Africa session at IRA Annual Convention, Chicago, April 27, 2010

The IRA Annual Convention will be held in Chicago, IL USA from 25-28 April 2010.

If you are planning to attend the convention, please plan to attend
the session of the Literacy Issues in Developing Countries Special
Interest Group entitled:
‘Assessing our roles in literacy work in developing countries:
opportunities, challenges and ... Focus on Africa.’
This session will be a moderated panel/audience/member discussion on
how members in the "Global North" can work for and with our colleagues
in the "Global South" in ways that take their needs and potential
seriously.

The presenters will be Beatrice Quarshie Smith; Judith Baker; Scott
Walter; Samuel Andema; Sakil Malik and they will lead a discussion of
how the IRA can work effectively in Africa. Please come and take part
in this vital discussion.

The meeting will take place on April 27 from 9 to 11:45AM in the
McCormick Lakeside Center, Room E256.

Topics for discussion include:
- Is it possible to advocate for developing regions from within IRA?
How does the SIG facilitate a higher visibility for these regions?
- What are the best ways in which the SIG can facilitate work in
developing countries beyond the often problematic voyeur “show and
tell” that has become a staple at its presentations?
- How does one reassert the political significance of the
“International” in IRA as a site for critique to open spaces for
critical engagement with other regions. For an exemplar, this year's
panel focuses on Africa.

If you cannot attend but have ideas then please email them to Beatrice
Smith at bbsmith@mtu.edu
If you are coming to the Convention, you will find all the information
you need to register, arrange accommodations and plan your program at
reading.org by clicking on the ‘Meetings and Events’ button on the
left, and then press ‘Annual Convention.’

Please pass along this information to all your colleagues who are
interested in African education and help us publicize the meetings by
posting this on your professional networks.

Hope to see you in Chicago,
Samuel Andema, Chair, International Development Committee for Africa
[IDC/A], IRA [Kyambogo University, Uganda]
Beatrice Quarshie Smith, Chair, LIDC Special Interest Group, IRA
[Michigan Technological University]

From Lauryn Oates - information on the Research Network on Applied Linguistics and Literacy in Africa and the Diaspora

Lauren Oates has written to inform you that the French version of the
last newsletter / le version français of Research Network on Applied
Linguistics and Literacy in Africa and the Diasporais now online:

Click here to view the newsletter.

She encourages contributors to send articles in either English or
French for publication:

The next newsletter will be out in April and until March 1st, we
invite you to submit contributions for the newsletter, in the
following areas:
--News & announcements, such as conference reports, new publications,
promotions and awards of ReN members
--Tell us about opportunities: upcoming events, fellowships and prizes
--Your research news, project profiles, partnerships, and recommended
resources for any region in Africa
-- Book Reviews

We welcome contributions in French and English, and as always, welcome
volunteers to help us translate the issue into other languages. Please
contact me if you can help.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,
Lauryn Oates
Research Network on Applied Linguistics and Literacy in Africa and the
Diaspora
www.renafrica.org

PhD Candidate
Department of Language and Literacy Education (LLED)
University of British Columbia
CANADA
http://www.lled.educ.ubc.ca/
Tel: 604.781.3151
E-Mail: lauryn.oates@gmail.com

From the IRA - information on funding for professional development

Dear All,

Some of you may find the message below from IRA useful.

Best wishes,
Vivian

Need Funding?

Government grants and other organizational grants provide funding for
professional development. Check out what is available to you.

Title I - Schools making use of school improvement grants have
access to professional development funds so that their teachers have
access to the latest and best evidence based instruction to help
improve their students ability to read. The National Association of
State Title I Directors, a participant at IRA's convention, has
determined that convention sessions meet the definitions in Section
2133, Local Uses of Funds of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.


Title II, Part A can support teacher professional development across
all core academic subjects. Many school districts are using federal
funds to support their professional development activities in
cooperation with schools and colleges of education. The IRA
Convention is one of the best sources of information on how to improve
instruction for the high need students in your schools.

