Closing the
Digital Divide
• What educators can do to help
bridge the technology skills gap
• Teaching students to become
responsible digital citizens
• Top tech tools for the inclusive
classroom
January/February 2016
Volume 33, Issue 4
LITERACY TODAY
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Contents
LITERACY TODAY
Volume 33, Issue 4
January/February 2016
EDITORIAL STAFF
Communications Manager Lara Deloza
Managing Editor Colleen Patrice Clark
Intern Alexandra Baruch
ILA LEADERSHIP
Executive Director Marcie Craig Post
Associate Executive Director Stephen Sye
2015–2016 BOARD MEMBERS
Diane Barone, University of Nevada, Reno,
President; William H. Teale, University of Illinois
at Chicago, Vice President; Gwynne Ellen Ash,
Texas State University; Donald Bear, Iowa State
University; Julie Coiro, University of Rhode
Island; Catherine E. Collier, Chesapeake Public
Schools, Virginia; Lori DiGisi, Framingham
Public Schools, Massachusetts; Bernadette
Dwyer, St. Patrick’s College, Drumcondra,
Dublin City University, Ireland; Laurie A.
Elish-Piper, Northern Illinois University; Rachel
A. Karchmer-Klein, University of Delaware;
Julianne Scullen, Anoka-Hennepin School
District, Minnesota
ADVERTISING
For information, contact Megan Ferguson at
800-336-7323 ext. 417 or advertising@reading.
org. Acceptance of advertising does not imply
endorsement.
ABOUT US
Literacy Today is the bimonthly membership
magazine of the International Literacy
Association, a nonprofi t 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 2411-7862, Print; 2411-
7900, Online) is included in the cost of ILA
membership. To join, visit literacyworldwide.
org. POSTMASTER: Send address changes
to Literacy Today, PO Box 8139, Newark,
DE 19714-8139, USA. CANADIAN GST:
Registration number R-129785523.
Publications Mail Agreement No. 40033039.
Return undeliverable Canadian addresses
to PO Box 503, RPO West Beaver Creek,
Richmond Hill, ON, L4B 4R6.
CONTACT US
CUSTOMER SERVICE
800-336-7323
customerservice@reading.org
EDITORIAL
800-336-7323 ext. 446
literacytoday@reading.org
Write to Literacy Today, PO Box 8139, Newark,
DE 19714-8139, USA.
MAILING LIST RENTALS
ILA rents mailing lists only to groups approved
by the Association. Members can have
their names removed from lists rented by
writing to ILA Customer Service or e-mailing
customerservice@reading.org.
© International Literacy Association
16
2
EDITOR’S NOTE
4
LIT BITS
6
OUR VIEW
LITERACY LEADERSHIP
8
IRA to ILA: Marking One Year of Transformation
10
Eliminating Shame in Reading Instruction
12
Why Classroom Teachers Should Connect With Researchers
14
TWO TAKES
THE ENGAGING CLASSROOM
24
The Diff erence Between Digital Skills and Digital Literacy
28
Teaching Digital Citizenship Across the Ages
30
Digital Tools for the Inclusive Classroom
32
Instruction That Balances Text and Tech
34
Building Your Own Multimodal Text Sets
THE ILA NETWORK
36
Forging Partnerships to Bett er Understand, and Infl uence, Policy
GLOBAL IMPACT
38
How Multiple Grants in Tanzania Improved Whole Communities
40
EVENTS
42
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
The Digital
Divide
his time last year, we were hard at work
preparing a very special edition of this
magazine. Not only was it our popular Digital
Literacies issue, but it was also the issue that
would introduce members to the future of our
organization.
Jan. 26 marked the official switch of
our name from the International Reading
Association to the International Literacy
Association. It was unveiled with the bright
ILA logo splashed on the cover of what was then
Reading Today, followed by a beautiful four-page
spread written by Executive Director Marcie
Craig Post. She detailed the history behind the
transformation and what our vision was moving
forward as an organization that honors a much
broader definition of literacy.
