Contents
READING TODAY
Volume 32, Number 5
March/April 2015
EDITORIAL STAFF
Communications Manager Lara Deloza
Managing Editor Colleen Patrice Clark
Senior Staff Writer April Hall
Interns Logan Farmer and Madelaine Levey
ILA LEADERSHIP
Executive Director Marcie Craig Post
Associate Executive Director Stephen Sye
BOARD MEMBERS
Jill D. Lewis-Spector, New Jersey City
University, President; Diane Barone, University
of Nevada, Reno, Vice President; Donald Bear,
Iowa State University; Julie Coiro, University of
Rhode Island; Lori DiGisi, Framingham Public
Schools, Massachusetts; Bernadette Dwyer,
St. Patrick’s College, Drumcondra, Dublin
City University; Laurie A. Elish-Piper, Northern
Illinois University; Douglas Fisher, San Diego
State University; Rona F. Flippo, University of
Massachusetts Boston; Shelley Stagg Peterson,
OISE/University of Toronto; 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
Reading 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
Reading Today (ISSN 2160-8083) is included
in the cost of ILA membership. To join, visit
reading.org. POSTMASTER: Send address
changes to Reading Today, PO Box 8139,
Newark, DE 19714-8139, USA. CANADIAN
GST: Registration number R-129785523.
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CONTACT US
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© International Literacy Association
Facts
About Shaq
Investigating
Octavia Spencer
14
16
2
EDITOR’S NOTE
4
LIT BITS
LITERACY LEADERSHIP
6
Becoming a Culturally Responsive Educator
8
Why Elementary-Level Teachers Need
More Freedom
ANNUAL CONFERENCE
10
Our Author Luncheon Speakers Show Off
Their Artistic Sides
20
An Exhibit Hall Retrospective
22
Our St. Louis Restaurant and Activity Guide
THE ENGAGING CLASSROOM
26
Fostering a Year-Long Love of Literacy
28
The Power of Read-Aloud
30
Digging Deeper into Close Reading
32
Helping Students Take Ownership When Writing From Sources
THE ILA NETWORK
36
How Harris-Stowe State University Turns ILD into a
Co mmunity-Building Event
GLOBAL IMPACT
38
A Look at ILA 2015’s Worldwide Presenters
40 EVENTS
42 MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
In “Creating Lifelong Readers,” an article that appeared in the
January/February issue, we incorrectly named former
ILA Executive Director Ronald Mitchell.
The digital version of the magazine refl ects the change.
photo ©Austin Hargrave/August Image, LLC