Children’s Literacy and Reading News Roundup – May in Review
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This is the archive edition of the Children’s Literacy and Reading News Roundup for the end of May 2010. You can see the original here.
As Jen Robinson is currently on hiatus and enjoying her life as Mom, Carol Rasco has joined me as a contributor to the Roundups. Each month, she does a wrap-up of the interesting literacy-related events, activities, and suggestions that have crossed her scope. Her position as President of Reading is Fundamental helps to broaden our sources of information and our outreach, as well. And for that, Jen and I are VERY grateful. Here’s Carol …
It is the final day in May and it is Memorial Day which is a day of reflection for me and for thinking about my father and his colleagues who served their country with such pride and instilled in us as children a pride of country and of service. Thank you to all Veterans for your service which allows me to live in this country of many freedoms.
It is also a day of reflecting on what I learned this month that will influence my thinking, will challenge my thinking, will inspire me as I work to further advance RIF’s mission, a love of literacy and reading among all children.
LIBRARIES: As an ongoing and needed focus on the negative plight of many libraries of all types around the country which I discussed in the April review, the latest AL DIRECT outlines continuing developments. I call particular attention to “Frontline Advocacy Is Everybody’s Job” in which ALA “President Camila Alire explains on video the urgency of frontline advocacy, which involves learning to articulate the message both inside and outside the library.” Most notably, her concept of “frontline advocacy” as discussed contains lessons for all of us in promoting the value of libraries and other significant literacy causes.
NATIONAL LAB DAY and the relationship of science and literacy instruction: With the May 12 observance of National Lab Day there seemed to be a heightened awareness regarding the importance of sound reading skills to the success of students in STEM content (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Corporations like Hewlett-Packard issued statements showing support and educational websites throughout the month published materials about “content area”.
While the information shared further on this topic may appear to be only for classroom teachers or school administrators, I believe it speaks to all of us in the literacy field and is worth studying.
Dr. Catherine Snow, the Harvard Graduate School of Education Shattuck Professor of Education, has written and spoken extensively on this topic of reading in content areas; three articles sharing information from Dr. Snow and highlighted in various e-newsletters and blogs this month:
-Rx for struggling readers
-In Schools, a Way to Keep Language From Getting in the Way of Science, part 1, part 2
There were also articles found throughout the month referring to the importance of elementary teachers integrating science with math and literacy instruction as well as the scientific process coming naturally to very young children.
Education Daily shared information about The Creative Coalition’s partnership with National Lab Day to put into action the belief of many in the two organizations regarding the importance of the integration of arts and STEM curricula. The article in ED Daily quotes Don Pemberton, director of the University of Florida’s Lastinger Center for Learning which is one sponsor of the STEAM Learning Network of which Pemberton is the Project Executive Director. And what is “STEAM” you ask? Adding the “A” for Arts to “STEM.”
Also during May the Literacy Toolbox posted about using informational text to motivate reluctant readers. There are some excellent ideas for using children’s magazines (great gifts for kids you know!), trade books, picture books.
BOOKS: Paper or E-Book? The second area I found dominating the discussions in May among those devoted to children’s literacy is the topic that will be debated for years to come…must we give up the book as we best know it today? The New York Times alone during May had several pieces, editorial, news reporting and musings; among them Further Thoughts of a Novice E-Reader; In Ink on a Flyleaf, Forever Yours; At Book Expo, Anxiety Amid the Chatter, Digital Wizardry in Children’s Literature. I was seeing on twitter items like that in Stephen’s Lighthouse where he showed an e-book that can be rolled up and put in your pocket? And from the Joan Ganz Cooney Center Report: iLearn: A Content Analysis of the iTunes App Store’s Education Section is this fact: 60% of iTunes education apps target preschool age students. Finally, the National Literacy Trust (with which RIF has a relationship) in the United Kingdom reports a study finding in the UK that “nine out of 10 school pupils own their own mobile phone, compared to less than three-quarters who have their own books at home.” All of this is serious food for thought, is it not?
BRIEFLY
The Condition of Education report is released annually by Congressional mandate through the U. S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. The 2010 Condition of Education report was released in May and features a special section reviewing high-poverty schools which are defined as more than 75 percent of students eligible for subsidized meals. This special report reveals among other findings: In 2007-08, about 20 percent of all public elementary schools and 9 percent of public secondary schools were considered high-poverty schools, compared with 15 percent and 5 percent respectively in 1999-2000.
May is National Foster Care Month, a month that annually points out to our nation the job we are not doing in providing properly for foster children and in particular the lack of quality preparation for these children to leave the system when they turn 18. A new study released this month outlines problems faced by these young people. Over the years the difficulties in many areas faced by young people “aging out” of the system often point back to lack of basic education skills, chief among them literacy. RIF is currently studying how we might assist foster families and the children for whom they care; do you know of foster care programs carrying out special work in the literacy area? If so, I hope you will share it with me.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation in May released a 2010 KIDS COUNT special report, “Why Reading by the End of Third Grade Matters,” which makes the case that reading proficiently by grade three is a fundamental benchmark in developmental success and overall childhood well-being.
LOOKING AHEAD
Just in time for June 14 Flag Day preparation, the Smithsonian’s Share Your Story Project encourages people to share their stories and photos linked to the American flag. The mosaic alone is worth a look. Many lesson plans for different grade levels are also provided in the section How to Use This Resource in Your Classroom.
DON’T FORGET! With school out in some parts of the country and about to dismiss in others: National Summer Learning Day June 21.
IN CLOSING
Last month I featured The Book Bike as a way of distributing books and the Penguincubator as a historical note; same pattern here in closing for May.
Book distribution: The Weapon of Mass Instruction via Book Patrol
And from friends who know I like to see how books are used in unique ways: An 18th century traveling commode, you must read about it.
Happy Reading, have a great June!
Carol