We trust that you have felt the ILA
difference this past year, and I invite you to
share your thoughts with us on social media or
through e-mail as we celebrate in the coming
weeks. You’ll also want to check out our article
marking the anniversary (page 8), which
includes thoughts from ILA leadership and
members alike.
Of course, you also can’t miss the package
of digital literacy articles you’ll find in this
issue. It starts with our Two Takes (page 14) on
whether computer programming should be a
mandatory subject, followed by our cover story
examining the challenges of the digital divide
(page 16). Other articles include the importance
of teaching digital citizenship (page 28),
balancing text and tech (page 32), building your
own multimodal text sets (page 34), and much
more.
Happy reading, and here’s to another year
of moving forward.
Warmly,
A YEAR OF CHANGE
Colleen Patrice Clark
Managing Editor
cclark@reading.org
Closing the
Digital Divide
• What educators can do to help
bridge the technology skills gap
• Teaching students to become
responsible digital citizens
• Top tech tools for the inclusive
classroom
January/February 2016
Volume 33, Issue 4
LITERACY TODAY
“Fiction should be a hot topic”
The [Sept/Oct 2015] issue of Literacy Today contains somewhat contradictory messages: Reading
“informational texts” is considered “a hot topic” that “should be hot,” a view that coincides with
the Common Core’s heavy focus on nonfiction (“What’s Hot in 2016”). Fiction is not mentioned.
But college student Brandon Dixon (“Literacy Is the Answer”) tells us that fiction has made
the difference in his life, contributing not only to his knowledge of the world but also to his
ethical development and understanding of other people’s views.
Mr. Dixon is not alone. In a recent interview in The Guardian, President Obama gives fiction
the credit for his understanding that “the world is complicated and full of greys…(and that) it’s
possible to connect with someone else even though they’re very different from you.”
Studies confirm that fiction readers develop high levels of literacy, a great deal of knowledge
in many different areas, the capacity to empathize with others, and a greater tolerance for
vagueness. In a recent study from the University of London, fiction reading was a very strong
predictor of adult vocabulary knowledge, stronger than reading nonfiction.
With these powerful testimonies, supported by empirical evidence, fiction should be a hot
topic in literacy, maybe the hottest one of all.
—Stephen Krashen, Professor Emeritus, University of Southern California
LETTER TO
THE EDITOR
EDITOR’S
NOTE
2
January/February 2016 | LITERACY TODAY
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Did you hear?
Education at a Glance 2015, a new report from
the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development, shows gender gaps are wider in print
than in digital reading for boys and girls—
due to boys’ PISA scores rising
on a computer-based test
while girls’ scores drop.
One potential reason? Boys’
affinity for video games.
Calling all authors
The incoming editors of
Journal of Adolescent & Adult
Literacy and
The Reading
Teacher are
now accepting
submissions.
These practical,
peer-reviewed
journals publish
research-based
manuscripts
about teaching tips
and best practices.
Find out more at
literacyworldwide.org/
publishwithILA.
Save the dates
Mark Jan. 14 and Feb. 11 on your calendars for the
January and February #ILAchats! First up will be Irene
Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell discussing interactive writing
in the classroom, followed by Steven Layne and Pernille
Ripp on the benefits of read-aloud. Follow @ILAToday
and #ILAchat to be part of the conversation.
Undergraduate students Elizabeth Hunter (Pete the Cat),
Abby Brandon (Rainbow Fish), and Mollie Thompson
(Madeline) at the council’s fall event
LIT BITS
4
January/February 2016 | LITERACY TODAY
LITERACY TODAY | January/February 2016
Free digital learning lessons
As you read through this year’s
Digital Literacies issue, you may
be left craving even more ideas
for fostering digital literacy in your
classroom. We recommend starting
with these E-ssentials and Bridges
units, free for members, found on
literacyworldwide.org:
■ “Instruction with Multimodal,
Multiple Texts,” by Jill Castek
for the Literacy Practices That
Adolescents Deserve E-ssentials
series
■ “Digital Discussions: Using Web
2.0 Tools to Communicate,
Collaborate, and Create,” a Bridges
unit by Brian Kissel, Karen Wood,
Katie Stover, and Kim Heintschel
■ “Cyborg Anthropology: An
Interdisciplinary Unit for Grades
11–12,” a Bridges unit by Alexandra
Seaha and Judy Randi
The undergraduate committee of
ILA’s Murray Area Council in Kentucky
and their local library partner twice a
year to host Lounging With Literacy,
in which families come together for
a story-hour, autographs, and photos
with their favorite book characters. An
average of 85 children and parents
attend, with all children receiving free
books from the library.
