No Child Left Behind: Key Issues and Instructional Implications for Teachers of African-American Children

This article presents an overview of five key issues: access to materials; student motivation; teacher preparation; instructional practices; and parent-teacher-student relationships, that must be addressed in effecting change in the academic performance of African-American students. These issues are deemed important if the No Child Left Behind legislation is to impact the teaching and learning of African-American students

Fostering Multi-Cultural Awareness: Books for Young Children

Parents are children\u27s first teachers, and in this capacity the home provides the foundation for their later literacy development (Vacca, Vacca and Gove,1987). Parents also transmit values and shape attitudes about people who function as the core for children\u27s socialization in the school and larger community. Therefore attempts at multicultural education should, ideally, entail the active participation of parents. Thomas Sobol, Commissioner of Education and President of the University of the State of New York, believes that young children at home or in preschool need help at home and school in order to understand diversity. They must be helped to develop self-pride and to respect differences among people. It is my belief that the joint involvement of parents and teachers can provide support for a multicultural school curriculum and effective instructional practices, and data for subsequent research. Sobol (1990) seems to concur by stating that teaching young children about the differences and similarities between people will not singularly ensure a more gentle and tolerant society, but might act as a prerequisite to one (p. 30)

Preparing reading/literacy specialists to meet changes and challenges: International Literacy Association’s Standards 2017

Lead writers and co-chairs of the International Literacy Association’s Standards 2017provide a hands on guide to using updated standards for the preparation of reading/literacy specialists. Authors share key changes in content, supporting explanations with updated references, and implications for program faculty, state policymakers, and specialist candidates. Standards 2017 adds a new seventh standard for Practicum/Clinical Experiences and sets high expectations for programs to incorporate candidate experiences with technology, diversity, collaboration, and advocacy. Processes to work with colleagues to design or re-design, implement, and evaluate programs are discussed

Culturally Responsive Literacy Instruction

This chapter examines culturally responsive instruction and the lessons that can be learned about its effectiveness in promoting students\u27 literacy engagement and achievement while optimizing students\u27 identities, life experiences, and cultural and linguistic diversity. We describe barriers that often prevent students from realizing their literacy potential and identify specific instructional practices that can mitigate such barriers

Board of Directors at Time of Adoption

A collection of articles from the Australian Literacy Educators ’ Association. Newark, DE: International Reading Association. Hancock, J. (Ed.). (1999). Teaching literacy using informatio