Call for Nominations – Albert J. Kingston

Happy June! I know so many of you are emerging from large service loads this year. And you continue to provide service to LRA as well! Please consider nominating yourself or a colleague for the Kingston Award. The award recognizes distinguished service to LRA. The process is easy. Members of LRA for at least 5 years are eligible. All we need is a letter describing service to LRA and a CV. You can nominate yourself or a colleague. 

Service is important and worthy of recognition and celebration. You can see a description of the award and a list of the past recipients Here: https://literacyresearchassociation.org/albert-j-kingston-award/

Nominations are due to the Committee Chair, Sharon Walpole (swalpole@udel.edu) by August 15, 2023. The award will be presented at the Conference in Atlanta. 

Thanks for considering!

Sharon

Call for Nominations: Arthur Applebee Award for Excellence in Research on Literacy

Please take a moment to submit a nomination for an article for the Arthur Applebee Award for Excellence in Research on Literacy.  The deadline is Tuesday, September 5, 2023.

The Arthur Applebee Award for Excellence in Research on Literacy is presented annually to honor an outstanding article in literacy research published in a refereed journal in the previous calendar year. The award is presented in memory of University at Albany – SUNY Distinguished Professor Arthur N. Applebee, internationally renowned for his seminal scholarship in the fields of literacy and language learning,

 Eligibility: In order to be considered for the Arthur Applebee Award, an article must meet the following eligibility requirements: (1) A research article published in a refereed journal between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022 (for the 2023 recipient). For articles appearing in print only or in both print and on-line versions, the date of print version should be used to determine the date of publication. For articles appearing only on-line, the date of release should be used to determine the year of publication.  If you are at all uncertain, please consult the journal editors to determine what they regard as the official year of publication. (2) Refereed journals are construed to include journals published around the world, with the proviso that the content is available in English.

Criteria for Consideration for the Award: The topic of literacy research is construed broadly to include research that informs literacy theory, practice, and/or policy. Nominated articles should make significant contributions to the field, yielding the kind of “ah ha” moment that causes the field to see ideas in new ways with promise to positively influence literacy education. Contributions to the field may include articles that either substantively develop or add to an existing area of research, combine existing areas of research, or create a new or less considered area of investigation. As an award of the Literacy Research Association, the award focuses on the broadest possible conceptualization of literacy, including all the epistemological, methodological, disciplinary, and topical perspectives found in LRA.

Award Details: Recipients of the award receive a small cash award and a plaque commemorating the award. The authors are also recognized during a general session of the conference.  For more information, see https://literacyresearchassociation.org/arthur-applebee-award-for-excellence-in-research-on-literacy/.

Nomination Process: To nominate an article, please send an electronic copy of the article and a nomination letter that states how the article meets the criteria to Kathleen Hinchman (kahinchm@syr.eduby Tuesday, September 5, 2023.  Self-nominations are accepted.

Literacy Research: Theory, Method, and Practice 2022 Call for Submissions

Editors of the 72nd volume of Literacy Research: Theory, Method, and Practice (LR:TMP) are accepting manuscripts presented at the 2022 Annual Meeting for consideration for publication.

Literacy Research: Theory, Method, and Practice (LR:TMP) reports on contemporary research and theory in literacy and literacy education reflecting the content of the Literacy Research Association Annual Conference. LR:TMP includes refereed articles by both emerging scholars and more established researchers. We invite all presenters at the Annual LRA Conference to submit articles based on their presentations for possible inclusion in LR:TMP. Submissions due February 13, 2023.

LR:TMP is a refereed publication; acceptance of papers by the program committee does not guarantee publication. Only manuscripts that were presented at the 2022 Annual Conference and not under consideration for publication through another outlet will be considered for LR: TMP.

Manuscripts must be prepared according to the style guide, submitted electronically, and received by 11:59 pm Pacific Standard Time. The style guide is available on the LR:TMP page of the Literacy Research Association website. Please email the editors at LRTMP@ua.edu if you have any questions.

Please follow formatting requirements. Manuscripts should be no more than 8000 words including abstract, references, tables and figures using a 12-point Times New Roman font with 1-inch margins. All submissions will be made electronically through ScholarOne.

MANUSCRIPTS ARE NOW DUE: Monday, February 13, 2023Submit manuscripts to http://lrtmp.sagepub.com/.

