Contents
LITERACY TODAY
Volume 39, Issue 1
July/August/September 2021
EDITORIAL STAFF
Managing Editor Colleen Patrice Clark
Editor Christina Lambert
Intern Paige Savitt
ILA LEADERSHIP
Executive Director Marcie Craig Post
2021–2022 BOARD MEMBERS
Robert J. Tierney, University of British
Columbia, President; Kenneth Kunz, For the
Love of Literacy, Vice President; Stephen G.
Peters, The Peters Group, Immediate Past
President; Kia Brown-Dudley, The Education
Partners; Danielle V. Dennis, University of
Rhode Island; Rachael Gabriel, University of
Connecticut, Storrs; Carol Jago, California
Reading and Literature Project at UCLA;
Annette M. Kiberu, GEMS Cambridge
International School; Molly Ness, Fordham
University; J. Helen Perkins, University of
Memphis; Dana A. Robertson, Virginia Tech;
Laurie Sharp, Tarleton State University
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ABOUT US
Literacy Today is the membership magazine
of the International Literacy Association, a
nonprofit that strives to empower educators,
inspire students, and encourage teachers
with the resources they need to make literacy
accessible for all.
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Literacy Today (ISSN 2411-7900) is included
in the cost of ILA membership. To join, visit
literacyworldwide.org.
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© International Literacy Association
2
EDITOR’S NOTE
4
LIT BITS
8
ILA UPDATE
LITERACY LEADERSHIP
10
Finding the Joy in Choice: Helping Students to
Skillfully Choose What They Read
12
Classrooms That Spark Joy: Creating Bright
Moments Inside Our Literacy Classrooms
16
The Joys of a Literacy-Oriented Family: Providing Opportunities to Read for All
RESEARCH INTO PRACTICE
18
Experiencing Windows and Mirrors: Using Diverse Literature to Increase
Reading Achievement in Students of Color
22
Humor and Oppression: The Queer Work of Radical Joy in Critical Literacy
Education
26
Opportunities for Word Learning: Promoting Vocabulary Acquisition With
Vocabulary Talk Moves
FEATURES
30
Return to Joy: Avoiding Deficit Mind-Sets, Embracing Student Learning, and
Finding the Joy in Being Back Together
34 Shifting Perceptions: Examining Our Mind-Sets This School Year to Help
Students Develop a Joyful Relationship With Reading
THE ENGAGING CLASSROOM
38
Literacy in Mathematics: Bringing Clarity to a Misunderstood Content Area
40 The Joy of Self-Discovery: Creating Inclusive Classrooms for LGBTQ+ Students
42
Reaching Out and Reaching In: Challenging Students to Be Reflective
46
Poetry Is Joy: Using Poetry as a Tool for Student Engagement
50
Virtual Celebrations: Creating Spaces That Highlight Students’ Work in a
Digital Setting
52
Developing Agency: How Connection-Rich Environments Impact a Reading
Intervention Setting
54
Empowering Students With Digital Skills: Digital Literacy as a Pathway to Joy
in Learning
THE ILA NETWORK
56
The Road to ILA National Recognition
60
EVENTS
62
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
30