocates. The chapters offer an in-depth look at the role of education advocates as well as a wide range of advocacy strategies to get you started. The many practical strategies will help you

* Learn how to work individually and form advocacy coalitions.
* Anticipate and analyze education issues.
* Plan for successful education advocacy initiatives.
* Use print and multimedia resources to get your advocacy message heard.

To learn more about Educators on the Frontline, click here.