Literacy Educators and Researchers: Making a Difference in Our Diverse Communities. The Thirty-Eighth Yearbook: A Double Peer-Reviewed Publication of the Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers (original) (raw)
Related papers
From “What is Reading?” to What is Literacy?
Journal of Education, 2016
In their 1985 report, Becoming a Nation of Readers: The Report of the Commission on Reading, Anderson, Hiebert, Scott, and Wilkinson defined reading and proposed five principles that guide its successful enactment: (1) reading is a constructive process, (2) reading must be fluent, (3) reading must be strategic, (4) reading requires motivation, and (5) reading is a continuously developing skill. In this article we revise the definition from reading to literacy and rethink the principles in response to theoretical and empirical developments in the intervening years with regard to the processes of, and contexts for, reading. Our updated principles include: (1) literacy is a constructive, integrative, and critical process situated in social practices; (2) fluent reading is shaped by language processes and contexts; (3) literacy is strategic and disciplinary; (4) literacy entails motivation and engagement; and (5) literacy is a continuously developing set of practices. We redefine each p...
Rethinking literacy studies: From the past to the present
Proceedings of the 1996 World Conference on Literacy, 1996
Reviewing the research literature in literacy studies demands patience to deconstruct the multilayered meanings of the concept of literacy. Literacy is a loaded term that is also embedded in myths associated with social and economic progress, political democracy, social and educational mobility, and the development of cognitive skills. Graff (1995) reminds readers that literacy has historically represented and continues to represent different things to people. Scribner (1988) "unpackages literacy" by using the metaphors of "adaptation," "power," and "state of grace"-if students' literacy skills are at level they are in the adaptive mode, below level and they have fallen from grace, and above level they attain power or status. Viewed as an abstract set of decontextualized skills, literacy contributes to the creation of the "deficit" model in educational and social systems. This model has been applied in many remedial reading and writing programs at all educational levels. Ironically, attempts to teach literacy skills in the schools often restricts literacy development because of educators' lack of knowledge and awareness of the interweaving of social, cultural, and oral literacy contexts of language use and identity. Students' language use in other contexts dramatically conflicts with school discourse and many students fail to acquire higher literacy skills. "Multiliteracies" must be studied in many contexts to better understand their role in instruction and curriculum development. There is a pressing need to define and recognize "non-schooled" literacies associated with different mediums and tools, including the technological, visual, and mathematical, and literacies associated with using information technology. (Contains 58 references.) (NKA)
1990
As was true last year, we are highly pleased with the content of the 39th NRC Yearbook. When we put the final touches on the Table of Contents and werd able to see as a whole the scope of this year's articles,_ several things _were evident. First, a glance down through the titles shows such diversity that it appeari there should be something here for almost everyone. Second, an examination of the anthori of these articles discloses an excellent mix of work by the most respected individuals in our field, along with perspectives from many promising new contributors. Third, the titles, as well as the content of the articles, reveal analyses from varied philosophical and methodological paradigmsas reflected in the title we have chosen for the 1990 edition of the Yearbook. These diversified views are a strength of the National Reading Conference, and we oelieve, of this publication. The Yearbook is truly the work of the National Reading Conference membership. This year 77 members served on our editorial advisory review board and an additional 27 served as guest reviewers. Reviewers maintained high standards in recommending manuscripts for acceptance and provided concrete, thorough suggestions for revision. Of the 104 general papers reviewd, 41 are published in this 39th Yearbook; there also are 3 special papersthe NRC Annual Review of Research, one invited address, and the student award paper. These articles, along with the Presidential Address, represent the work of 99 NRC members. The special papers except for the Presidential Address, as. with the general papers, all received outside, blind reviews. The overall acceptance rate for this NRC Yearbook was 41%. We thank the authors for their high quality research, reviews, and position papers, feeling certain that these add important knowledge to our literature base in the literacy field. Our deep appreciation also goes to the reviewers for their conscientious attenfion to their tasks. We wish, also, to give special recognition to Mona Connolly, our graduate student and editorial assistant for the Yearbook, for her intelligent and careful attention to all manner of details and to Pat O'Keefe, our liaison with NRC Headquarters, for her patience and knowledge. Our job has been made easier by the contributions of so many competent professionals.
