The three most frequently asked questions to the NCBLA are: 1. What is the best thing I can do to help my child be ready for school?2. What are the best books to read aloud to my child? 3. When should I start reading aloud to my child? The answers, in order, are: 1. The best thing you can do to prepare your child for school is to create a language enriched home—talk and sing to your baby, toddler, and preschooler; turn off the screens in your home, look at each other and have family conversations at mealtimes, on the beach, in the…
Literacy
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Most Topular Stories
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Try to Read to Your Baby, Toddler, or Preschooler Every day!
THE NATIONAL CHILDREN'S BOOK AND LITERACY ALLIANCE23 May 2013 | 9:34 am -
Letter: Literacy - New Bern Sun Journal
LITERACY NEWS - Google News24 May 2013 | 9:54 amLetter: LiteracyNew Bern Sun JournalAs the 2013 recipient of the Governor's Medallion for Volunteer Service, I would like to thank the county commissioners, Mayor Lee Bettis and the New Bern Board of Aldermen, and the Chamber of Commerce Non-Profit Council for their local recognition of and more » -
Recent articles - international students' information behaviour
Information Literacy Weblog24 May 2013 | 12:00 am- Alzougool, B. et al . (2013) "Finding Their Way around: International Students’ Use of Information Sources." Journal of Advanced Management Science, 1 (1), 43-49 doi: 10.12720/joams.1.1.43-49 (you have to register, but it is free. I got an error message in the middle, but found I had in fact been registered. This paper was written by academics in Australia: this and the third article do not come from library and information researchers, interestingly) "There has been some research on the information behaviour of international students that is related to their academic issues (e.g. -
Some Recent Questions, Explicit and Implied
Shanahan on Literacy19 May 2013 | 4:25 pmAren’t non-fiction and informational text the same thing?No, they are not. Informational text is factual, but that isn’t the point (or it isn’t the only point). CCSS is emphasizing the reading of literary and informational text to ensure that students are proficient with a wide variety of text. If the distinction was just fact vs. fiction, then text could be limited to narratives. Kids need to learn how to read exposition and argument as much as stories. Each of those types of text has different purposes, structures, graphic elements, text features, etc. And, that’s the point:… -
5 Secrets Adults Won’t Tell You – Kyle Zimmer’s Commencement Speech at Saint Mary’s College
First Book Blog22 May 2013 | 9:43 amOur intrepid leader, CEO, and co-founder of First Book, Kyle Zimmer, shared some of the wit and wisdom that motivates the First Book team on a daily basis with a crowd of graduates of Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame this Saturday. Adults Are Not Really Certain of Anything. “In my own life, it took me far too long to figure this out. When I was young, I got distracted by adults who would swagger or bluster. I assumed that anyone who was that forceful MUST know what they were talking about.” You Are Going to Fail. “The truth is that, although you can fail without ever…
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LITERACY NEWS - Google News
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Letter: Literacy - New Bern Sun Journal
24 May 2013 | 9:54 amLetter: LiteracyNew Bern Sun JournalAs the 2013 recipient of the Governor's Medallion for Volunteer Service, I would like to thank the county commissioners, Mayor Lee Bettis and the New Bern Board of Aldermen, and the Chamber of Commerce Non-Profit Council for their local recognition of and more » -
Volunteers needed to assist OTC Adult Education and Literacy program - South County Mail
24 May 2013 | 9:05 amVolunteers needed to assist OTC Adult Education and Literacy programSouth County MailSPRINGFIELD, MO. — Ozarks Technical Community College is seeking volunteers for Adult Education and Literacy classes in a nine-county area. Volunteers can assist adults in preparing for the high school equivalency test, learning English as a second and more » -
Speech: Improving the well-being of citizens by improving literacy - EU News
24 May 2013 | 7:46 amSpeech: Improving the well-being of citizens by improving literacyEU NewsI am very grateful for this opportunity to address an issue I feel very strongly about: the importance of literacy. Literacy competence is the foundation of all other learning. It is the key to continuous learning and keeping up with what is going on and more » -
