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Shooting in Uvalde, TX

Posted on by Ian O'Byrne

Dear LRA Family and Friends,

Once again and too soon, we are mourning more senseless and horrific deaths as a result of another mass shooting in America—this time 19 third, and fourth graders and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. This unconscionable loss of life and the aftermath of unspeakable pain, grief, and anger should touch us all deeply as literacy educators and researchers. These are our children too.

 

We seem to have come to the point in this country where we can assume there is no safe place. Schools, grocery stores, churches, synagogues, mosques, movie theaters, concerts, restaurants, and many other places have been sites for mass violence. Shootings have been attributed to retribution, anger, fear of the other, mental illness, and other causes. School dress codes have begun including bans on “body armor,” and, in many places, security officers and metal detectors now greet students at the school door. Yet, the violence goes on, seemingly uninhibited.

 

Gun violence has now outstripped car crashes as the leading cause of death among youth in the United States. There are now more guns in America than people—a shocking average of 120 firearms per person—with Yemen (53) and Serbia (39) a far distant second and third. Firearm deaths of civilians since 1968 have now reached 1.5 million persons—more than the number of soldiers killed in every U.S. conflict since the American War for Independence in 1775. So far, there have been more mass shootings than days in 2022.

 

The nation’s children, youth, and their teachers are LRA’s intimate partners in our work to understand all forms of literacies—their classrooms are our workplace. All children in schools and the adults who teach and serve them deserve to be safe, but they are not. As concerned citizens and voters, we are not powerless. There are many firearm safety measures which could be passed at both state and federal levels, but are stalled due to political gridlock, and the undue influence of gun advocacy groups. And the sad fact is that there are more police than nurses and counselors in many schools.

 

In addition to passing firearm safety laws, there is also a dramatic disparity in trained mental health professionals who might be in a position to recognize early on the reasons for an individual’s psychological trauma and treat it before it burgeons into violence and death. Therefore, I urge all of you to do what you can to convince our local, state and federal lawmakers that our children’s safety, physical and mental,—the safety of all of us—should be their first priority.

 

On behalf of the LRA Board of Directors,

LRA Statement on the Recent Murders in Buffalo and Orange County

Posted on by Nicollette Schmeichel

Dear LRA Family and Friends,

 

Once again, we as a nation are grieving the loss of life in both Buffalo and Orange County.  This systemic, racist and political/ethnic violence has far reaching and life-altering impacts, not only for the families and communities who are mourning the unconscionable death of their loved ones and neighbors, but for all of us—it changes our journey in this world, our relationships, our identities, our actions.

 

As you know, LRA has been dutiful in releasing several strong statements in past years about such ugly and violent acts against persons of color by white supremacists and other extremist persons, including “The role of literacy research in racism and racial violence (2016); “Statement against anti-Black racism, anti-Black violence, and all forms of racism and violence (2020);” “Statement against anti-Asian violence (2021);” and the most recent LRA research report Racial justice in literacy research (2022).  All of these statements can be accessed on the LRA website.

 

There is no doubt that as an organization of caring, morally responsible professionals, we stand in solidarity with other educational organizations in grieving the loss of our fellow human beings and condemning such racially-motivated violence.  Our Mission Statement is clear:

 

We are deeply saddened by the continued tragedies incurred disproportionately by our Black, Indigenous, Latinx, [and Asian and LGBTQIA+] communities. We cannot sit by in silence. We call for renewed dedication of our scholarly talents to call out racism and injustices and support equitable, inclusive, anti-racist educational practices and spaces. 

 

Each of us play critical roles in our communities and collegial circles, promoting racial justice and peace, being like professional leaven, as it were, effecting the spread of hope, goodwill, compassion, and justice in whatever way we deem best.  So, while we mourn, let us resolve to do better in making the world a more safe and nurturing space for all peoples.

 

On behalf of the LRA Board of Directors,

David Yaden

President, Literacy Research Association

 

VJ Mayor, CAE

Executive Director, Literacy Research Association

Submit Your 2023 LRA Board Nominations!

Posted on by Ian O'Byrne

WE NEED YOUR INPUT.

Please nominate LRA members who are willing to serve a 3-year term as an LRA Board Member or make a 5-year commitment to matriculate through the presidential line (VP-elect, VP, Pres-elect, President, Past President).

Please nominate members in good standing who “represent the priorities included in the LRA Mission statement, particularly with respect to leadership, scholarship, diversity, and membership.” Self-nominations are welcome.

