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2003 Annual Report, Commission on Reading
At the annual meeting of the NCTE Commission on Reading, we addressed both continuing and new business of concern to the profession. Two items of continuing business and their current status are:
The Reading Program Matrix. Jane Braunger, Linda Miller Cleary, and Rita Brause had developed a draft of this decision-making tool following the 2001 convention. It had been posted on NCTE’s website for comments which Jane brought to the 2002 convention. The commission discussed the recommended revisions and added some of their own. Margaret Phinney, Penny Silvers, Ruth Rigby, and Steve Koziol worked on revising the document during and following the convention. The revised version went out for further review in spring, 2003, and in July, 2003 was posted on NCTE’s website as a tool for teachers’ use in discussing and deciding upon program materials for reading. The matrix is titled Features of Literacy Programs: A Decision-Making Matrix. It is offered as a tool to be used flexibly and adapted as needed by members of NCTE. The Commission on Reading feels that the matrix is especially designed to spark local discussions among teachers and teachers in training. Out of such rich discussions will come thoughtful decisions about materials and instructional approaches in literacy along the age spectrum.
A Policy Statement on Reading. At the 2001 convention, the commission had taken up the request from then president, Leila Christenbury, to produce a statement on reading that could be used to inform media spokespeople and also as talking points for meetings with policymakers or at public forums. Jane Braunger and Rita Brause began the writing following the convention, with contributions from Yetta Goodman and Pat Shanahan.
At the 2002 convention, a committee headed by Margaret Moustafa took up the work. Margaret, Steve Kucer, Michael Shaw, and Laura Robb worked to develop the document with 3 parts: the nature of reading, how reading is learned, and effective instruction in reading. Their draft of the statement was sent to the Commission on Reading for review in early spring 2003. Comments received by June 1 have been addressed in the revision. The revised version will be shared with the commission members again, and a final draft is expected before the November convention.
New Business taken up at the 2002 convention and its status follows:
Kathy Egawa presented information on NCTE’s Reading Initiative and sought feedback on it from the Commission. Our discussion provided that.
Reading First: Cautions and Recommendations. Connie Weaver shared a brochure that she developed with Joanne Yatvin and Elaine Garan. The Commission endorsed it and recommended that NCTE officially endorse it and publish it as a short document. Members were eager to see this document widely distributed and complimented the authors for its thoroughness and clarity. The document is now out for review, with reviews expected back in July. Once the review process is complete, a recommendation for next steps will come from the EC, I assume. At that point, if publication is to move ahead, the authors will undertake revisions.
Members decided on 2 proposals for the 2003 convention: one on the negative consequences of the No Child Left Behind law is entitled "The National Reading Initiative: Who and What Are Left Behind?". The session will address the negative impact of the law on three important areas: independent reading, instruction beyond the basics for struggling older readers, and teacher preparation. Presenters are Jane Braunger (chair), Connie Weaver, Linda Miller Cleary, and Jayne DeLawter.
The second session is "Recommended Features of Literacy Programs: A Decision-making Matrix from the NCTE Commission on Reading." It will introduce the matrix, its criteria and possible applications to participants. Presenters are Penny Silvers (chair), Margaret Phinney, Ruth Rigby, and Steve Koziol.
Linda Miller Cleary, Stephanie Carter, and Jane Braunger began work on a short paper on adolescent literacy. At the meeting of commission directors on the Sunday preceding commission meetings, David Bloome had asked us to consider developing some "hot topic" papers for the EC’s use with policy makers and the public. The Commission on Reading agreed that adolescent literacy is an appropriate topic for such a paper. This one will be completed either before or at the NCTE convention in 2003.
The commission also agreed to look at the content and performance standards related to reading in the NCTE/NCATE standards for teacher preparation in Secondary English Language Arts, Grades 7-12. This is linked to the development of the hot topic paper on adolescent literacy and may result in recommendations for revisions to the standards to more appropriately address adolescent literacy. Linda Miller Cleary, Steve Koziol, and Jane Braunger are working on this project.
Finally, the commission sent to the EC a slate of candidates from which replacements could be chosen for the commission members rotating off after the 2003 convention. The new members invited to join the commission are Joanne Yatvin, Danling Fu, Prisca Martens, Terry Nesmith, and Ayanna Brown.
Jane Braunger, Director
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