Mural brings literacy to life - NorthBayNipissing.com
24 May 2013 | 6:00 amNorthBayNipissing.comMural brings literacy to lifeNorthBayNipissing.comSTURGEON FALLS – The Literacy Alliance of West Nipissing office is getting one huge exterior make-over as students from Northern Secondary School partner with the Alliance and local artist Clayton Windatt to make something beautiful out of a blank -
Nebraska Offers Financial Literacy Education - KCAU
24 May 2013 | 5:53 amNebraska Radio NetworkNebraska Offers Financial Literacy EducationKCAUBonnie Sibert of the Nebraska Department of Education says the animated, interactive programs will add a new twist to existing financial literacy programs in schools. The initiative is sponsored by the Nebraska State Educational Savings Trust, the Financial literacy program a new teaching tool for high schoolsLincoln Journal StarWeb-based financial literacy coming to Nebraska high schoolsOmaha World-HeraldTreasurer Stenberg Announces New Financial Literacy Education ProgramNTVNebraska Radio Networkall 7 news…
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Information Literacy Weblog
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Recent articles - international students' information behaviour
24 May 2013 | 12:00 am- Alzougool, B. et al . (2013) "Finding Their Way around: International Students’ Use of Information Sources." Journal of Advanced Management Science, 1 (1), 43-49 doi: 10.12720/joams.1.1.43-49 (you have to register, but it is free. I got an error message in the middle, but found I had in fact been registered. This paper was written by academics in Australia: this and the third article do not come from library and information researchers, interestingly) "There has been some research on the information behaviour of international students that is related to their academic issues (e.g. -
Online courses on teaching, from Oxford Brookes University
23 May 2013 | 3:40 pmThese priced short courses are offered online, and Oxford Brookes has a good reputation in the area of teaching and learning- Teaching online courses (26 June - 26 July 2013) "An intensive introduction to supporting student learning in online environments"- Extending your learning environment (12 June - 12 July 2013) "A chance to experiment with a wide range of educational technologies and tools"http://www.brookes.ac.uk/services/ocsld/online/index.htmlPhoto by Sheila Webber: Bluebell wood, Sussex, may 2013 -
Decode academy: Barbara Fister
22 May 2013 | 10:21 amExcellent full text keynote paper from Barbara Fister (given at the LOEX conference on 3 May) Decode academy - at http://homepages.gac.edu/~fister/loex13.pdf She discusses what she frames as "outrageous" (to some) ideas for changing the way librarians approach information literacy and teaching information literacy. Well worth reading and discussing (I think I will suggest this for a future blog-post Infolit Journal Club - BTW we had a good discussion on teachmeets last night: scroll down to see the 100+ threaded comments)Photo by Sheila Webber: Bluebell wood, Sussex, May 2013 -
Latest issue of College and Undergraduate Libraries
21 May 2013 | 10:11 amVolume 20, Issue 1, 2013 of College and Undergraduate Libraries has been published. This is a priced publication. Articles include:- Contextualizing Information Literacy Enrichment Through a Common Reader in a First-Year Experience Seminar by Sarah Fay Philips & Emerson Case (pages 1-24)- Adjunct Faculty and the Library: A Challenge for Change by Susan Avery (pages 25-39)- Developing a Topic-Centered First-Year Seminar with an Emphasis on Information Literacy at a Large Regional University by Wendy L. Chambers, Lisa P. Smith, Jessica N. Orvis & Christopher Caplinger (pages 52-71)-… -
Infolit journal club: TeachMeets: discussion on 21st May #ilread
17 May 2013 | 1:14 amThe next online blog-comments journal club will be on 8pm UK time (see here for times elsewhere in the world) on Tuesday 21 May. It will take place on the Infolit Journsal Club blog http://infolitjournalclub.blogspot.com/, as a discussion in blog comments.The topic will be TeachMeets - originating in the schools sector, a TeachMeet is an ‘unconference’, organised by teachers for teachers. The TeachMeet has been adapted into the LibTeachMeet, with the first Library TeachMeet taking place in Cambridge in 2010. The following article gives the background and provides the starting point for…
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THE NATIONAL CHILDREN'S BOOK AND LITERACY ALLIANCE
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Try to Read to Your Baby, Toddler, or Preschooler Every day!
