This article describes a study of both textual and reader response analyses of "The Skin I'm In" by Sharon Flake. Because gender and race constitute central themes in the narrative, Black feminist thought and feminism undergirded the textual critique. Critics' reviews, scholarly articles, and published author interviews also supported the textual…

The speed with which the technologies of literacy are changing is dazzling and unsettling. Almost every year, it seems a new way of combining words, images, and video emerges and becomes a phenomenon among students. Meanwhile, teachers are left wondering how to respond to these new ways of writing and reading and the identities that students…

"Welcome to Buckeye City" is an adolescent online community that was maintained by 25 Korean students who attended American schools. On the website, the students engaged in "relay writing"--a writing activity in which each person contributed a portion of an evolving story in a relayed manner. Relay writing offers teachers a new and valuable window…

Although there is evidence that literacy deficiencies in adolescents can be remedied with one-to-one tutoring using research-based instructional strategies, a review of current literature provides only limited information on transferring effective instructional strategies to learning environments outside of one-to-one tutoring centers. The authors…

When scaffolding is done correctly, students are encouraged to develop their own creativity, motivation, and resourcefulness. How teachers interact with students and how students interact with one another as they complete a task is important to students' ability to perform the activity. This article shows how scaffolding can be effectively applied…

Immigrants form an important and growing part of the Canadian population. Governments recognize the need to help new immigrants integrate into Canadian society by learning to speak either English or French, and therefore offer or support Language training programs. The federal Government, through the Department of Citizenship and Immigration, runs…

The "literacy.ca" newsletter is a vehicle for literacy workers and supporters to share information, ideas, resources and research on emerging literacy issues. This issue of "literacy.ca" contains the following articles: (1) Riding The Wave: How will the federal election affect progress on a pan-Canadian literacy agenda?; (2) Point of View:…

The Movement for Canadian Literacy (MCL) is a national non-profit charitable organization representing literacy coalitions, organizations and individuals from every province and territory. Since 1978 MCL has worked with partners to increase access to quality literacy education for Canadians who need it. This is MCL's submission to the federal…

This May 2006 issue of "Federal Literacy Facts" contains the following sections: (1) Canadian Council on Learning Releases Learning Index; (2) Learning Index Highlights Adult Literacy as Key Challenge; (3) Literacy Doesn't Make the Federal Budget's Priority List; (4) Community Still Waiting for Federal Call for Literacy Proposals; (5) AG Calls for…

This April 2006 issue of "Federal Literacy Facts" contains the following articles: (1) Transition at the National Literacy Secretariat (NLS); (2) The New Government Agenda: Finding Room for Literacy; (3) How Is the Transition at the NLS Affecting the Literacy Community?; and (4) Federal Accountability Act: Changing the Way Government Works.

This February 2006 issue of "Federal Literacy Facts" contains the following sections: (1) New Government, New Priorities: What Does It mean for Literacy?; (2) New Minister of Human Resources and Social Development; (3) How Will Federal Transition Impact on Past Commitments to Literacy?; and (4) Conservatives on the Record for Literacy.

This Winter 2006 issue of "Learners in Action" contains the following articles: (1) Premiers Honour Adult Learners; (2) Learning Difficulties?; (3) Awards; (4) Hats off to Jacques Demers!; (5) What Do You Think?; (6) Meet the Current Learners Advisory Network; and (7) "Learning Edge" is No Ordinary Magazine!.

The call for highly qualified teachers that can improve student literacy performance has led to increased attention to job-embedded approaches to professional learning. Such approaches call for intensive, on-going efforts that include coaching and feedback (National Staff Development Council, 2001; American Educational Research Association, 2005)…

The Advisory Board of the Literacy Coaching Clearinghouse suggests six characteristics that define effective literacy coaching. These characteristics can guide districts and schools to think carefully about the qualifications of the literacy coaches they hire, the realistic roles for coaches to fill, and the support systems that coaches need to be…

The road to becoming a reader begins the day a child is born and continues through the end of third grade. At that point, a child must read with ease and understanding to take advantage of the learning opportunities in fourth grade and beyond--in school and in life. Learning to read and write starts at home, long before children go to school. Very…