The Literacies Institute: Its mission, activities, and perspective on literacy
Literacy is a prerequisite for full participation in a modern, technological society. For the nation, broad-based literacy is a prerequisite for the effective functioning of democratic institutions at home and for continued competitiveness in an increasingly complex world. We think of the United States as a highly literate nation, and in the sense that nearly all citizens can read and write at a minimal level, it is. But full literacy implies far more than basic reading and writing proficiency. It implies an enculturation into ways of thinking, interpreting, and using language in a variety of complex activities and settings, typical of a rapidly changing and technologically advanced society. Moreover, it implies that this enculturation is widespread throughout the population. In both these senses, the U.S. is only partially literate. A good indicator of our current state of literacy is the recent National Assessment of Educational Progress report on literacy in young adults. This report showed that 95% of the young adults in the U.S. could read and understand the printed word. Yet only a small percentage could carry out moderately complex tasks using their literacy skills. These tasks were relevant to the real world of work and daily life, such as locating and using information in tables, graphs, forms and schedules, or applying arithmetic operations in combination with printed materials, as in balancing a checkbook or completing an order form. There was a dramatic dropoff in the number of young adults who could succeed as the tasks became even moderately difficult. Furthermore, minority subjects performed even less well than non-minority subjects in the study. On tasks such as synthesizing the main argument from a lengthy newspaper column or examining a menu, computing the cost of a specified meal and determining the correct change from a specified amount, only about 40% of the White subjects, 10% of the Black subjects and 20% of the Hispanic subjects were successful. Results such as these highlight a pervasive failure on the part of our schools in teaching the analytic and critical thinking skills that underlie high level literacy, a failure that disproportionately affects low-income and minority students. This failure makes a mockery of the principles of equal opportunity and equal access to schooling, and threatens America's standing as a technologically competitive nation. Previous research on reading and writing in this country has had a limited positive impact on educational practice. This is, in part, because research has tended to fragment the phenomenon of literacy. Studies have isolated aspects such as the texts students produce or read, students' individual cognitive processes while composing or comprehending text, and the social and institutional settings in which literacy practices take place. But ignoring the complex interrelations among the individual, social, and textual creates fundamental obstacles to understanding what it means to acquire literacy skills in school. It provides at best only partial solutions to teachers who
1990
As was true last year, we are highly pleased with the content of the 39th NRC Yearbook. When we put the final touches on the Table of Contents and werd able to see as a whole the scope of this year's articles,_ several things _were evident. First, a glance down through the titles shows such diversity that it appeari there should be something here for almost everyone. Second, an examination of the anthori of these articles discloses an excellent mix of work by the most respected individuals in our field, along with perspectives from many promising new contributors. Third, the titles, as well as the content of the articles, reveal analyses from varied philosophical and methodological paradigmsas reflected in the title we have chosen for the 1990 edition of the Yearbook. These diversified views are a strength of the National Reading Conference, and we oelieve, of this publication. The Yearbook is truly the work of the National Reading Conference membership. This year 77 members served on our editorial advisory review board and an additional 27 served as guest reviewers. Reviewers maintained high standards in recommending manuscripts for acceptance and provided concrete, thorough suggestions for revision. Of the 104 general papers reviewd, 41 are published in this 39th Yearbook; there also are 3 special papersthe NRC Annual Review of Research, one invited address, and the student award paper. These articles, along with the Presidential Address, represent the work of 99 NRC members. The special papers except for the Presidential Address, as. with the general papers, all received outside, blind reviews. The overall acceptance rate for this NRC Yearbook was 41%. We thank the authors for their high quality research, reviews, and position papers, feeling certain that these add important knowledge to our literature base in the literacy field. Our deep appreciation also goes to the reviewers for their conscientious attenfion to their tasks. We wish, also, to give special recognition to Mona Connolly, our graduate student and editorial assistant for the Yearbook, for her intelligent and careful attention to all manner of details and to Pat O'Keefe, our liaison with NRC Headquarters, for her patience and knowledge. Our job has been made easier by the contributions of so many competent professionals.
Navigating the literacy waters: research, praxis, and advocacy
2008
we wish to thank Dr. Norman Stahl, Chair of the Department of Literacy Education, for his support in providing the time and consultation required for this project, and for his support for the College Reading Association's goals. A thank you also goes to the Dean of the College of Education, Dr. Lemuel Watson, whose support of all scholarship endeavors is clear and consistent. Dr. Stahl and Dr. Watson have both used their time and written communications to inspire all NIU's College of Education faculty to continue their projects in light of the challenging events they experienced in the spring semester of 2008. The NIU secretaries, Brenda Jones and Darla Brantley, have devoted tons of time and energy into pulling together all the jobs that make us successful, and we thank them heartily!
Changes in the Concept and Definition of Reading Literacy.pdf
2009
Literacy has come to be seen as important aspect in nation development since being functionally literate is fundamental to all forms of both successes in school and in life. In global market, being literate is highly demanded in order that people are able to participate actively in larger society and in international activities such as international conference, research exchange, join research, and business and commerce. Being literate does not only contribute to personal development or personal learning, but being literate also leads to success in school and in life.