Cover Photo by Siora Photography on Unsplash

December 2022 Newsletter

December 2022

President’s Message

Dear LRA Family and Friends,

The chill in the air of Phoenix and mostly sunny days during the 72nd Annual Meeting was invigorating as we connected with long-time friends and forged new friendships and professional relationships with some of the over 900 individuals in attendance. The sheer joy and enthusiasm of being engaged in thoughtful reflection and knowledge sharing in-person with others to explore the theme “Crossing boundaries and Borders in Pursuit of Equity, Solidarity, and social Justice” generated multiple ideas for charting our future course as a community of scholars dedicated “to promoting research that enriches the knowledge, understanding, and development of lifespan literacies in a multicultural and multilingual world.” I am sincerely appreciative of the support of all who participated in a multiplicity of ways in supporting the annual meeting, especially the many researchers and plenary speakers who shared their rigorous research and though-provoking scholarship with us. Included among them were David Yaden, Arlette Willis, Guadalupe Valdés, Bryan Brayboy, Catherine Compton-Lilly, Allison Skerret, Mary McVee, and Marcus Croom. Additional recognition and appreciation must be extended to the members of the special panel convened to accommodate an unavoidable change in the conference program. The panel moderated by Vice President Alfred Tatum provided a needed opportunity to build upon the conference theme and coalesce around the need to “Reimagining LRA in the Spirit of a Transcendent Literacy Approach”, a concept introduced in Arlette Willis’ Oscar Causey Address. Special thanks to Rachel Salas and James Hoffman who were instrumental in organizing the panel, and to Patriann Smith, Marcus Croom, Michiko Hikida, Matthew Deroo, Josh Coleman, Emily Machado, Chad Waldron, Rahat Zaidi, and Arlette Willis who shared their insights and ideas about moving us forward as an organization. I am sincerely appreciative of all who participated in a multiplicity of ways in creating this year’s annual conference. I also want to acknowledge those of you who were unable to attend but who support the work of LRA through your membership, committee involvement, and scholarly work. If you have not yet done so, I ask conference attendee to complete the 2022 Annual Conference survey by December 31, 2022. The survey can be found here.

The coming year offers some exciting plans for extending the conference theme and continuing to address the mission of LRA. These plans include:

  • A presentation by Angela Valenzuela who was eagerly looking forward to delivering her keynote address at the conference, but illness prevented her from doing so. Details about the rescheduled presentation will be shared via multiple eblasts and posted on the LRA website.
  • Blogs featuring content by the 2022 Integrative Research Review Panel and other conference speakers and attendees.

Like Past-President David Yaden, I believe that we must continue to seek opportunities to participate in structured and sustained dialogue with multiple audiences to inform them through research and other scholarly work about the restrictive practices and policies that impact literacy development. This is a challenge that we are capable of and must continue to meet. The recently announced More than a Conference Initiative is intended to extend the work of standing committees, ICGs, study groups, and award committees. The funding is to be used to implement innovative ways to strengthen relationships, create a culture of intellectual engagement, develop a supportive community that extends beyond the LRA conference, and increase LRA’s visibility and digital footprint. Additional options include collaborations with the National Academy of Education in implementation of their Civic Reasoning and Discourse Initiative and with other professional organizations that are striving to cross the boundaries and borders that negatively impact literacy research, policies, and practices. In the words of Nelson Mandela (2011):

“What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.”

In closing, I invite you to use your voice in helping to set the future course for LRA by participating in the LRA elections. Look for candidate statements from individuals selected for the 2023 slate for the Board of Directors and presidential line that will be disseminated in January.

Best Wishes for a Happy and Productive New Year!

Doris Walker-Dalhouse
LRA President 2022-2023
doris.walker-dalhouse@marquette.edu

Further information about the new LRA funding initiative can be found here: https://literacyresearchassociation.org/more-than-a-conference/

Read More About the Initiative

LRA Member Spotlight – The Road Less Taken~ The Ph.D. Road

A poem by Adeline Mansa Borti, Ph.D., Department of English, Grand Valley State University. Read the full poem on the LRA website here.

Statement on Recent Shootings

Once again, we are jolted and immensely saddened by the recent series of tragic deaths on our university campuses and communities in North Carolina, Virginia, Idaho, and Colorado, and we earnestly wish for whatever comforts from whatever source that can be offered to the grieving families for the loss of their loved ones.

Read the full statement here.

Whether you are looking for a new position or a new hire, LRA’s job board is the place! Association members from across the world can view open positions while organizations can post theirs.

Learn More

Funding Opportunities for PhD Students

Funding call for applications to our PhD programs at the University of Buffalo, SUNY. If you or someone you know is interested in pursuing a PhD in literacy or reading education please contact: Mary McVee, mcvee@buffalo.eduApplications are due January 1, 2023. Learn more.

LRA Wants to Share Your News!

Want to share news with the LRA Community or contribute to Critical Conversations? Follow the link in the button below or reach out to our e-editors directly at write@literacyresearchassociation.org to submit content.

