In a time when educational reform and mandates are pushing pleasure reading out of classrooms and the emphasis on test scores has companies selling “quick fix” programs to boost reading achievement, we here in ALAN still know that the best formula for turning kids into successful readers is to give them: a caring, professional adult who knows good books; time to read; choice; and access to a variety of titles. This shouldn’t be considered revolutionary, but unfortunately in this day and age, it is.
Lead a breakout session and help your colleagues build an arsenal of tools and ideas that will help them to become leaders in the teen reading revolution and to push back against programs that do little to foster true reading engagement. Proposals may address, but are not limited to, the following questions:
- What are you doing to be a leader of the teen reading revolution?
- How are you helping to create readers and build a culture of readers?
- What research are you using (or doing yourself) to support your methods?
- What challenges have you encountered in planning for and/or enacting your revolutionary approach? How have you mediated these?
- What books and authors are you recommending to the teens in your area?
- What books and authors are your teens recommending to you?
- What does a revolutionary professor, librarian, teacher, or teen reader look like?
Some important details about proposals for the 2015 workshop:
- Breakout sessions will be 50 minutes in length.
- Preference will be given to those who did not present in 2014.
- All applicants must be members of the Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of the National Council of Teachers of English (ALAN).
- Electronic submissions are due no later than midnight (ET) on Friday, January 16, 2015 and should be sent to
- Proposals submitted by mail should be postmarked by Wednesday, January 14, 2015 and sent to:
Daria Plumb
3238 S. Custer Rd.
Monroe, MI 48161