To nominate someone:

  1. make sure they are willing to serve;
  2. send their name and CV (please be sure CVs include service to LRA).

By Monday, June 6th send your nominations with corresponding VITA to Alfred T. Tatum (atatum@literacyresearchassociation.org).

Please indicate “Nomination for Election 2023” in the subject line. Indicate also whether they are being nominated to serve as a board member only (3-year commitment) or to serve in the presidential line (5-year commitment).

Accepting Nominations for the 2023 P. David Pearson Scholarly Influence Award

Posted on by Ian O'Byrne

SEEKING NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2023 P. DAVID PEARSON SCHOLARLY INFLUENCE AWARD

 

LRA is seeking nominations for the P. David Pearson Scholarly Influence Award. The purpose of this annual award is to honor, in P. David Pearson’s name, the author(s) of an article, chapter, or book written at least 5 years prior to the nomination, which has positively and demonstrably influenced literacy practices and/or policies within district, school, and/or classroom contexts.

 

Nominators should demonstrate how the findings or implications of the article, chapter, or book have been used directly by educators or education personnel to craft influential policies and/or initiate and implement innovative classroom practices. Please read the following procedures for additional details regarding this award. Individuals are welcome to self-nominate.

 

The P. David Pearson Scholarly Influence Award is presented at the Annual Conference and recipients receive a plaque and monetary award.

 

Procedures for Nomination

Authors wishing to be considered for the P. David Pearson Scholarly Influence Award, or a person who wishes to nominate the author(s) of a piece of writing, are asked to submit the nominated piece, along with a letter of nomination laying out the case for the nomination and providing documentation regarding the influence of the piece on educators’ practices and/or curricula, and/or policy. Impact and influence can be measured both qualitatively (e.g., through testimonials from practitioners and policymakers) and quantitatively (e.g., through citation data).

 

The nomination materials should also include the CV(s) of the nominated author(s) which can be helpful to situating the nominated piece within a larger body of work and can provide further evidence of influence/impact.

 

Please note that nominations will be considered automatically for a period of three years and that nominators can revise and/or amend the nomination package for the subsequent years that the nomination is under consideration.

 

The nomination package should be sent to the co-chairs of the P. David Pearson Scholarly Influence Award Committee by September 5, 2023. The co-chairs are Miranda Fitzgerald (mfitzg21@uncc.edu) and Annemarie Palincsar (annemari@umich.edu).

 

Each nomination package will be reviewed and scored for evidence of depth, breadth, and duration of the influence, or potential for influence, over time. 

 

DEPTH: The influence of the article/chapter/book on literacy policy or practice has been deeply positive/substantial.

    • Clarification/evidence (for example): Nomination letter and/or other materials may speak to the depth of influence by describing/illustrating the (a) unique contribution of the piece (b) ways in which the piece ushered in a paradigm shift, (c) innovative/revolutionary findings and/or implications of the piece, etc.

BREADTH: The influence of the article/chapter/book on literacy policy or practice has been widespread.

    • Clarification/evidence (for example): Nomination letter and/or other materials may speak to the breadth of influence/impact by describing/illustrating the (a) influence of the piece within a broader program of research, (b) uptake of findings/implications of the piece by different authors/subsequent publications, (c) reach of the impact/influence on classrooms/schools/districts, etc.

ENDURANCE or POTENTIAL FOR LONG-TERM INFLUENCE: The influence of the article/chapter/book on literacy policy or practice has been sustained over time. 

    • Clarification/evidence (for example): The nomination letter and/or other materials may speak to the duration/endurance of influence by describing/illustrating the (a) influence of the piece over time on manuscripts that were published (by the nominated author/authors) following the publication of the nominated piece, (b) ways in which the findings/implications of the piece have been taken up in policy/instructional practice over a period of time, (c) how the influence/impact of the piece has grown over time, etc. 

Accepting Nominations for the 2022 Arthur Applebee Award

Posted on by Ian O'Byrne

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 6, 2022.

 

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, 2021 and December 31, 2021 (for the 2022 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 this webpage.

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 by Tuesday, September 6, 2022. Self-nominations are accepted.

Focusing On Publishing Research That Makes a Difference

Posted on by Ian O'Byrne

The Lead Editors of Literacy Research: Theory, Method, and Practice (LR:TMP), Volumes 70-72, will use this blog to advance publishing transparency and ethics. We will also promote content from past issues, link to online first articles for an upcoming issue, and broadcast messages about opportunities for publishing and reviewing for LR:TMP.