BY THE NUMBERS
4 out of 5
Number of teachers who reported they
would use classroom technology more
frequently during the 2015–2016 school
year, according to a survey from Front Row
Education
75%
Amount of
teachers who
noted an
increase in
support for
technology from
administration
$20 M
Donation from
Mark Zuckerberg to
EducationSuperHighway,
a nonprofi t
that improves Internet
access in schools
77%
Amount of schools in
the U.S. with reliable
Internet connections,
according to an
EducationSuperHighway
report, up from 30% just
three years ago
Age at which students
starting kindergarten will
experience signifi cant
benefi ts, including
reducing inattention
and hyperactivity by
73% at age 11, according
to a new study from
the National Bureau of
Economic Research
essons
’s
may
as
your
tarting
dges
d on
dal,
tek
That
sentials
g Web
te,
a Bridges
Wood,
ntschel
n
Grades
Alexandra
What’s new?
Look for these updates and more from ILA:
■ Free registration will be off ered to all undergrad preservice
teachers to attend our 2016 conference. (ilaconference.org)
■ The Foundation for Impact on Literacy and Learning, formerly
the USA TODAY Charitable Foundation, is now a supporting
organization of ILA. (literacyworldwide.org/foundation)
■ Meet four faces of literacy—people from diff erent walks of life
who have overcome illiteracy—on our new Take Action page.
(literacyworldwide.org/takeaction)
Lounging
With Literacy
n October, a large international study titled Students, Computers, and Learning
by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development reported that
access to computers had no significant impact on students’ proficiency in reading,
math, and science. In many countries, using computers frequently at school
actually worsened performance.
Although these findings may relate to differences in professional development
or implementation, it was clear that drill-and-practice software had a negative
effect on student performance. The report’s authors appropriately acknowledged
that “building deep conceptual understanding and higher-order thinking requires
intensive student–teacher interactions, and technology sometimes distracts from
this valuable human engagement.”
Nevertheless, school districts are rapidly adopting 1:1 laptop initiatives
coupled with blended learning models aimed at increasing the amount of time
By Julie Coiro
LET’S GET
PERSONAL
Balancing talk with technology to truly
personalize learning
Julie Coiro
(jcoiro@uri.edu), an ILA
member since 1992, is an
associate professor in the
School of Education at the
University of Rhode Island. She
currently serves on the ILA
Board of Directors.
OUR VIEW
6
January/February 2016 | LITERACY TODAY
students spend working independently
on a computer at home and school.
Proponents of blended learning
argue that the model helps teachers
customize digital lessons designed
to meet individual needs and allow
learners to work at their own pace.
Yet, as I listen to teachers and
principals, I worry that personalization
has come to mean something very
different from the personally relevant
student-directed experiences that
today’s students crave most.
Personalized vs. personal
approaches
What is the difference between
personalized and personal approaches
to teaching and learning? In the ed-
tech community, personalization is
described as a top-down designed or
tailored approach to learning whereby
experiences can be customized for the
student, but they are still controlled by
the teacher.
Digital playlists, for example, are
designed to serve up learning based on a
formula of what teachers (or computers)
think a particular learner needs most.
Students have the ability to move
through sequenced activities at their
own pace but, often, they have little
choice in selecting the activities they
engage with and even less control over
how they demonstrate understanding.