Submit Content

December 2022 President’s Message

President’s Message

Dear LRA Family and Friends,

The chill in the air of Phoenix and mostly sunny days during the 72nd Annual Meeting was invigorating as we connected with long-time friends and forged new friendships and professional relationships with some of the over 900 individuals in attendance. The sheer joy and enthusiasm of being engaged in thoughtful reflection and knowledge sharing in-person with others to explore the theme “Crossing boundaries and Borders in Pursuit of Equity, Solidarity, and social Justice” generated multiple ideas for charting our future course as a community of scholars dedicated “to promoting research that enriches the knowledge, understanding, and development of lifespan literacies in a multicultural and multilingual world.” I am sincerely appreciative of the support of all who participated in a multiplicity of ways in supporting the annual meeting, especially the many researchers and plenary speakers who shared their rigorous research and though-provoking scholarship with us. Included among them were David Yaden, Arlette Willis, Guadalupe Valdés, Bryan Brayboy, Catherine Compton-Lilly, Allison Skerret, Mary McVee, and Marcus Croom. Additional recognition and appreciation must be extended to the members of the special panel convened to accommodate an unavoidable change in the conference program. The panel moderated by Vice President Alfred Tatum provided a needed opportunity to build upon the conference theme and coalesce around the need to “Reimagining LRA in the Spirit of a Transcendent Literacy Approach”, a concept introduced in Arlette Willis’ Oscar Causey Address. Special thanks to Rachel Salas and James Hoffman who were instrumental in organizing the panel, and to Patriann Smith, Marcus Croom, Michiko Hikida, Matthew Deroo, Josh Coleman, Emily Machado, Chad Waldron, Rahat Zaidi, and Arlette Willis who shared their insights and ideas about moving us forward as an organization. I am sincerely appreciative of all who participated in a multiplicity of ways in creating this year’s annual conference. I also want to acknowledge those of you who were unable to attend but who support the work of LRA through your membership, committee involvement, and scholarly work. If you have not yet done so, I ask conference attendee to complete the 2022 Annual Conference survey by December 31, 2022. The survey can be found here.

The coming year offers some exciting plans for extending the conference theme and continuing to address the mission of LRA. These plans include:

  • A presentation by Angela Valenzuela who was eagerly looking forward to delivering her keynote address at the conference, but illness prevented her from doing so. Details about the rescheduled presentation will be shared via multiple eblasts and posted on the LRA website.
  • Blogs featuring content by the 2022 Integrative Research Review Panel and other conference speakers and attendees.

Like Past-President David Yaden, I believe that we must continue to seek opportunities to participate in structured and sustained dialogue with multiple audiences to inform them through research and other scholarly work about the restrictive practices and policies that impact literacy development. This is a challenge that we are capable of and must continue to meet. The recently announced More than a Conference Initiative is intended to extend the work of standing committees, ICGs, study groups, and award committees. The funding is to be used to implement innovative ways to strengthen relationships, create a culture of intellectual engagement, develop a supportive community that extends beyond the LRA conference, and increase LRA’s visibility and digital footprint. Additional options include collaborations with the National Academy of Education in implementation of their Civic Reasoning and Discourse Initiative and with other professional organizations that are striving to cross the boundaries and borders that negatively impact literacy research, policies, and practices. In the words of Nelson Mandela (2011):

“What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.”

In closing, I invite you to use your voice in helping to set the future course for LRA by participating in the LRA elections. Look for candidate statements from individuals selected for the 2023 slate for the Board of Directors and presidential line that will be disseminated in January.

Best Wishes for a Happy and Productive New Year!

Doris Walker-Dalhouse
LRA President 2022-2023
doris.walker-dalhouse@marquette.edu

Statement on Recent Shootings

Dear LRA Family and Friends,

In the original statement regarding the recent gun violence in our universities and communities, we realized that language was used that was interpreted as offensive or not sensitive to all our membership. While we intended to be inclusive, we recognize that the phrasing used did not achieve this end. We apologize for this error. Please read the amended statement below.

 

Once again, we are jolted and immensely saddened by the recent series of tragic deaths on our university campuses and communities in North Carolina, Virginia, Idaho, and Colorado, and we earnestly wish for whatever comforts from whatever source that can be offered to the grieving families for the loss of their loved ones.

 

Most unfortunately, these are only a few of the 602 deaths this year due to mass shootings already recorded by the Gun Violence Archive in which every category where data is compiled has increased dramatically since 2014 https://www.gunviolencearchive.org. This rampant escalation of violence in our country which has occurred not only in schools, but in all the places where we live, work and play raises perplexing questions about our safety as well as to the reasons for this rising tsunami of death and loss where some deeply troubled individuals intentionally take the lives of members of diverse races, ethnicities, the LGBTQIA+ communities, genders, and religious affiliations. Given LRA’s mission to study language and literacy in its many manifestations, we also strongly condemn abusive and vituperative language which dehumanizes other human beings and makes them the target for these hateful violent acts.

 

As a body of caring professionals, engaged daily with children and their families, teachers, school officials at every level, and other literacy stakeholders, we struggle to think of viable, practical solutions which may provide some curb to the anxieties and fears many feel just in coming to school every day. But we are not powerless.

 

LRA has already reached out to AERA to join them in their call for “the establishment of a federal blue-ribbon commission or high-level task force that would bring together experts from relevant scientific and professional fields, including education research, mental health, criminal justice, and others, to develop short- and long-term actionable steps.” AERA President Rich Milner has assured me that as they move forward LRA will be a partner in this effort.

 

Further, members of your LRA Board of Directors have also put forth recommendations that LRA can take to further study this pressing issue. For example, commissioning a report on gun violence, similar to our reports on dyslexia and racial violence, which can be disseminated as a public document as well as to schools and educational organizations “seeking to use literacies and languaging to prevent gun violence, identifying the potential for gun violence, and for helping those affected by gun violence to heal.”

