Goals of the Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers:

• To promote standards and competency within the profession.

• To stimulate the self-development and professional growth of teachers and reading specialists at all educational levels.

• To encourage the continuing improvement of college and university curricula and encourage preparation programs for teachers and reading specialists.

• To encourage the continuing improvement of administrative, clinical, diagnostic, and instructional practices related to the learning process.

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Announcements

Call for 2012 Grant Proposals

The Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers calls for proposals for its 2013 Literacy Teacher Education Grant. A maximum of $2500 will be awarded for promising research that addresses significant questions in literacy teacher education. Eligible studies may be carried out using any research method or approach as long as the focus of the project is on literacy teacher education. Applicants must:
• Be a member of the Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers
• Be a full-time faculty member at a college or university
• Have a doctorate degree or its equivalent

The submission deadline is July 1, 2012. Direct questions to Mona W. Matthews at rmatthews@gsu.edu. Click here for the grant proposal form.

Call for Awards Nominations

The ALER Awards Committee is pleased to invite nominations for the 2012 Awards. The due date for nominations is July 15, 2012. All nominations should be sent to the Awards Committee Chair, Mary Roe, via email at mary.roe@asu.edu

A.B. Herr Award
The A.B. Herr Award is presented for distinguished service in reading. It recognizes a professional educator who has made outstanding contributions to the field of reading. Nomination materials must include a letter of nomination that provides nominee name, award name, and description of how nominee meets award criteria as well as the nominee’s vita and contact information for the nominator.

Albert J. Mazurkiewicz ALER Special Services Award
This award recognizes an ALER member for special service and/or significant contributions to ALER. Nomination materials must include a letter of nomination that provides nominee name, award name, and description of how nominee meets award criteria as well as the nominee’s vita and contact information for the nominator.

ALER Laureate Award
This award recognizes an ALER member and is based on the following criteria: 1) Influence on other reading professionals through mentoring, teaching, and other activities, 2) Longevity of membership in ALER, 3) Research, publications, and presentations that involve collaboration with students, teachers, and other professionals, and 4) Participation in ALER conferences/activities such as serving on the Board of Directors and/or on commissions/committees. Nomination materials must include a letter of nomination that provides nominee name, award name, and description of how nominee meets all four award criteria as well as the nominee’s vita and contact information for the nominator.

The Jerry Johns Promising Researcher Award
This annual award was established by Jerry Johns and ALER to honor and support research by a junior ALER member whose work is beyond the dissertation stage. The award recognizes research that addresses significant questions for reading/literacy and extends understanding of its development, assessment, and/or instruction from early childhood to adult level. An applicant must be nominated by an ALER member, and should be a junior-level researcher (Assistant Professor in the first five years after initial appointment). Download the nomination form here.

The Judy Richardson Literacy as a Living Legacy Award
This annual award is made to an ALER member to support a literacy-related project related to an existing need in a community or school that typically is not supported by other public or private funds. The award of $500.00 supports projects that support work in early childhood through adult literacy. Nominations or self-nominations are accepted. Download the nomination form here.

To read more about these awards and see lists of previous winners, visit this page.

Nominations due July 15, 2012, to mary.roe@asu.edu

Positions available:

Posted 3/21/12, Tenure track faculty position, assistant or associate level, in Reading, Language, and Literacy with an emphasis in secondary literacy theory and practice, Concordia University, Chicago. Click here for the position announcement.

Posted 2/14/12, Chair of Department of Reading/Literacy, Texas Women's University. Click here for the position announcement.

Posted 2/3/12, Assistant/Associate/Full Professor Literacy/Reading (tenure-line, open rank), George Mason University, College of Education and Human Development. Click here for the position announcement.