Moreover, students typically move
through personalized playlists
independently with few opportunities
to construct ideas and collaborate
with others. Finally, personalized
instruction seems to require students
to interact with a computer.
Personal learning experiences,
on the other hand, involve something
human whereby students initiate and
control the learning process. Often, this
type of learning emerges from actively
engaging and talking with others about
one’s personal wonderings. Often,
these wonderings are sparked by a
topic or problem encountered in school,
at home, or in the community. These
personal learning experiences offer
students opportunities to generate
questions and create products that
connect their own interests to real-life
concerns in personally fulfilling ways.
Importantly, technology is not
critical for learning to be personal.
Rather, all that is needed is space and
to their interests. Then, introduce
students to a range of texts, tools,
and people offline and online that
they can connect with and use
as springboards to become more
emotionally engaged with their
own learning.
2. Expect learners to talk.
Design personal digital inquiry
experiences to foster collaborative
discussions that lead to multiple
pathways for knowledge building,
knowledge expression, and
personal action. Engage students
with literacy experiences
that facilitate face-to-face and
online conversation building,
argumentation, negotiation, and
presentation skills.
3. Encourage digital creation.
Remember that personal
learning experiences are created
by individuals, not delivered
by computers. Asking students
to create original products,
including digital compositions,
enables them to share new
knowledge while connecting
insights to different spheres of
their lives (school, home, and
community) in meaningful and
relevant ways.
4. Make space for students
to participate and matter.
Actively involve students in deep,
authentic, and personally relevant
learning experiences that foster
academic achievement, reflection,
and civic engagement. Through
participation, individuals assert
their autonomy and ownership
of learning; in turn, their inquiry
becomes more personal and
engaging.
As you explore ways to personalize
learning in your classroom, strive
for that delicate balance of talk and
technology use within student-directed
learning spaces where all learners have
a voice and the opportunity to learn
about what they love most.
time to actively reflect, collaborate, and
engage with personally meaningful ideas.
However, once students are empowered
to direct their own learning pathways,
technology can open the door to an
infinite range of texts, tools, and people
they can use to explore and connect ideas
in these meaningful ways.
Why the big fuss?
My concern is not that technology is
playing an increasingly important role
in teaching and learning or that schools
are exploring the potential of blended
learning approaches to differentiate
instruction. When blended learning
is implemented successfully, teachers
and students use a range of human
and digital resources to improve
their ability to think, problem solve,
collaborate, and communicate. A
delicate balance of talk and technology
use keeps all of us grounded in
conversations with other people about
what really matters.
What worries me is that, in
some circles, personalized learning
increasingly has come to represent a
narrow strategy of computer-based
instruction with limited opportunities
for human interaction and personal
ownership of the learning process. When
blended learning becomes synonymous
with separating students into cubbies
equipped with headphones and
customized digital playlists for a large
percentage of each school day, we risk
losing sight of the human elements that
make learning a truly personal endeavor.
Where do we go from here?
As we continue to explore approaches
to blending learning, I believe at least
four sets of instructional practices can
serve to connect today’s digital learners
to their world in ways that matter.
1. Build a culture of personal
inquiry. Provide regular
opportunities for students to
pursue topics that are meaningful
A delicate balance of talk and technology use
keeps all of us grounded in conversations with
other people about what really matt ers.
LITERACY TODAY | January/February 2016
ow big of a difference can a single word make?
Ask a literacy educator, and you’ll hear it’s a big one.
Last January, the International Reading Association (IRA) became the
International Literacy Association (ILA), and educators and advocates around the
world were introduced to a new page in the life of this 60-year-strong organization.
But it wasn’t just a change in name. The switch came along with a new
strategic plan, focused on bolstering the organization’s international and policy
work and on promoting literacy for all.
By Jaclyn Zubrzycki
THE ILA
DIFFERENCE
Marking one year of transformation
Jaclyn Zubrzycki
(jaclyn.zubrzycki@gmail.com) is
a freelance writer specializing
in education.
LITERACY
LEADERSHIP
8
January/February 2016 | LITERACY TODAY