| The International Literacy Association (ILA) has recently announced the newly elected members of the ILA Board of Directors. The MCRC is excited to see a fellow Canadian leading this incredible Board! |
 Rob Tierney, Dean Emeritus and Professor, University of British Columbia, Canada, and Honorary Professor, University of Sydney, Australia, was elected vice president. His term on the ILA Board of Directors will begin July 1, 2020. He will then assume the presidency of the Board on July 1, 2021. |
| Three new Board members-at-large have also been elected for the 2020–2023 term: |
 Danielle V. Dennis Professor of Literacy Teacher Education and the Director of the University of Rhode Island School of Education  Annette M. Kiberu Librarian, GEMS Cambridge School, Kampala, Uganda  J. Helen Perkins Professor of Literacy, University of Memphis, Tennessee |
Month: May 2020
ILA Digital Events
Attention MCRC members!
Are you a member of the ILA? Members enjoy free access, and nonmembers may participate for $45. Become a member of ILA to gain access to this and future webinars in this series at no cost.
Making a Case for Reading Joy
May 31, 5:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m. ET
Adults who habitually read find personal enjoyment and benefit from it. Unfortunately, too many young people report reading experiences that disconnect them from reading joy or discourage its development. We can teach young people to become proficient, critical readers without damaging their reading interest and engagement in the process.
In this ILA Digital Event, Donalyn Miller, award-winning Texas teacher and author, describes some conditions, rituals, and instructional opportunities that engage young people with reading and set them on the path to joyful reading for a lifetime.
Cost: $45 | FREE FOR ILA MEMBERS
Instructional Level or Challenging Text: Too Hard or Not Hard Enough?
May 3, 5:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m. ET
For decades teachers have been told that it is important to match books to children’s reading levels to facilitate learning. But how effective is this practice? In this ILA Digital Event, Timothy Shanahan will explore the research on instructional level and teaching with complex text—and share a different approach more likely to help children to read better.
Cost: $45 | FREE FOR ILA MEMBERS
The archived recording of this session is available until May 8, 2021.
ILA 2019 Replay
Available April 1 at 9:00 a.m. ET through May 31 at 11:59 p.m. ET
When literacy is embedded in every aspect of education, it creates the environment students need to reach their full potential in the classroom and throughout their lives.
For a limited time (April 1–May 31), ILA is offering this six-session replay free to members and nonmembers (registration required).
These sessions demonstrate the importance of working collaboratively to build and sustain a culture that extends beyond the school setting.
- General Session: Creating a Culture of Literacy | Renée Watson and Pedro Noguera
- Research Panel: What Research Really Says About Teaching Reading—and Why That Still Matters | P. David Pearson, Sonia Cabell, Gwendolyn McMillon, and Nell K. Duke
- Featured Speaker: We Need More Than Diverse Books | Tricia Ebarvia
- Featured Speaker: Teaching Vulnerable Youth How to Read and Write: Lessons About Life, Literacy, and the Pursuit of Meaning | David Kirkland
- Featured Speaker: Choice, Access, Empowerment: Changing the Game for Young Readers | Donalyn Miller
- Featured Speaker: Motivating Readers From the Inside Out: The Five Key Beliefs That Matter Most for Student Literacy | Dave Stuart Jr.
Cost: FREE for members and nonmembers
ILA Edcamp Online
Edcamps are built on organic, participant-led conversation and collaboration. ILA Edcamp Online is no exception. Our goal is to create a space for live online learning, where educators can connect and discuss relevant topics in real time.
- Alternative Access: Connecting When Your Students Don’t Have Connectivity
- Continuous K–5 Learning During School Closures: Techniques, Tips, and Tools
- Supporting Struggling Learners: Instruction and Intervention in a Virtual Environment
A Message From the ILA
| Earlier this week, we announced that the ILA 2020 Conference, scheduled to take place this October in Columbus, OH, has been canceled due to the impact of COVID-19. The fact that this was a necessary decision doesn’t make it any less difficult. We share the disappointment of program presenters, volunteer leaders, and the thousands of participants who—let’s face it—are what makes ILA conferences so special in the first place. The theme selected for this year’s conference was “Shaping the Future of Literacy: 2020 Vision.” There was no possible way for us to have foreseen this future, let alone prepare for it. As for what’s to come, one thing is certain: The way we teach, and the way in which students learn, will never be the same. Your needs have changed—and are still changing—and to support you best, we need to change as well. We’ve already begun rolling out a new slate of professional development offerings, including ILA at Home, a series of hour-long webinars with leaders such as Timothy Shanahan and Donalyn Miller. Each is available free to ILA members; nonmembers can register for $45 or join ILA for less than the cost of a single webinar (and gain access to the entire series in the process!). Visit literacyworldwide.org/digitalevents for more information. Next month, we will be unveiling a progressive model for professional learning being designed specifically for a digital platform. It’s immersive, interactive, and responsive. We believe it’s the future of PD. We will continue to weather this storm together, and as you enter the period of post-COVID recovery that’s to come, we’ll support you every step of the way. Stay safe—and stay connected. Marcie Craig Post Executive Director International Literacy Association  |