23 May 2013 | 9:34 amThe three most frequently asked questions to the NCBLA are: 1. What is the best thing I can do to help my child be ready for school?2. What are the best books to read aloud to my child? 3. When should I start reading aloud to my child? The answers, in order, are: 1. The best thing you can do to prepare your child for school is to create a language enriched home—talk and sing to your baby, toddler, and preschooler; turn off the screens in your home, look at each other and have family conversations at mealtimes, on the beach, in the… -
Attention Coaches and Youth Mentors!
22 May 2013 | 5:27 amYOU Can Help Connect Kids to Books!In the article "Great Ideas Connecting Kids to Books" by Mary Brigid Barrett in the NCBLA's Mentor Handbook on thencbla.org, Barrett explains how all the adults in a young person's life--not just a child's parents and teachers, but his or her other family and community members--can make a huge impact on a child's life. All adults who live and work with children in even limited ways can encourage kids to turn off the TV and video games and engage in a good book!Here is an excerpt:Grandparents, uncles, aunts, friends, neighbors, coaches, scout and camp… -
Great Books for the Young Baseball Fans in Your Life
20 May 2013 | 4:05 amTake Me Out to the Ball Game, But Let's Read a Book Before We Go!It's baseball season! From little league to the major league, players and fans alike are playing catch, swinging their bats, and gathering for an afternoon at the ball park. If your child absolutely adores baseball, why not take advantage of that passion and look for baseball-themed books during your next trip to the local library?! Finding books whose subjects match your kids' passions is a great way to get and keep kids reading! The librarian at your local library can help your kids find books that match your kids'… -
New Head of Library of Congress Young Readers Center Named
16 May 2013 | 8:45 amCongratulations to Karen Jaffe, the New Head of the Library of Congress Young Readers Center in Washington, DCKaren Jaffe, manager of education projects for MacNeil/Lehrer Productions, producers of the PBS Newshour, is the new head of the Library of Congress Young Readers Center. In her new role, she will manage the day-to-day operations of the center, which opened in 2009 as the first Library space devoted to the needs of young people."The opportunity to join the Young Readers Center at the Library of Congress is a splendid gift," said Jaffe. "Being surrounded by the best in literature for… -
Website Helps You Find Just the Right Book for Your Child
10 May 2013 | 2:01 pmThemed Book Lists on Reading Rockets' Start with a Book Website Help You Find Winning Books for Your KidsWith 24 kid-tested themes to choose from, you can find the perfect book for your child to dive right into on Reading Rockets' Start with a Book website. Each theme (including kid favorites like Dinosaurs, Sports, Art, and Cooking) includes carefully chosen fiction and nonfiction books, hands-on activities, writing ideas, apps, and other websites to deepen learning. Parents can also sign up for summer literacy text messages, in both English and Spanish. For a summer full of…
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Shanahan on Literacy
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Some Recent Questions, Explicit and Implied
19 May 2013 | 4:25 pmAren’t non-fiction and informational text the same thing?No, they are not. Informational text is factual, but that isn’t the point (or it isn’t the only point). CCSS is emphasizing the reading of literary and informational text to ensure that students are proficient with a wide variety of text. If the distinction was just fact vs. fiction, then text could be limited to narratives. Kids need to learn how to read exposition and argument as much as stories. Each of those types of text has different purposes, structures, graphic elements, text features, etc. And, that’s the point:… -
Indiana Backs Down on Common Core
13 May 2013 | 4:24 pmIndiana is the first state to withdraw from the common core state standards. Previously, there were four states that had not adopted the standards, but of those that had done so, Indiana is the first to back down. Technically, they have only “suspended” their CCSS efforts for further study so it is possible that this will just be a delay and not an actual withdrawal, but the politics around this in Indiana suggest that this may be the beginning of the end of CCSS there.Various state leaders have made noises about withdrawing from CCSS to re-embrace their previous low educational… -
IRA Presentations
