Sample Articles From...

October/November 2009

• International Literacy Day
  Celebration highlights school, community efforts to promote literacy.
• Common core standards update
  IRA seeks a broader vision, more teacher input, and continual revision.
• Updating accreditation
  IRA, NCATE work to promote high-quality teacher preparation, professional standards.
• Providing powerful comprehension instruction
  IRA President Kathryn H. Au discusses the importance of ensuring that all students receive powerful instruction to promote reading comprehension and critical analysis, right from the start.
• Choices abound for kids and teens
  IRA's Choices projects help foster a love of reading.
• Sesame Street marks milestone
  Venerable children's educational television show celebrates 40th anniversary.

August/September 2009

• Focus should be on teachers in common core initiative
  IRA urges "complete package"; calls professional development key to success.
• RTI: Questions reading professionals should ask
  IRA's Response to Intervention Commission poses questions you can use to generate discussion among your colleagues about key RTI issues.
• Ready to lead
  New IRA Executive Director William B. Harvey outlines some of his ideas and hopes.
• Creating a staircase curriculum
  IRA President Kathryn H. Au discusses how, in a staircase or coherent curriculum, teachers at each grade level systematically build on what students learned in the grades before.
• A different kind of RIF program
  Pauline Geraci describes a special Reading Is Fundamental program that takes place within the walls of a correctional institution.
• Surprise! Life's an adventure. Read all about it!
  Children's book review columnist Susan Dove Lempke offers eight books she believes will surprise—and delight—young readers.

June/July 2009

• William B. Harvey named to lead IRA
  William B. Harvey, the Vice President and Chief Officer for Diversity and Equity at the University of Virginia, has been named as IRA's new Executive Director; he begins his duties on August 1, 2009.
• Response to Intervention remains hot topic
  Get an overview of IRA-related activities pertaining to this vital topic.
• Certificate of Distinction honors exemplary teacher education programs
  Learn about the five programs honored with the Certificate of Distinction in 2009 in recognition of providing outstanding reading preparation of elementary and secondary teachers.
• IRA awards honor contributions to reading
  Read about the winners of this year's IRA awards, given in the areas of service, teaching, research, writing for children and young adults, and media coverage of reading.
• Promoting ownership of literacy
  "We do students an injustice if we do not emphasize both proficiency and ownership in the classroom," says Kathryn H. Au in her President's Message.
• First Book puts millions of new books into hands of communities in need
  Since its inception in 1992, First Book has delivered more than 65 million new books to communities in need. This article by Reading Today intern Rachel Smucker outlines the program.

April/May 2009

• RTI Action Network partners with IRA
  Response to Intervention (RTI) is a hot topic in education, and IRA serves as one of seven founding partners in the RTI Action Network.
• Winds of change
  The winds of change are blowing through the world, the profession, and IRA, says Barbara J. Walker in her President's Message.
• A book filled with light
  Meet 2009 Caldecott Medal winner Beth Krommes, illustrator of The House in the Night.
• Nobody knows
  Reading Today spotlights Neil Gaiman, winner of the 2009 Newbery Medal for The Graveyard Book.
• End the school year on a high note
  ReadWriteThink.org offers fun projects for those last weeks of school.

February/March 2009

• IRA Commission on RTI: Working Draft of Guiding Principles
  IRA Commission on Response to Intervention (RTI) issues working draft of guiding principles
• What's hot for 2009
  What are the hottest topics in reading education? What topics are cold? Find out the results in the 13th annual "What's hot" survey, conducted by Jack Cassidy and Drew Cassidy.
• Getting an early start on reading
  A new report from the National Early Literacy Panel provides educators and policymakers with important information about the early skills that are implicated in later literacy learning as well as information about the type of instruction that can enhance these skills.
• An open letter to President Obama
  IRA President Barbara J. Walker offers President Obama her thoughts on five keys to effective reading and writing instruction.
• What generation gap?
  An article by Debora Powers explores how her school's Intergenerational Book Club has sparked real dialogue between kids and adults while honing comprehension and discussion skills.
• Improve phonemic awareness with the revised Picture Match game
  With its newly revised Picture Match game, the ReadWriteThink.org website offers a simple, fun way for beginning readers to practice using beginning-letter, short-vowel, and long-vowel sounds.

December 2008/January 2009

• IRA offers policy recommendations to Obama
  The IRA policy statement “Keeping Our Promise to All Students” promotes the importance of literacy education as key to keeping the United States productive and competitive in today's rapidly changing global economy.
• Boys and books
  The IRA book Bright Beginnings for Boys offers ideas for engaging young boys in reading.
• Spotlight on comprehension
  New IRA books outline standards and benchmarks for helping students from preschool through fifth grade gain comprehension skills through reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
• Multiple pathways transform literacy instruction
  IRA President Barbara J. Walker discusses why it is imperative to vary and adapt instructional techniques in response to individual and diverse students.
• Wonders for the holidays ahead
  Columnists David L. Richardson and Susan Dove Lempke select their favorite children's books of the year.

