Welcome to all of our ILA literacy leaders and
readers from across the globe! Depending
on your current time, space, and place in the
world, this special issue of Literacy Today may
lead you to conceptualize the meaning of joy
and refocusing its importance for teaching
and learning in different ways. Although the
COVID-19 pandemic undoubtedly left many
languishing and longing to connect, it is my
hope that this issue finds you flourishing and
feeling once again reconnected with family,
friends, and colleagues. On behalf of the
ILA Board of Directors, know that the ILA
community welcomes you with open arms no
matter how you show up to unpack joy and
consider the crucial role we play in supporting
our students.
Because one of the key ingredients to
joy is building trust, it goes without saying
that we are honored and humbled that you
continue to recognize, contribute to, and
lean on ILA’s resources and programs as
the trusted international voice for literacy
research and bridges to practice. I am
confident that our strategic plan prioritizes
key areas for the future success of ILA with
joy at the heart.
When my colleagues and I first wrote
about the concept of joy in Literacy
Changemakers: Bringing the Joy of Reading
and Writing Into Focus for Teachers and
Students (Guilford), we emphasized the
following belief:
“Helping students realize their potential as
readers and writers is an experience that will
bring great pleasure and happiness to all of
those involved.”
Joyfully Together
ILA UPDATE
As you have now learned how to navigate
synchronous, asynchronous, in-person,
hybrid, hy-flex, blended, simultaneous (the
list goes on) learning environments, at ILA
we believe these words are still at the core of
the important work we carry on as a literacy
community.
For our colleagues in Australia, Brazil,
Nigeria, and other regions plugging away
this winter, with sights set on the summer
ahead, consider taking joy in some of the risks
you have taken to impact your readers and
writers thus far. How have you focused your
energy on ensuring that the comprehensive
literacy needs of all learners are or have been
met? What new and innovative strategies and
techniques have grown your practice? What
role has ILA played in contributing to your
growth as a literacy professional?
ILA members in countries including China,
Iran, Mexico, Russia, and the United States are
preparing to start a new school year and are
exploring ways to build trust and promote a
growth mind-set before prioritizing goals to
accelerate learning based on students’ needs.
What steps will you be taking to let students
Regardless of where you are at
this moment in time, prioritizing
joy in our classrooms has never
been more important, and we are
proud that you stand committed
to this work with ILA.
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literacyworldwide.org | July/August/September 2021 | LITERACY TODAY