28 Apr 2013 | 10:47 amThe IRA conference last week was great. I took part in many presentations and discussions of research and the common core. I gave a talk on close reading the powerpoint for which can be found in the index on the right of my page. I also gave a talk on the changes to writing instruction and that powerpoint is included here https://sites.google.com/site/tscommoncore/writing-1 -
A Time for Humility
23 Apr 2013 | 9:15 amMy correspondent was upset. She was writing because her teaching evaluation had not gone well. She was teaching what was supposed to be a "close reading" lesson and her evaluator thought she had done a terrible job.The reason she was writing me was because she had modeled her lesson off of my close reading presentation. The supervisor was concerned that she asked too many "right there" questions and not enough higher order ones. The observer was obviously offended that this teacher had not focused heavily enough on issues of craft and structure and critical evaluation. Clearly, somebody was… -
Backwards Design and Reading Comprehension
7 Apr 2013 | 7:06 pmMany schools are into what they call “backward design.” This means they start with learning goals, create/adopt assessments, and then make lessons aimed at preparing kids for those assessments. That sounds good—if you don’t understand assessment. In some fields an assessment might be a direct measure of the goal. If you want to save $1,000,000 for retirement, look at your bank account every six months and you can estimate of how close you are to your goal. How do you get closer to your goal? Add money to your accounts… work harder, save more, spend less. Other fields? Doctors assess…
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First Book Blog
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5 Secrets Adults Won’t Tell You – Kyle Zimmer’s Commencement Speech at Saint Mary’s College
22 May 2013 | 9:43 amOur intrepid leader, CEO, and co-founder of First Book, Kyle Zimmer, shared some of the wit and wisdom that motivates the First Book team on a daily basis with a crowd of graduates of Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame this Saturday. Adults Are Not Really Certain of Anything. “In my own life, it took me far too long to figure this out. When I was young, I got distracted by adults who would swagger or bluster. I assumed that anyone who was that forceful MUST know what they were talking about.” You Are Going to Fail. “The truth is that, although you can fail without ever… -
Moore, Oklahoma – Our Hearts Are With You
21 May 2013 | 8:26 amYesterday afternoon a massive tornado hit the town of Moore, just outside Oklahoma City. Dozens have been killed, hundreds injured and the town was nearly leveled. This is one of the most destructive tornadoes in the history of the United States and even more destructive weather is possible in the region over the next few days. When a disaster like this hits, especially in schools and harming children as this did, we all look on, feeling empathy, wishing they could do something. Us too, here at First Book, watching the twitter feeds, the news, and holding our breath, hoping one more person… -
The Stories for All Project: Latina Author Guadalupe Garcia McCall on Books as Hope
8 May 2013 | 7:54 amOur guest blogger today is author/poet Guadalupe Garcia McCall, whose book “Summer of the Mariposas”, from Lee & Low Books, is part of First Book’s Stories For All Project. “First Book’s mission to make books accessible to low-income families is very close to my heart. It fills me with joy to hear that such an organization exists. Books are more than important, they fill a basic need in low-income communities—the need to connect to the world. Books for children of poverty represent hope. As a young girl, I loved books. Books were my friends. They took me places I… -
What I Learned from Bill Clinton: How to Prepare Yourself for the Future
7 May 2013 | 3:00 am“If you can do one thing to prepare yourself for the future… you should spend as much time as you can with people who are different than you”. — President Bill Clinton I recently had the opportunity to join Kyle Zimmer, First Book’s president and CEO, at a special event for the Thea Foundation. Founded by Linda and Paul Leopoulos shortly after the untimely death of their daughter Thea Kay, the Thea Foundation connects young people to the power of visual art, dance, drama, and creative writing across Arkansas and beyond. At First Book we’re eager to learn… -
The Stories for All Project: Latina Author Pat Mora on the Connection Children Make with Books that Include their Culture and Language