 

To promote transparency, we will share with the LRA community parts of the editorship proposal for LR:TMP. Our vision includes a Focus Upon Publishing Ethical Research that Makes an Affirmative Difference in the World. Here is an excerpt from our proposal:

 

The world is now and always has been in a state of perpetual flux, so ethical literacies scholarship must continuously recalibrate and transform to address new opportunities and problems and to inquire more generatively into seemingly intractable issues. A review of conference themes over the past 15 years shows a persistent optimism that literacy research has a part to play in “illuminating the future,” setting in motion “activism, community, and love,” and “mobilizing,” “expanding,” or “widening” pathways toward a better world. We agree. 


But the invisible hand of progress doesn’t inexorably move in this direction; rather, if affirmative change materializes, it is through ethically-engaged, justice-oriented practices that frequently conflict with the status quo. We believe the journal is in a unique position to expeditiously circulate life-affirming practices, theories, methods, and policy positions that warrant our optimism in the power of transformative literacies and move the field forward.

To advance this scholarship, we will:
– Highlight in each issue a paper (or set of papers) that exhibits a profound commitment to research that significantly contributes to making the world more just (e.g. through improving the lives of some segment of the population; advancing the field in theory, method, or policy).
– Focus on troubling conversations about literacies research and the complex web of factors that affect it. For example, we look forward to putting into conversation different scholarly approaches centering on politically volatile topics of grave concern in literacies research, such as immigration policies, rising racism in schools and society, and environmental sustainability.

 

In our first issue (Volume 70), we recognized the work of the Literacy Futurisms Collective-in-the-Making for their paper

“We Believe in Collective Magic”: Honoring  the Past to Reclaim the  Futures of Literacy Research. They earned the first “More Just World” Award, fulfilling our proposal promise outlined in #1 above.

 

In 2020, LRA President-Elect Gwendolyn McMillon designed a series of Collaborative Panel Discussions for the annual conference. These focused upon antiracism, Black Lives Matter in Literacy Research,
Black Boys’ Literacies, and the Science of Reading. These invited papers to Volume 70 more than fulfilled our promise in #2 above, plus Volume 70’s accepted papers in part also fulfill this promise. For example, check out Presiado and Frieson’s article,
“Make Sure You See This’: Counternarratives of Multilingual Black
Girls’ Language and Literacy Practices,” which focuses on the wealth of language and literacy practices that their Black, multilingual girl participants contributed to schools through their multidimensional counternarratives that challenged dominant White Mainstream narratives.

 

All LR:TMP articles are available to LRA Members. Log in and go to
LR:TMP Member Access to view the current and prior issues.

Accepting 2023 LRA Early Career Award Nominations

Posted on by Ian O'Byrne

We welcome nominations for the LRA Early Career Award! 

The Early Career Achievement Award was established in 1999 to recognize the work of one member each year who is in the early part of their career.

Eligible members may either self-nominate or be nominated by another LRA member. Nominations should be sent to Kristin Conradi Smith in the form of a letter describing the nominee’s qualifications for the award. Nominations are due May 15th. Nominees will then be contacted and asked to submit a packet for review by the committee (due June 15th). 

To be eligible for consideration for the Award, an individual must:

  • Have been a member of LRA for at least three (but not necessarily consecutive) years; and
  • Have graduated with a doctoral degree no more than seven years from the date of nomination.

Each year a call and deadline (May 15th) for nominations are announced in the LRA spring newsletter and on the listserv. 

Nominations are in the form of a letter describing the nominee’s qualifications for the Award, with priority given to the nominee’s achievements in: 1) research; 2) publication and impact of contributions to the field; 3) service; and 4) teaching.

All nominated members who meet the eligibility requirement will be contacted by the committee chair in April and asked to submit:

  • A letter of support from their home institutions;
  • A current curriculum vita, including all publications, degrees, honors and awards, and service on editorial boards of research journals; and
  • A written statement by the nominee that describes their professional growth and research agenda.

More information can be found here.

Accepting Nominations for the 2022 Brian Street Award

Posted on by Ian O'Byrne

Please consider nominating yourself or someone else for the Brian Street Memorial Award.

 

Brian Street was a British anthropologist whose scholarship helped establish the social turn in literacy research. A core theme of Street’s scholarship was recognizing the dignity and integrity of all people and their uses of written language as they navigated the social, cultural, economic, and political structures of their lives.

 

The Award was established in 2017 to recognize the contributions Street made to the field of Literacy Studies.