 

There is one more thing that each of us can do as well if you will indulge me in a literary reference. Tolkien, speaking through the wizard Gandalf, writes “Saruman [another wizard] believes it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I have found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay… simple acts of kindness and love.”

 

“Simple acts of kindness and love by ordinary folk”—just like us—directed toward everyone we are around. Who knows what collective power this may generate in the universe.

 

I am happy to serve as a contact for those of you interested in exploring how LRA might contribute to productive conversations and solutions in addressing this issue. Please feel free to contact me dyadenjr@arizona.edu with your thoughts and suggestions as to how we can move forward.

 

With appreciation for all of you,
And on behalf of the Literacy Research Association Board of Directors

The Road Less Taken ~ The Ph.D. Road

The Road Less Taken ~ The Ph.D. Road

A poem by Adeline Mansa Borti, Ph.D., Department of English, Grand Valley State University

 

The Road Less Taken~ The Ph.D. Road

The road not taken?

The road less taken…

The road with roses and thorns

The road with pain and laughter, with solitude for productivity

Among many but still lonely?

Bittersweet and narrow with less freedom

The road trodden by about 2% of the population in America

Less trodden if even at all

The road imagined by 963 people but taken and conquered by 65 brave and resilient folks

The Ph.D. Road…steep and bumpy

Taking this roller coaster road, not many will dare.

The road taken when the sun rises.

The road taken when the sun sets.

The road taken whether the rain smiles or frowns.

The road taken whether the snow appears or hides.

The road on which thunder roars and lightning strikes.

The road taken whether there is light or darkness.

 

 

Coursework fatigue? Wait till the research after coursework! Reading empirical literature[1], independence, resilience, maturity, all tried and tested. Nevertheless, don’t give up!

I know your thoughts: whether to enjoy or endure?

I see your tears…to retreat or surrender to the voice of Ph.D. that calleth…come up and continue the journey because of the joy and light at the end of the tunnel.

I know your sleepless nights…a cup of tea or coffee to keep awake.

 

 

The people who walk this path cover the thorn and show the roses.

The people who walk this path show the smiles without the tears.

Bittersweet, weak-bold, day-night, and smile-frown are integral parts of the Ph.D. journey.

It’s okay if you are not okay sometimes. It’s okay if the thorn around the roses prick with much more pain than you thought.

All you need to do is to stretch.

All you need is a trusted helper.

Helpers from all sides; helpers from all levels!

 

 

Do you have a passion for this less-trodden road?

Then be prepared to fight strong!

Exercise your academic, cognitive, emotional, social, and physical muscles!

Never be afraid to dare!

Never be hesitant to be among the few…the few on the bittersweet journey…

A path that calls out to many but a few answer!

A path that longs to embrace many, but a few heed to the call.

The few that heed to this call feel weary and many retreat.

Are you on this journey? Don’t retreat. See the light at the end of the tunnel, not the immediate darkness.

Are you contemplating on this less trodden road? Count the cost and begin without retreat.

Not to go alone because together, we can succeed. Asking for help, a sign of strength, not a weakness!

 

 

“I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”

I took the less traveled path, and that brought the healing.

The healing of all the wounds sustained from the thorn among the roses!

Healing from my loneliness!

Healing from my fears of the unknown ending and future!

I took the less traveled road, and that makes me an icon of healing and hope.

Healing and hope for those who want to dare!

Healing and hope for those wondering where the finish line will be!

Healing and hope for those who feel battered and tired!

Yes, “I took the road less traveled, and that made all the difference!”

 


Adeline M. Borti is an assistant professor, in the English Department at Grand Valley State University, USA. Dr. Borti is an English language/literacy educator, researcher, and social worker.  Dr. Borti is engaged in service, teaching, and research related to ESL, literacy education, the empowerment of women, and social justice.

This is an original work, and it gained no support or any grant from funding agencies in public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.  No part of this manuscript has been shared or published anywhere.

Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Adeline Borti, English Department, Grand Valley State University, 1 Campus Drive, Allendale, Michigan 49401, USA

The author provided the following notes for your reference:

Giving hope and joy of healing is best done by the one who is healed after going through the pain and aches. Many a time, we see people healed and back to “life” with hope, but we do not hear the stories about how joy and pain, brokenness, and healing are part of a rewarding journey. As a former international student, I engage in poetic inquiry to reflect on my Ph.D. journey and the healing that I experienced during and after this journey. Poetic inquiry offers the space for reflexivity on my Ph.D. journey.

The following are resources that foregrounded my poetry.