Grant-making organizations fund professional development activities
for teachers. Sample of organizations that have traditionally
provided funding includes:

Government agencies: US Department of Education, state education
departments, etc.
Foundations: Fund for Teachers, Braitmayer Foundation, etc.
Corporations: AOL, Verizon, etc.
Associations: National Education Association, The American Federation
of Teachers, etc.
For more funding opportunities explore these websites:

www.fundforteachers.org
www.grantalerts.com

News from Selam Negussie, African Children's Book Project in Ethiopia

Many of you may remember Selam Negussie who attended the Pan African
in Ghana in 2007 and helped with many tasks at that conference. Selam
was unable to come to Tanzania for lack of sponsorship but promises to
try to come to Botswana in 2011. She has sent news from her book
project in Ethiopia and to the literacy foundation which you will
find links to here.

Selam writes:

Hello to all,
I hope this finds you well. A big Thank You to everyone who has
supported African Children's book Project over the last year! A new
video is added to the website. Please take a look by using this link:
http://www.africanchildrensbookproject.com

Also please send the link to anyone you know and have a look around
the site.

Besides my book project I am currently working for The Fregenet
foundation www.fregenetfoundation.org it is a non- profit org.
dedicated to creating educational opportunities for impoverished
children. Its main office is found in Los Angeles. I am managing the
local office.

All the best
Selam
http://www.africanchildrensbookproject.com

Africa session at IRA Annual Convention, Chicago, April 27, 2010

The IRA Annual Convention will be held in Chicago, IL USA from 25-28 April 2010.

If you are planning to attend the convention, please plan to attend
the session of the Literacy Issues in Developing Countries Special
Interest Group entitled:
‘Assessing our roles in literacy work in developing countries:
opportunities, challenges and ... Focus on Africa.’
This session will be a moderated panel/audience/member discussion on
how members in the "Global North" can work for and with our colleagues
in the "Global South" in ways that take their needs and potential
seriously.

The presenters will be Beatrice Quarshie Smith; Judith Baker; Scott
Walter; Samuel Andema; Sakil Malik and they will lead a discussion of
how the IRA can work effectively in Africa. Please come and take part
in this vital discussion.

The meeting will take place on April 27 from 9 to 11:45AM in the
McCormick Lakeside Center, Room E256.

Topics for discussion include:
- Is it possible to advocate for developing regions from within IRA?
How does the SIG facilitate a higher visibility for these regions?
- What are the best ways in which the SIG can facilitate work in
developing countries beyond the often problematic voyeur “show and
tell” that has become a staple at its presentations?
- How does one reassert the political significance of the
“International” in IRA as a site for critique to open spaces for
critical engagement with other regions. For an exemplar, this year's
panel focuses on Africa.

If you cannot attend but have ideas then please email them to Beatrice
Smith at bbsmith@mtu.edu
If you are coming to the Convention, you will find all the information
you need to register, arrange accommodations and plan your program at
reading.org by clicking on the ‘Meetings and Events’ button on the
left, and then press ‘Annual Convention.’

Please pass along this information to all your colleagues who are
interested in African education and help us publicize the meetings by
posting this on your professional networks.

Hope to see you in Chicago,
Samuel Andema, Chair, International Development Committee for Africa
[IDC/A], IRA [Kyambogo University, Uganda]
Beatrice Quarshie Smith, Chair, LIDC Special Interest Group, IRA
[Michigan Technological University]

Winter 2009 Edition of CODE's biannual newsletter, Ngoma

Click here to get the Winter 2009 edition of CODE's biannual newsletter, Ngoma.

As you'll see, the opening article "Africa unite" is a reflection on attending the 6th Pan-African Reading For All Conference.

"EVALUATION OF LITERACY POLICIES AND PRACTICES IN SOUTHWEST, NIGERIA"

EVALUATION OF LITERACY POLICIES AND PRACTICES IN SOUTHWEST, NIGERIA

The paper was presented at the 6th Pan African Reading for all Conference in Tanzania, by Clement O O Kolawole Ph.D, Senior Lecturer, Department of Teacher Education at the University of Ibadan.