"Literacy is luggage for life..."

The IRA conference featured several keynote speakers. I was happy to have attended the address given by Queen Rania of Jordan al Abdullah to the general assembly of IRA attendees on Monday, April 26, 2010. Queen Rania stressed in her remarks the importance of literacy throughout the world and the need to combat the illiteracy rate, especially the high percentage of females, who cannot read and write. She also expressed how our two countries, although vastly different, have many similarities as well. Her new book, The Sandwich Swap, is a positive way to expose children to the similarities between cultures, instead of focusing on the differences. Perhaps this book will inspire students to develop their own identity as readers and writers while maintaining their individuality and cultural ties. "Building on Gee's (2001) notions of discourse and affinity, cultural identity is viewed as a way of being, as a way of seeing oneself that is negotiated through communication and through one's participation in practices as a member of the group" (Ball & Ellis, 2008, p. 502).



A quote that resonated with me during the Queen's speech was, "Literacy is luggage for life; the kind of luggage you want to carry." Queen Rania stressed how the literacy skills that we possess enable us to be productive, contributing members of society. Without literacy in our lives, our world and opportunities would be vastly different and limited.

Although the majority of us work with literate children and adults, it is imperative to make reading and writing a part of their real world. "Involving learners of all ages in real, relevant opportunities to involve reading and writing in their lives can make the difference between learning that is superficial and shallow and learning that is deep and internalized" (Gambrell, 2010, IRA Conference).

This again ties into my work on middle school boys' reading motivation, which Linda Gambrell and Barbara Marinak addressed in their presentation at IRA on April 27, 2010 entitled "Motivation to Read: What Matters Most?". The presenters' main findings from research include the topics of choice, challenge, collaboration, and authenticity regarding reading motivation. However, I would argue that the same criteria can and should apply to writing motivation, as well. That is why strategies such as multigenre writing and writing circles should be increasingly used in the classroom. Both of these techniques enable the writer to choose topics and genres of interest, create the challenge of working with narrative, as well as expository text, collaborate with peers and writing instructors, and provide authentic writing experiences.

Although IRA is indeed a reading conference, I wish I could have seen more of a connection between reading and writing throughout the presentations. The two subjects are so connected, yet still viewed as miles apart by some educators. More cross curricular themes would also have been beneficial.

As I review my notes and handouts from various presentations which I attended, I will share further implications for us as literacy professionals.