  • 2016 Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities. Retrieved from https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/2018/nsf18304/static/report/nsf18304-report.pdf.
  • Benge, C., Onwuegbuzie, A. J., Mallette, M. H., & Burgess, M. L. (2010). Doctoral students’ perceptions of barriers to reading empirical literature: A mixed analysis. International Journal of Doctoral Studies, 5, 55-77.
  • Borti, A. (2019). A life in two worlds: the silenced and the unsilenced. Qualitative Inquiry, 1077800419838572.
  • Frost, R. (1915). The road not taken. Poetry Foundation. Retrieved from https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44272/the-road-not-taken
  • Alabi, G., & Mohammed, I. (2017). Research and PhD capacities in sub-Saharan Africa: Ghana Report. British Council & German Academic and Exchange Service. Retrieved from https://www2.daad.de/medien/der-daad/analysen-studien/research_and_phd_capacities_in_sub-saharan_africa_-_ghana_report.pdf

Photo by Jeremy Vessey on Unsplash

October 2022 President’s Message

Dear LRA Family and Friends,

Greetings! I hope you are looking forward as much as I am to LRA’s upcoming 72nd Annual Conference in Phoenix, Arizona. If the weather predictions hold for December 2022, it will be “clear and sunny,” with delightfully cool-ish temperatures in the high 60s during the day, dropping to crisper 50s in the evening—mere summer temps for those of you in the northern climes! Time to break out those chic jackets and sweaters you’ve saved for this occasion.

 

Our indefatigable Conference Chair, Doris Walker-Dalhouse and her team have organized a stellar line up of conference speakers and research presentations during the week. Headliners will be plenary speakers Bryan Brayboy and Angela Valenzuela, Guadalupe Valdés, the 2022 recipient of the Distinguished Scholar Lifetime Achievement Award, and Arlette Willis, the 2021 Oscar S. Causey awardee. And anchoring the conference on Saturday will be the Integrative Research Review Panel, comprised of notable scholars and researchers, including Drs. Catherine Compton-Lilly, Marcus Croom, Allison Skerrett and Mary McVee.

 

I do have one concern that I am hoping we can discuss as a professional literacy organization in December and that is the overreach of legislative policies and laws passed in the name of the science of reading which have directly impacted teacher education programs in at least 30 states. For example, here in Arizona, there is a new dyslexia screening test for kindergarten and first grade mandated by fall 2022, two new and required university courses covering the identification of dyslexia and the five “pillars” of reading (à la NCLB) to be in place by spring of 2023, and a new reading endorsement (with a phonics focus) and high stakes assessment which must be completed within three years of initial certification, otherwise the credential is revoked.

 

This strident conservatism sweeping educational practice, also manifested in the bans of discussions of CRT, gender identity, ethnic and racial issues, and the history of slavery (perniciously euphemized in some states as “involuntary relocation”) has had an insidious and demonstrable effect on what teachers and students can discuss—and read—in our nation’s classrooms. All the more disheartening is the squelching or outright ignoring of the research represented by LRA scholars and researchers (e.g., see https://literacyresearchassociation.org/research-reports-policy-briefs-and-press-releases/) as well as the critiques of the science of reading research by most of the 50+ articles in the two Special Issues of the Reading Research Quarterly (see https://ila.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/rrq.402 for an example).

 

Indeed, what is represented as research-based practice by science of reading advocates is directly opposed to what literacy scholars and professionals all over the globe have realized in that “learning is far beyond just a cognitive function, but is deeply embedded in the racial, cultural, historical, socioeconomic, and gendered identities of language and literacy users” (Yaden & Rogers, forthcoming, Literacies and Languages vol., International Encyclopedia of Education, https://www.elsevier.com/books/international-encyclopedia-of-education/tierney/978-0-12-818629-9). Unfortunately, this more sophisticated understanding of literacy development has been subverted, at least in the U.S., by a one-size-fits-all, over-simplified, retrograde definition of literacy—the predictable outcome of adopting “a simple view of reading.”

 

The rhetoric of the reading wars has now become more than just a sterile, academic debate, but is encoded in the very laws, house and senate bills, and legislative policies of the majority of the states, policies which are, in turn, being foisted upon school districts and university teacher training programs where nearly all of us work. Thus, we are required to spend time in questionable course development since legislators, public officials, and journalists have become the self-appointed the literacy experts, attempting to determine both university curriculum in literacy and even what topics literacy researchers can address in classroom settings.

 

It is my belief that LRA must become a leader in turning this restrictive tide and tunnel vision related to literacy development. Our collaboration with the National Academy of Education in their Civic Reasoning and Discourse initiative is certainly one way, understanding that “our polarized, racialized, and politicized climates highlight the importance of equipping young people with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions they need to understand complex social issues, respect multiple points of view, and dialogue across differences” (National Academy of Education, https://naeducation.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/NAEd-Educating-for-Civic-Reasoning-and-Discourse-Exec-Summary.pdf).

 

But there must be other ways as well. As a long-time NRC/LRA member (40 years), the old message of “if we do the research, they will come,” to paraphrase a movie catch phrase (cf. Field of Dreams), is simply not being heard, or worse, being ignored as irrelevant. In addition to the good research which we must continue to do and promote through our journal and book publications, what other tools does LRA have which can be employed to rewrite this pervasive conservative narrative? Increased social media presence? Partnerships with other literacy and educational organizations? Webinars, workshops, seminars, or other public-facing intellectual work which highlight key research findings to a much broader audience? Through what types of Structured or Sustained Dialogue can we engage with parents, school officials and legislators to successfully traverse the liminal binaries which deter productive conversation?

