Reading Association of Ireland

Cumann Léitheoireachta na hÉireann

Literacy at the Crossroads: Moving Forward Looking Back

Editors:
Bernadette Dywer and Gerry Shiel
Publisher:
Reading Association of Ireland

Summary:

A collection of articles based on presentations delivered at the 2006 Annual Conference of the Reading Association of Ireland, which took retrospective and prospective views on literacy development in Ireland and internationally.

Keynote Addresses:

Reading Standards in Ireland: Moving Forward, Looking Back
Gerry Shiel, Educational Research Centre, St. Patrick’s College, Dublin
Developing Reading Comprehension: What Do We Need to Know to Make It Happen?
Colin Harrison, University of Nottingham, England
Digital Childhoods: Digital Classrooms: The Teaching of Literacy in a New Media Age
Jackie Marsh, University of Sheffield, England

Evolving Perspectives on Disadvantage and Literacy:

From Differences to Disadvantage: Language Variation and Children’s Experiences in School
Áine Cregan, Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick
Building Schools Where Literacy Thrives
Eithne Kennedy, St Patrick’s College, Dublin

Early Literacy Skills:

Reading Instruction at Infant Level in Ireland: Some Insights from a Nationwide Survey of Teacher Understandings, Attitudes and Practices
Brian Murphy, University College Cork
The Journey to Literacy: Success for Children with Moderate Learning Difficulties
Helen McLernon and John Gardner, Queen’s University, Belfast and
James Ferguson, Stranmillis University College, Belfast
Motivating Learners through Literacy Work Stations
Cecile Arquette, Bradley University, Illinois

Guiding the Development of Reading Comprehension:

Teaching Reading Comprehension Strategies
Tara Concannon, St Patrick’s College, Dublin
Getting It Right: Scaffolding and Supporting Explicit and Mindful Comprehension Strategy Instruction
Ann Courtney, Frederick King and Joan Pedro, University of Hartford, Connecticut

Motivation and Reading:

Understanding the Complexities of Motivation and Its Impact on Struggling Students
Heidi Davey, Northern Illinois University
SSR (Sustained Silent Reading) or SSRE (Silence Stops Reading Engagement)
Gregory Bryan, University of Manitoba, Canada
Understanding Barriers: How Pre-service and In-service Teachers Discovered Sheltered Instruction
Mary Montavon, Southern Illinois University, and Carol Delaney, Texas State University