 

The Brian Street Memorial Award for Scholarship Bridging Anthropology, Education & Literacy Practices is now accepting nominations

 

The award provides financial support of $1000 to enable the participation at the Literacy Research Association annual conference of a scholar (or scholars) whose scholarship bridges anthropology, education, and literacy practices.

 

Preference will be given for junior scholars, doctoral students, and others who would otherwise not be able to attend the LRA conference. Preference will also be given for nominees from outside the United States (particularly from those areas in which Brian conducted research)

 

How to apply

Nomination materials should include:

  1. The paper proposal (or the specific presentation part of a symposium proposal) submitted to the LRA annual conference;
  2. A letter (600-word maximum) from either the nominee or from the person making the nomination describing:
    (a). The quality of the research being reported, including the quality of the ethnographic methods employed;
    (b). The contribution of the research to the field of literacy studies;
    (c). How the scholarship to be presented brings together anthropology, literacy studies, and education together.
  3. A letter of recommendation (600-word maximum) from someone familiar with the nominee’s scholarship describing the quality of the nominee’s program of research and how the scholarship to be presented brings together anthropology, literacy studies, and education.

All materials and questions should be directed to the award committee chair, Michiko Hikida.

 

For more information on the history of the award the criteria for consideration, please visit this web page.

Make your voice heard – Write for Critical Conversations in Literacy Research & Education

Posted on by Literacy Research Association

Critical Conversations publishes content that seeks to create a space for researchers, students,  and educators to share their narratives to promote an inclusive and equitable teaching, learning, and working environment for all.

 

We are a fast-tracked, peer-viewed content provider that raises voices across literacy research and literacy learning and teaching. It’s not a blog. It’s something new from the Literacy Research Association. We are leveraging the medical journal model, which provides a shorter paper style (2,000 words maximum).

 

However, we want to do more than that. We want to expand this concept to include other forms of expression, such as art, music, video, and audio, just to name a few. The possibilities are limitless. We are holding space for you.

 

We publish content that aligns with at least one of our four pillars:

    • Education:

      We believe in literacy learning and teaching across multiple modalities with versatile pedagogical skill sets.

    • Research:

      We believe in the systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources, as well as groups of people, to establish facts and reach new conclusions.

    • Equity:

      We believe in fairness across identity, recognize the historical and contemporary marginalization and erasure of some instead of others, and aim to intentionally include diverse voices..

    • Solidarity:

      We believe in unity and community support when working toward common interests.

LRA accepts and will advance for review publications that are multimodal in content, critical and progressive in tone, and support both traditional and non-traditional diverse audiences.

 

We strive for a peer-review process that is open and collaborative. The reason for a rigorous review process is to elevate the value of these publications for authors and the field. Our goal is to hold space and amplify a collective voice, not serving as gatekeepers of the ideas of others.

 

Our collaborative review process at LRA takes place in a Google Doc. Once you have completed your manuscript and have that Google Doc ready to share, please complete the form below. You also can reach out to the editors at write@literacyresearchassociation.org to informally discuss submissions.

 

Welcome to Critical Conversations

Posted on by Literacy Research Association

Critical Conversations in Literacy Research & Education is an information source designed to provide researchers, educators, and related stakeholders with tools, resources, and community so that they can connect literacy research with learning experiences.

 

Our mission is to create a space for researchers, educators, and students to share their narratives to create an inclusive and equitable teaching, learning, and working environment for all.

 

Critical Conversations is focused on four pillars:

  • Education:

    We believe in literacy learning and teaching across multiple modalities with versatile pedagogical skill sets.

  • Research:

    We believe in the ethical, socially responsible, systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources, as well as groups of people, to establish facts and reach new conclusions based on diverse methodological approaches and theoretical perspectives.

  • Equity:

    We believe in fairness across identity, recognize the historical and contemporary marginalization and erasure of some instead of others, and aim to intentionally include diverse voices.

  • Solidarity:

    We believe in unity and community support when working toward common interests.

Content in this feed should focus on making a specific area of expertise more accessible and understandable to a wider audience. We will highlight and amplify work that frames the rigor, social responsibility, and rectitude of academia while identifying opportunities for literacy scholars to speak in a manner that is approachable and accessible.

 

We believe intellectual, academic work should be accessible and approachable. This means the content is easy to understand and engage with, as well as simple to acquire across platforms. We want our audience to readily receive the work and use it professionally and recreationally.

 

Together we can seek to rethink dissemination and outreach that impacts research and practice.