 

There is no easy road to follow here—it will be a steep climb. But I believe LRA is up to the challenge. Our solutions will be collective; I look forward to the dialogue with you.

 

With great respect and appreciation,
David

 

David Yaden
LRA President 2021-2022
dyadenjr@mail.arizona.edu

October 2022 Newsletter

President’s Message

Dear LRA Family and Friends,

Greetings! I hope you are looking forward as much as I am to LRA’s upcoming 72nd Annual Conference in Phoenix, Arizona. If the weather predictions hold for December 2022, it will be “clear and sunny,” with delightfully cool-ish temperatures in the high 60s during the day, dropping to crisper 50s in the evening—mere summer temps for those of you in the northern climes! Time to break out those chic jackets and sweaters you’ve saved for this occasion.

Our indefatigable Conference Chair, Doris Walker-Dalhouse and her team have organized a stellar line up of conference speakers and research presentations during the week. Headliners will be plenary speakers Bryan Brayboy and Angela Valenzuela, Guadalupe Valdés, the 2022 recipient of the Distinguished Scholar Lifetime Achievement Award, and Arlette Willis, the 2021 Oscar S. Causey awardee. And anchoring the conference on Saturday will be the Integrative Research Review Panel, comprised of notable scholars and researchers, including Drs. Catherine Compton-Lilly, Marcus Croom, Allison Skerrett and Mary McVee.

I do have one concern that I am hoping we can discuss as a professional literacy organization in December and that is the overreach of legislative policies and laws passed in the name of the science of reading which have directly impacted teacher education programs in at least 30 states. For example, here in Arizona, there is a new dyslexia screening test for kindergarten and first grade mandated by fall 2022, two new and required university courses covering the identification of dyslexia and the five “pillars” of reading (à la NCLB) to be in place by spring of 2023, and a new reading endorsement (with a phonics focus) and high stakes assessment which must be completed within three years of initial certification, otherwise the credential is revoked.

This strident conservatism sweeping educational practice, also manifested in the bans of discussions of CRT, gender identity, ethnic and racial issues, and the history of slavery (perniciously euphemized in some states as “involuntary relocation”) has had an insidious and demonstrable effect on what teachers and students can discuss—and read—in our nation’s classrooms. All the more disheartening is the squelching or outright ignoring of the research represented by LRA scholars and researchers (e.g., see https://literacyresearchassociation.org/research-reports-policy-briefs-and-press-releases/) as well as the critiques of the science of reading research by most of the 50+ articles in the two Special Issues of the Reading Research Quarterly (see https://ila.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/rrq.402 for an example).

Indeed, what is represented as research-based practice by science of reading advocates is directly opposed to what literacy scholars and professionals all over the globe have realized in that “learning is far beyond just a cognitive function, but is deeply embedded in the racial, cultural, historical, socioeconomic, and gendered identities of language and literacy users” (Yaden & Rogers, forthcoming, Literacies and Languages vol., International Encyclopedia of Education, https://www.elsevier.com/books/international-encyclopedia-of-education/tierney/978-0-12-818629-9). Unfortunately, this more sophisticated understanding of literacy development has been subverted, at least in the U.S., by a one-size-fits-all, over-simplified, retrograde definition of literacy—the predictable outcome of adopting “a simple view of reading.”

The rhetoric of the reading wars has now become more than just a sterile, academic debate, but is encoded in the very laws, house and senate bills, and legislative policies of the majority of the states, policies which are, in turn, being foisted upon school districts and university teacher training programs where nearly all of us work. Thus, we are required to spend time in questionable course development since legislators, public officials, and journalists have become the self-appointed the literacy experts, attempting to determine both university curriculum in literacy and even what topics literacy researchers can address in classroom settings.

It is my belief that LRA must become a leader in turning this restrictive tide and tunnel vision related to literacy development. Our collaboration with the National Academy of Education in their Civic Reasoning and Discourse initiative is certainly one way, understanding that “our polarized, racialized, and politicized climates highlight the importance of equipping young people with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions they need to understand complex social issues, respect multiple points of view, and dialogue across differences” (National Academy of Education, https://naeducation.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/NAEd-Educating-for-Civic-Reasoning-and-Discourse-Exec-Summary.pdf).

But there must be other ways as well. As a long-time NRC/LRA member (40 years), the old message of “if we do the research, they will come,” to paraphrase a movie catch phrase (cf. Field of Dreams), is simply not being heard, or worse, being ignored as irrelevant. In addition to the good research which we must continue to do and promote through our journal and book publications, what other tools does LRA have which can be employed to rewrite this pervasive conservative narrative? Increased social media presence? Partnerships with other literacy and educational organizations? Webinars, workshops, seminars, or other public-facing intellectual work which highlight key research findings to a much broader audience? Through what types of Structured or Sustained Dialogue can we engage with parents, school officials and legislators to successfully traverse the liminal binaries which deter productive conversation?

There is no easy road to follow here—it will be a steep climb. But I believe LRA is up to the challenge. Our solutions will be collective; I look forward to the dialogue with you.

