It's a New Year and NCTE Has New Ways to
Connect Council Activities to Your Leadership Goals

Celebrate the 20th African American Read-In throughout February
Are you looking for ways to encourage students and teachers in your school to interact with parent and community members?  Host an African American Read-In and invite attendees to read works by African American authors and to share their thoughts on what they read. This year, for the 20th anniversary of the event, Read-Ins may be held at any time throughout the month of February instead of on just one day.

Plan Now to Take Part in the National Day on Writing
Encourage your colleagues, students, and community members to showcase the kinds of writing they do -- at home, at school, on the job -- by participating in NCTE's National Day on Writing on Tuesday, October 20, 2009.

Are You Looking for Ways to Implement 21st Century Literacies
in Your Classroom?
Share these new resources with administrators and teachers:

21st Century Curriculum and Assessment Framework
The NCTE Definition of 21st Century Literacies
21st Century Literacies: A Policy Research Brief
Pathways for 21st Century Literacies
Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education
Partnership for 21st Century Skills  "21st Century Skills and English Map"

Literacy Education Advocacy Day Is April 23
April Is Literacy Education Advocacy Month
Begin thinking about how the members of your affiliate, committee, or department might participate in NCTE's Literacy Education Advocacy Day and Month.

Awards:  Winners Announced, Nomination Deadlines Near
Affiliate groups, teachers, authors, and researchers received awards during the 2008 Annual Convention in San Antonio.  See NCTE's new website for information on how you can nominate yourself, a colleague, or your group, and for details on upcoming award deadlines, including those for

• the David H. Russell Award for Distinguished Research in the Teaching of English,

• awards for affiliate groups, and

• the SLATE National Intellectual Freedom Award.

Leading the Charge Against Censorship
In addition to monitoring reports of censorship incidents and serving as a resource on current patterns of censorship, the Standing Committee Against Censorship is working to develop

• a Students' Right to Write guideline,

• a written position on whether the narrowing of the curriculum that occurs in response to high-stakes testing can be understood as censorship, and

• a written position on whether the restriction of student language to English may be an act of censorship.

Share your expertise and send comments on these topics to the committee.

To Do:  Connect with your colleagues and draft a resolution for consideration at the 2009 Annual Convention in Philadelphia.