October/November 2008

• International Literacy Day
  Global activities include the kickoff of the innovative "Reading Across Continents" literature initiative.
• McCain vs. Obama
  Find out where U.S. presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama stand on education issues.
• IRA advocacy efforts pay off
  IRA had significant input into wording on reading and literacy included in the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.
• Emphasizing the "I" in IRA
  IRA President Barbara J. Walker discusses the many ways that IRA supports literacy efforts around the world.
• Awesome ambassador for young people's literature
  Jon Scieszka may write funny books, but he takes his role as National Ambassador for Young People's Literature seriously.
• Bring Jon Scieszka (or at least his books) into your classroom
  Find lessons using Jon Scieszka's books at ReadWriteThink.org.
• IRA awards honor promising authors
  Find about the winners of this year's IRA Children's Book Awards.

August/September 2008

• New IRA commission will address RTI issues
  IRA’s new Response to Intervention Commission will address a wide range of issues pertaining to RTI.
• Beyond words
  Meet Brian Selznick, winner of the 2008 Caldecott Medal for The Invention of Hugo Cabret.
• Campaign trails, school year tales
  Children’s book reviewers David L. Richardson and Susan Dove Lempke offer book picks for fall.
• Literacy leadership and literacy coaches
  IRA President Barbara J. Walker discusses the leadership roles of literacy coaches and teacher-leaders in schools.
• Rotary and IRA: On the same team
  Rotary International and IRA members and councils are working together on a wide variety of projects to promote literacy worldwide.
• ReadWriteThink.org launches podcast
  ReadWriteThink.org now offers a free podcast series called Chatting About Books, focusing on children’s literature.

June/July 2008

• IRA issues statement on Reading First report
  A report has found that Reading First has not had a statistically significant impact on reading comprehension test scores in grades 1-3; read IRA’s response.
• Awards honor outstanding contributions to reading
  Meet the winners of IRA awards for children’s literature, media coverage of reading, research, service, and teaching.
• Adjusting instruction to meet students’ needs
  Response to Intervention helps schools be more responsive to diverse learners, says IRA President Barbara J. Walker.
• Books to spark summer reading
  Columnists David Richardson and Susan Dove Lempke share their lists of "must reads" for summer.
• On the road for literacy
  A mobile library project organized by Robert E. Lee Elementary School in Springdale, Arkansas, offers summer outreach to students.
• Creating crosswords in the classroom
  ReadWriteThink.org offers a new twist on crosswords to support learning.

April/May 2008

• Reading pros step up to the plate
  Coverage of the Government Relations Legislative Workshop.
• Certificate of Distinction awarded
  The University of Texas at San Antonio has been honored for outstanding preparation of elementary and secondary teachers.
• IRA's legislative proposal generates interest on Capitol Hill
  IRA's new professional development legislative initiative aims to ensure that high-needs students get quality reading instruction from elementary through high school.
• Closing the summer reading gap
  Teachers can help prevent summer reading loss with novel ways to get books into students' hands, says IRA President Linda B. Gambrell.
• Sweet lady wins Newbery gold
  Meet 2008 Newbery winner Laura Amy Schlitz.
• Learning Beyond the Classroom adds more summer fun
  ReadWriteThink.org offers summer learning opportunities for all grade levels.

February/March 2008

• What's hot for 2008
  Results from the 12th annual survey.
• PISA, PIRLS spotlight global trends
  Analysis and commentary on these two international literacy surveys.
• What's hot focus topics
  Response to intervention, coaching, and informational texts are three of this year's hot topics in the "What's hot, what's not" survey.
• Patterson, Proust, and the power of pleasure reading
  Pleasure reading enriches our lives, but new report indicates decline in such reading, says Linda B. Gambrell.
• Poet extraordinaire
  U.S. Children's Poet Laureate Jack Prelutsky can't help but be funny.
• Presidential awards for reading and technology
  Meet educators who are making outstanding and innovative contributions to the use of technology in reading education.

December 2007/January 2008

• Global to local
  The results of national and international assessments shape policy decisions, and the effects trickle down to local schools.
• IRA launches major study
  IRA’s Status of Reading Instruction Institute is launching a major study titled “Description of Reading Instruction in the United States.”
• What's new at the Literacy Coaching Clearinghouse
  Find out the latest developments from this continually evolving resource.
• The overlooked: High-achieving lower income students
  Linda Gambrell celebrates the accomplishments of some often-overlooked learners.
• RTI: A vital concern for reading professionals
  Alan Farstrup writes about this emerging issue.
• Explorations of fluent readers
  Timothy Rasinski and Lisa Lenhart discuss what fluency really means.
• A top 10 list times two: The year’s best books
  Our children’s book reviewers share their favorites from 2007.