With great respect and appreciation,
David

David Yaden
LRA President 2021-2022
dyadenjr@mail.arizona.edu

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72nd Annual Conference Update

Dear LRA Family and Friends,

The clock is ticking signaling that the start of the 72nd Annual LRA conference is near. Make sure that as you are preparing for your research presentation(s), to serve as a discussant or session chair, or to actively engage as a learner, that you complete your conference registration and make hotel arrangements. If you missed the Early Bird registration deadline, the Conference Planning Committees still want you to participate and to invite other colleagues, friends, and educational scholars, leaders, and researchers to participate in this rich professional development opportunity.

Although our room block at the Arizona Grand Hotel & Spa is full, a wait list for rooms at the Arizona has been created and a list of additional hotel accommodations has been shared with you via e-blasts and posted on the LRA website. We appreciate your understanding and patience and will continue to be responsive in updating and supporting you in preparation for the conference.

We are not yet finished sharing information about the distinguished list of plenary speakers for this year’s conference. The most recent eblast focused on Dr. Catherine Compton-Lilly, the first of our four esteemed Integrated Research Review Panel speakers. Look for additional information about our colleagues Allison Skerrett, Mary McVee, and Marcus Croom.

We are looking forward to gathering with you in Phoenix! Travel safely and we will see you soon!

With sincere appreciation,

Doris Walker-Dalhouse
President-Elect and 72nd Annual Meeting Conference Chair
doris.walker-dalhouse@marquette.edu

LRA takes the health and safety of its personnel and all guests at events very seriously. We remain mindful that COVID-19 variants and considerations for the health of attendees must be a priority.

Visit our website to read more about our COVID-19 Recommendations.

Read More
Integrative Research Review Spotlight on Catherine Compton-Lilly

The Literacy Research Association welcomes Catherine Compton-Lilly as one of its speakers for the 72nd Annual Conference as part of LRA’s Integrative Research Review Panel. LRA’s IRR Panel Session, titled ‘Review and Scholarly Syntheses as Anti-Racist Action’ will focus specifically on the silencing of and importance of BIPOC authors and scholars, along with the history of their work and global impact. Read more.

2022 LRA Distinguished Scholar Award Recipient Announced

The Literacy Research Association is thrilled to announce that Dr. Guadalupe Valdés has been selected by the Distinguished Scholar Lifetime Achievement Award Committee as the 2022 Distinguished Scholar Award Recipient. The award ceremony and presentation will be held at the 2022 LRA Annual Meeting in Phoenix, AZ, November 29th – December 3rd, 2022.

Read more.

Whether you are looking for a new position or a new hire, LRA’s job board is the place! Association members from across the world can view open positions while organizations can post theirs.
Learn More
AACTE Call for Cases

The AACTE Clinical Practice Commission Proclamations and Cases of Teacher Education Innovation is seeking cases (2,500-3,500 words) related to the clinical practice “proclamations” of the AACTE Clinical Practice Commission.

Learn more about this unique opportunity to share your work.

Call for Manuscripts – Learning and Instruction

Learning and Instruction is soliciting submissions for a special issue entitled Literacy and Feedback. Learn more here.

The Teacher Educators’ Journal (TTEJ) – Call for Manuscripts

The Teacher Educators’ Journal (TTEJ) is published by the Virginia Association of Colleges and Teacher Educators (VACTE), a state unit of the Association of Teacher Educators (ATE) and the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE). The journal aims to stimulate discussion and reflection about issues related to teacher education; authors need not be based, and research need not be conducted, in Virginia for manuscripts to be considered for publication. Manuscripts submitted for consideration may be research/empirical reports and analyses, position papers, book reviews, or conceptual essays.

To facilitate collaboration amongst teacher education scholars and practitioners and improve teaching, research, and student learning, the theme for the Spring 2023 journal is “Equity Issues in Teacher Education Research and Practice.”

Learn more about submission guidelines.

Authors should submit an electronic version of their manuscript using the Manuscript Submission Form. All manuscripts must be received by November 1, 2022 for consideration for the Spring 2023 issue. Please direct all questions about the journal to askTTEJ@gmail.com.

LRA Wants to Share Your News!

Want to share news with the LRA Community or contribute to Critical Conversations? Follow the link in the button below or reach out to our e-editors directly at write@literacyresearchassociation.org to submit content.

 

 

August 2022 President’s Message

President’s Message

Greetings LRA Family and Friends,

I hope this summer has provided some respite from various cares and renewed your spirit!

 

Thanks to LRA’s 72nd Conference Chair and President-Elect, Doris Walker-Dalhouse, and her planning team for their work in organizing a much-anticipated meeting in Phoenix, Arizona at the Arizona Grand Resort and Spa from November 29 – December 3, 2022. For Conference 2022, LRA welcomes plenary speakers Brian Brayboy from Arizona State University, Angela Valenzuela of the University of Texas at Austin, and Guadalupe Valdés, Stanford University and the 2022 recipient of the Distinguished Scholar Lifetime Achievement Award. All of these scholars are National Academy of Education members whose research and writing have been foundational in establishing much of the current thinking regarding approaches to social justice, racial equity and the deep benefits of multilingualism and diversity in today’s schools and society.

