The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) is holding its annual convention next week (November 17-20) in Atlanta, Georgia. We'll be there, of course, and are excited to talk with educators from across the country about literacy and learning!
Scholastic Professional Authors
We're especially thrilled to celebrate some of our professional authors, who will be honored at NCTE for their contributions to the fields of education and literacy.
Jeff Wilhelm is the winner--with co-author Michael Smith--of the David H. Russell Award for Distinguished Research in the Teaching of English for their professional book, Reading Unbound: Why Kids Need to Read What They Want—and Why We Should Let Them. Jeff recently posted on edu@scholastic about what he's reading lately, and the many important ways kids can (and should!) read for pleasure.
Laura Robb, winner of the Richard W. Halle Award for Outstanding Middle Level Educator is a longtime Scholastic author and frequent contributor to this blog! Below, you can catch up on some of Laura's expert advice for educators:
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Student-Led Discussions Develop 21st-Century Learning Skills
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Ten Tips from Laura Robb: Classroom Libraries & Access to Books
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Moving Students from Basic Recall to Analytical Comprehension
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The Power of Three: Prior knowledge, reading purposes, and rereading
And of course, we are thrilled to introduce two new professional books: The Reading Zone: How to Help Kids Become Skilled, Passionate, Habitual, Critical Readers, Second Edition by Nancie Atwell & Anne Atwell Merkel, and Mastering Short-Response Writing: Claim It! Cite It! Cement It! by Alan Lawrence Sitomer.
On Saturday, be sure to check out this panel from 2:45 - 4:00 p.m.:
Expert-to-Expert on the Joy and Power of Reading: A Panel Discussion
Ernest Morrell, NCTE’s immediate past president, Kwame Alexander, Newbery Medal winner, and Pam Allyn, founder of LitWorld, sit down for a lively and thought-provoking conversation about the joy and power of literacy. Moderated by past NCTE president Kylene Beers, this panel of illustrious educators will offer its insights about the importance of independent reading, student book selection, and other pressing issues on teachers’ minds. Find out how the joy and power of literacy has transformed the lives of those four educators and what they are doing to assure that others reap the benefits of a rich and engaging life among books. The aim of the panel is to help teachers help students craft reading lives in which they make their own book choices and read deeply and with clear purpose. The right book is a key. It can open a world of profound understanding, empathy, and joy.
Presenters: Kwame Alexander, Scholastic Pam Allyn, Scholastic Kylene Beers, Reading and Writing Project/Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY Ernest Morrell, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY
Scholastic Trade Authors
But that's not all! Many of Scholastic's trade authors will also be at NCTE, signing books and speaking on panels. Below is a short list, but click here for the full run-down of who will be where from Scholastic Trade!
Friday, November 18
Dav Pilkey (Dog Man, Captain Underpants) Author Signing
12:00pm-1:30pm
Location: Scholastic Booth, #512
Panel: Social Justice and Teen Literacy
Daniel Jose Older (Shadowshaper) will speak on a panel with other estemeed authors about social justice in the young adult novel. Recent media events have brought social justice into the spotlight. Each author will share a particular perspective on how teachers can use literature to make a difference in students’ lives.
2:30pm-3:45pm
Location: Room A410
Saturday, November 19
Panel: Engaging Readers with High Stakes Fiction and Nonfiction in the Classroom
Neal Bascomb, Alan Gratz, Deborah Hopkinson, and Lauren Tarshis will talk about their new works and how teachers can use high-stakes narratives to engage young readers from elementary to young adult.
1:15pm-2:30pm
Location: Room B309
Panel: Equity and Social Justice
To be effective advocates for causes they care about, students need to evaluate, process, and communicate information. These abilities encompass media and visual literacies. Literature and informational texts play a crucial role in providing readers with foundational and historical context and in helping to nurture empathy and awareness.
4:15pm-5:30pm
Location: Room A314
Sunday, November 20
Maggie Stiefvater and Bill Konigsberg Author Signing
10:00am-11:00am
Location: Scholastic Booth, #512
Scholastic Literary Event
10:30am-12:00pm
Omni Hotel, International E&F
This event will highlight and feature authors using the Readers Theater format. After a 30 minute meet and greet, we will being the Readers Theater presentation.
Featured Authors:
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Ann Burg – Unbound
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Mary Lambert – Family Game Night and Other Catastrophes
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Alyson Gerber – Braced
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Peadar O’ Guilen – The Call
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Jordan Sonnenblick – Falling Over Sideways
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Christine Kendall – Riding Chance
Click here to learn much, much more about Scholastic Trade authors at NCTE. See you there!