The Elementary Section of NCTE represents a diverse group of teachers, literacy coaches, reading and special education interventionists, teacher educators, and school administrators interested in literacy development and in literacy teaching at the elementary school level. Our primary task is to connect and support teachers as they work closely with students, administrators, and families to develop and promote lifelong literacy learning. We cordially welcome all educators interested in reading, writing and the language arts.
NCTE Annual Convention
Join us in Chicago, Illinois for the 2011 NCTE Annual Convention, November 17-20. Celebrate our first century of progress in literacy by joining thousands of K-12 classroom teachers, college faculty, adminstrators, and other education professionals as we shape literacy for tomorrow, today!
Check out the Speakers, Elementary Events, and Register today!
NCTE Centennial
NCTE celebrates 100 years of leadership in literacy education. Visit the Centennial website and :
Elementary Section Centennial Feature
See this month's Centennial Feature, "NCTE's Elementary Section: Awarding Excellence in Children's Publishing," on the NCTE Archives at the University of Illinois website.
2011 Outstanding Educator Announced
Kathy G. Short is the recipient of the 2011 NCTE Outstanding Educator in the English Language Arts Award. This award recognizes a distinguished national or international educator who has made major contributions to the field of language arts in elementary education. Read more about Kathy here.
Join us in celebrating Kathy's achievements during the Elementary Get-together during the NCTE Annual Convention in Chicago, Illinios.
NEW Books from NCTE
English Language Learners in Literacy Workshops
Marsha Riddle Buly, a mainstream classroom teacher who became a reading specialist and then a specialist in bilingual/ELL education, shows how reading, writing, and language workshops can be used to help language learners in mainstream K–8 classrooms.
Also, check out the On Demand Web seminar featuring Marsha Riddle Buly on 3 Strategies for Reaching Language Learners in Literacy Workshops.
Supporting Students in a Time of Core Standards: Grades K-2 or Grades 3-5
These books reinforces a focus on student learning by demonstrating ways of addressing the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in grades K-2 and 3-5 while also adhering to NCTE principles of effective teaching.
Virtual Conference recordings also available for Grades K-2 or Grades 3-5.
Becoming Writers in the Elementary Classroom: Visions and Decisions
Katie Van Sluys demonstrates how to (re)claim our professional practice to ensure that young people have the opportunity to become competent, constantly growing writers who use writing to think, communicate, and pose as well as solve problems.
Another Jar of Tiny Stars: Poems by More NCTE Award-Winning Poets
This new, expanded edition of A Jar of Tiny Stars includes the work of the latest (1997–2009) five winners of NCTE's Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children. By turns silly and wise, playful and thought-provoking, the poems in this collection were chosen by young readers as their favorites among those written by NCTE award winners.
Learning to Read the Numbers
Phyllis and David Whitin show how critical readers dig beneath the surface of data to understand how numbers are constructed by authors to portray a certain version of reality.
Teaching Phonics in Context
Through myriad classroom vignettes, experienced educators David Hornsby and Lorraine Wilson show just how phonics is taught and learned in literacy-rich classrooms.
Also, check out the On Demand Web seminar featuring David and Lorraine on Reading and Writing in the Elementary Classroom: Teaching Phonics in Context.
How Will You Answer the Question, "What Did You Do on Your Summer Vacation?"
We know that students need to continue to read and write even when they are not in school. This means the summer months and other breaks from school offer wonderful opportunities for families, caregivers, and out-of-school educators to work with children and teens to improve their reading and writing. ReadWriteThink.org provides many activities and tools with their Parent & Afterschool Resources.
Submit to the National Gallery of Writing
NCTE's National Gallery of Writing has more than 24,000 compositions in nearly 2,300 galleries. Enjoy reading the submissions and if you haven't already done so, be sure to add your piece(s) to the Gallery today!