1 May 2013 | 8:26 amOur guest blogger today is author Pat Mora, whose book “Yum! Mmmm! Que Rico!”, from Lee & Low Books, is part of First Book’s Stories For All Project. “Once upon a time . . .” A magic phrase that can change our breathing. As far as we know, humans are the world’s story-telling creatures. Let’s think about the unique period in the lives of children when they begin to savor that phrase, when in fresh ways little ones are experiencing their surroundings and deciding where they fit. For many youngsters, media is their main source of information and entertainment. Children lucky…
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Search for "children literacy"
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New and seasoned volunteers honored at annual luncheon
24 May 2013 | 6:37 pmAlicia Lyon and Sue Trager were recognized for their volunteer work with the Royle Elementary School at the 34th annual Darien Volunteer Recognition Day on Friday, May 17. -
Telus employees dedicate their Day of Giving to community service
24 May 2013 | 6:16 pmStrathcona kids Calvin Woo and Clara Ducuara, St. George's students George Wen and Jordan Lo, Esmee Vanndeloo, Telus Sr. -
News and Notes
24 May 2013 | 5:43 pmOut of 55 Wisconsin schools Newsweek selected for recognition, Eisenhower was ranked fifth and New Berlin West was ranked 12th. -
A summer of reading for low-income children
24 May 2013 | 5:10 pmSseven girls from Heartland Elementary School in the Blue Valley School District, now mostly middle-schoolers at Harmony or Aubry Bend, for a few years had been competing in an international problem-solving educational program, Odyssey of the Mind. -
NY Giant Donates To West Muskingum Schools
24 May 2013 | 4:48 pmNew York Giants center, Jimmy Cordle stopped by Falls Elementary School Friday morning to deliver a $200 check to the students and faculty as part of a literacy challenge he started last year after learning about the need in the West Muskingum School District.
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literacy « WordPress.com Tag Feed
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The Beach waves - By Tom
23 May 2013 | 12:46 amThe Beach Waves There once was a sea, blue as aqua It was alone for years But never lived happily ever after One night one day I was wondering What to do today I soon I soon saw a pebble, Shiny like a golden medal I came up to the shore and I saw, I saw The big rocky beach I put my waves up and got Ready to splash My damage I will make will Come out of some body’s cash Soon my waves splashed like the Titanic crashing onto the pepples I felt good and I would really Like to do it again -
Walking along the rocky shore - By Megan
23 May 2013 | 12:44 amWalking along the rocky shore. Walking along the rocky shore, The waves follow me as I walk down the beach, The rocks raw as I walk on them, Then the horror, hard rocks crushing my feet as a walk. The wind blows me backwards, It laughs in our face, We run at a fast pace, But he doesn’t go away. SPLASH! The waves form an alliance to pull me in, The bright fire ball fades away, As I go further down, I take my last breath, And I’m gone -
But then you read
23 May 2013 | 12:00 amAboard the Celebrity Summit in March 2011, our cabin was near this lovely little library. “You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read. It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, or who had ever been alive.” – James Baldwin Although it took me quite awhile to realize it, I connect with people primarily through reading and writing. Even as a child I wrote long letters to friends, and had pen pals who lived close enough… -
Beautiful, Beautiful Books
22 May 2013 | 9:53 pmThis picture was my happy place today. No time in the school day brings me more joy than our moments after lunch when we read our chapter book together. My class is about two thirds of the way through our last novel of the year, Holes, by Louis Sachar. The best part is, I actually have a class set of this one. My heart does a little pitter patter every time I see my students get comfy with their copy as they follow along. One girl loves to rest her chin on her desk with her eyes on the text. Another boy likes to rest his forehead on the desk with the book in his lap. Another is literally… -
Caldecott/Barrett House Winner: This is Not My Hat
22 May 2013 | 7:12 pmRegular contributor Karen Barrett is back, writing about this year’s Caldecott winner, This Is Not My Hat, a book that is is also a big winner in her Picture Book House with her boys and their Grandma. Today, my mother-in-law and her sister came by to watch Reid while I went to help in Jack’s preschool class. Nama and Aunt Gina had a great time with Reid. They played in the yard on the swing and slide, but they also read books. Aunt Gina is also a grandmother and a lover of picture books. So Kathy, my mother-in-law (Nama), asked us to show Aunt Gina one of our favorites, so I…
