Educator, Author and CNN Contributor Dr. Steve Perry to Deliver Keynote Address
First-Ever Mayors' Roundtable on Literacy to Tackle Challenges of Literacy in Urban Areas
Newly Formed International Reading Association Literacy Research Panel to Unveil Agenda
Over 50 Sessions on Implementing the ELA Common Core State Standards
NEWARK, Del., Feb. 28, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The International Reading Association ― the world's foremost expert on literacy ― will celebrate teaching and help advance the quality of literacy instruction across the world when it hosts its 57th annual convention April 29-May 2, 2012 in Chicago. The annual convention is the largest discussion of literacy issues in the nation, with thousands of educators, administrators, researchers, literacy leaders, advocates, government officials and media professionals from across the country gathering to explore and respond to the critical literacy issues facing the U.S. today.
The theme for this year's convention is "Celebrating Teaching." Throughout the four-day event, the Association will recognize educators through presentation of several awards, including its Celebrated Teacher of the Year Award.
Dr. Steve Perry, CNN education contributor, founder of the acclaimed Capitol Preparatory Magnet School and author of Man Up, is one of the convention's many outstanding speakers, along with Ron Clark, Disney's American Teacher of the Year and author of The End of Molasses Classes: Getting Our Kids Unstuck—101 Extraordinary Solutions for Parents and Teachers.
This year's convention will break new ground with the International Reading Association's first-ever Mayors' Roundtable on Literacy, in which mayors from cities across the country will join to present their cities' innovative literacy and education initiatives as well as discuss current challenges and trends in the fields of literacy and education. Participants in the Mayors' Roundtable include Michael B. Hancock (Denver, Colo.), Harvey Johnson, Jr. (Jackson, Miss.), Pedro E. Segarra (Hartford, Conn.) and A C Wharton (Memphis, Tenn.). The complete list of Mayors' Roundtable participants will be announced closer to the date of the convention.
Additionally, the Association's newly formed Literacy Research Panel will formally announce its agenda for the coming year during a featured research session. The panel, which is chaired by the preeminent literacy researcher and author P. David Pearson, Ph.D., of the University of California at Berkeley, includes the foremost names in literacy and serves to respond to critical literacy issues, shape literacy policy and help improve reading instruction in classrooms across the country.
"The International Reading Association's annual convention provides an exciting opportunity for literacy leaders and professionals from across the country to come together to learn from one another and discuss the most important issues impacting literacy today," said Victoria Risko, Ph.D., president of the International Reading Association. "Transformational teachers, with continuous investment and support, can play the strongest role in solving the literacy problem in America, and we're proud to host an event that celebrates their accomplishments and paves the way for meaningful improvements to literacy instruction in America."
The convention's sessions will focus on the most important topics in literacy, including early literacy, comprehension and critical thinking, adolescent and adult literacy, instruction for English Language Learners, culturally responsive teaching and the Common Core State Standards. Attendees will be able to enjoy over 500 specially selected programs, panel discussions, institutes, workshops and luncheons, including:
- First Timers Sessions which provide valuable information and helpful tips on sessions, exhibits, and social activities from IRA staff members;
- Council Awards and Reception which honors state and provincial association leaders, as well as representatives from Honor Councils;
- Annual Business Meeting open to all International Reading Association members, the meeting provides members an opportunity to participate in round table discussions with IRA Board members prior to the start of the business meeting;
- Luncheon Speakers Peter Reynolds (Simon and Schuster), Jacqueline Woodson (Penguin) and Christopher Paul Curtis (Random House Publishing).
All educational sessions for the 2012 Convention will be held in the McCormick Place Convention Center West building and the Hyatt Regency McCormick in downtown Chicago. For more information, or to register for the convention, please visit: www.iraconvention.org.
Editor's Notes: The convention is open to news media at no cost with proper registration through the International Reading Association's media relations contact. International Reading Association's Board Members, including President Victoria Risko, are available for interviews to discuss the convention and larger trends in literacy. Additionally, other speakers, panelists and government officials are available for interviews upon request. Content from the convention can be made available to news media upon request.
About the International Reading Association
The International Reading Association is the world's foremost expert on literacy. A non-profit global network dedicated to advancing the quality of literacy instruction and research worldwide, the International Reading Association supports reading teachers and other literacy professionals by providing professional development resources, advocating for policy and practices that benefit all teachers and students, and conducting research that promotes informed decision-making about literacy practice in the classroom. With more than 65,000 members worldwide, the Association is one of the world's largest educational membership organizations. The International Reading Association's many publications and peer-reviewed journals, including Reading Research Quarterly, provide coverage of research-based practices for the classroom and ideas and reflections on literacy from around the world. Additional information is available at www.reading.org.