 

I want to follow up a bit more on the decision to have only an in-person conference this year, rather than a hybrid one. It is important to know that the choice of venue for the annual meeting involves a blend of intellectual, ethical and business dimensions. First, the business aspect. Choosing a conference location is a long, intensive process (sites are normally chosen 3-years in advance), involving multiple LRA and management company personnel in the decision. The process involves the initial preparation of an RFP that is then sent to dozens of hotel venues, outlining LRA’s goals and logistical needs for the annual meeting, after which begins the careful vetting of numerous hotel and vendor proposals. After a short list of possible sites is identified, each one is visited by a core group of LRA officers and ASG staff to get a clear visual picture of the venue itself and the surrounding area. All along the way, the team is negotiating affordable pricing for accommodations, adequate meeting space, technical support, reasonable catering costs, internet services, and assessing the transportation networks adjacent to hotel properties, just to name a few of areas of decision-making. None of these costs, with the exception of the room rates, are fixed necessarily, so there is an ongoing and lively exchange of information and negotiation between LRA and venue officials nearly up to the dates of the conference itself. As your President, I have come to greatly appreciate the careful planning, judgment, and negotiating skill that is evident on LRA’s behalf in this sophisticated process.

 

Second, on the ethical side, LRA has, indeed, in the past made decisions not to go to states where there have been restrictions, for example, on affirmative action or gender-neutral bathrooms. However, during the last 3 years, in particular, if the advent and ongoing impact of the pandemic weren’t enough disruption, now numerous states are aggressively suppressing voting rights, criminalizing discussions of CRT in classrooms, and imposing narrow approaches to literacy instruction on teacher education programs across the country. Further, with the overturning of Roe vs. Wade and real threats emerging to women’s and families’ health in this post-Roe environment as well as an anti-LGBTQIA2S+ sentiment, the business of choosing a conference site has become dramatically more complicated as most of the states in the South and Southwest where LRA has typically held conferences now have state policies with which LRA does not fundamentally agree. Thus, the current venue selection process involves many more issues to juggle than in the past.

 

Finally, drilling down into the costs and provision of various types of conference hybridity to include the range and type of presentations which is typical of LRA has proven to be a thorny problem. While we are all used to robust internet services at our universities to meet with and collaborate with our colleagues worldwide, to conduct professional development and other business, I was not aware of the costs of providing this service until I asked our chief information officer. At the University of Arizona, the base cost to maintain such services for faculty, staff and students is between one-half and three-quarters of a million dollars. And this cost is actually discounted for research and industry institutions as they use Internet 2, a specialized system of digital resources and networks designed exclusively for supporting the work of research.

 

However, when LRA meets at a hotel venue, the internet providers are commercial, with commercial rates, considerably higher than the Internet 2 cost. Our planning team has compared the costs for various hybrid formats against what other organizations have paid which range easily from $40,000 to well over $100,000 depending upon the type of virtual service provided; and this cost is above and beyond what is paid for digital and technical support of the in-person conference which effectively doubles the cost of conducting the annual meeting. Another factor in this equation is LRA’s relatively small size, fluctuating between 1,200-1,500 members over the past few years. To put it simply, organizations with a membership of 25,000 like AERA and NCTE, and ILA with its 300,000 members worldwide in 128 countries, have more budget to consider a broader scope of digital offerings to their members.

 

In order to get a clearer picture of the changing political and financial landscapes which LRA’s annual meetings are confronting, I appointed a special Conference Venue Committee this year, chaired by former LRA President, Janice Almasi, to do a deep dive into ways that the annual conference can be more affordable, accessible, and aligned with LRA’s values and mission. This committee will present their final report in December at the 2022 Annual Meeting.

 

I would like to mention one more thing, that is, the importance of supporting the e-editors in their efforts to increase the communication capabilities of the new, custom-built website.

 

While the old listserv is no longer available, there are ample ways that communication among LRA members can take place. For example, on the BLOG tab, the e-editors have created a form https://literacyresearchassociation.org/news/submit-content/ where LRA members, Standing and Award Committees, our journal editorial teams, and ICGs can share information related to news, committee updates, and pertinent publication information.

 

LRA is fortunate to have such dedicated members as those of the e-editor team, members of the Technology and Digital Communications Committee, and Headquarters staff who have arduously worked to ameliorate various glitches, create new functionalities, and provide affordances to LRA members to communicate with colleagues and share information relevant to the larger membership. Please take the initiative to share information through the link above or contact the e-editors directly at write@literacyresearchassociation.org.

 

In closing, these past three years have had dramatic, and sometimes tragic consequences for both our personal and professional lives. Nonetheless, LRA’s leadership and its members are continually striving to create an intellectual and professional environment where literacy scholars from all reaches of the planet feel “at home,” as it were, in that their personal and professional interests, values and research are appreciated and valued. The more we communicate with one another, the better we prosper and grow.

 

With great respect and appreciation,
David

David Yaden
LRA President 2021-2022
dyadenjr@email.arizona.edu