ISSN #1082-555X

Editor

Kathy Barclay

western Illinois University

Assistant Editor

H. Jon Jones

western Illinois University

Associate Editors

Laurel Borgia

Pam Campbell

Angela Ferree

Pamela Terry GodtElizabeth Hommel

Sara Simonson

Melissa Stinnett

western Illinois University

Laurie Elish-Piper

Northern Illinois University

Ronda J. Mitchell

Millikin University

CarolOwles

Illinois State University

Spring 2008

ILLINOIS

READINGCOUNCIL

JOURNAL

Volume 36, Number 2

Editoriol Advisory Boord

Jennifer Aldred-Berry

West 40 ISC #2, LaGrange Park, IL

Tamby Allman

St. Xavier University, Chicago, IL

Brenda Bertino

Ttoy School District 30C, Plainfield, IL

!lyse Brainin

National-Louis University ARDDP/CPS, Park Ridge, IL

Diana Brannon

Elmhurst College, Elmhurst, IL

Debra Sue Coet-Hanna

Sangamon County Regional Office of Education #51, Springfield, IL

Boomer Crotty

Joliet Junior College and District 86 Lynne ThigpenElementary School, Joliet, IL

Sunday Cummins

National-Louis University, Lisle, IL

Bonnie Diamond

Aptakisic- Tripp School District 102, Buffalo Grove, IL

Demerra Disoruar

Skokie School District 73.5, Skokie, IL

Lori Fanello

Regional Office of Education, Loves Park, IL

Peter J. Fisher

National-Louis University, Park Ridge, IL

Sandra GandyGovernors State University, University Park, IL

Elizabeth Goldsmith-Conley

Champaign Unit 4 Schools, Champaign, IL

Paulette Goodman

Naperville CUSD 203, Naperville, IL

Sherelene A. Harris

Chicago State University, Chicago, IL

Jerry L. JohnsAuthor and Consultant, Sycamore, IL

Lynn KeckRock Island School District 41, Rock Island, IL

Terry Krehbiel

Macomb Senior High School, Macomb, IL

Barbara Kurrh

West 40 Illinois Service Center #2, La Grange Park, IL

ILLINOIS READING COUNCIL JOURNAL VOL. 36, NO.2

Susan CAllier

Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL

Barb Mazzolini

Wheaton CUSD 200, Wheaton, IL

Katherine S. McKnightNortheasrern Illinois University, Chicago, IL

Saman tha Morley

Indian Prairie School District 204, Naperville, IL

Mary Kay Moskal

St. Mary's College of California, Moraga, CA

Adrienne Murphy

Woodridge School District #68, Woodridge, IL

Linda Oshita

Rockford Public Schools, District 205, Rockford, IL

Janet L. Pariza

Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, IL

Mildred M. Pearson

Eastern Illinois University. Charleston, IL

Carole Pelttari

Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL

Margarer PolicastroRoosevelt University, Chicago, IL

Jennifer Preschern

Northshire Shore District J 12, Highwood, IL

Debra Rigney-HaysCentral Illinois Adult Education Service Center, Macomb, IL

Jeffery L. Siddall

College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn, IL

Jeannine N. StauntonNorthbrook/Glenview School District 30, Norrhbrook, IL

Amy StuckeyIndian Prairie School District #204, Naperville, IL

Donna E. Werderich

Norrhern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL

Janet L. Wicker

McKendree College, Lebanon, IL

Linda Wold

Loyola University, Chicago, IL

Chyrese S. Wolf

Chicago Srate University, Chicago, IL

ILLINOIS READING COUNCIL JOURNALVolume 36, Number 2 Spring 2008

Table-of Contents

1 Editor's Page

Kathy Barclay

Articles

3 LIFE Support: A Family Literacy Program for Struggling First-Grade Readers and Their FamiliesSusan Sokolinski

13 Examining and Developing Writing Traits Through ReadingPamela Farris

18 Setting Up a Statewide Network ofIRC Researchers: The Story of a Work in Progress

Elizabeth Goldsmith-Conley, Judy Barbour, Francine Falk-Ross, Pamela Terry Godt, Donna McCaw, and Boomer Crotty

Columns

32 Logging on with Literature: Twin Texts Meet Technology: Music, Music, Music!

Angela Ferree, Pam Campbell, and Betsy Hommel

39 Terrific Teaching Tips: Informal Reading Assessments

Laurel Borgia and Carol Owles

44 Parent Involvement in Reading: Parent Involvement During the Middle and High School Years:What's a Teacherto Do?

Laurie Elish-Piper

51 Professional Development: The View from a Differentiated ClassroomSara D. Simonson

56 Leadership in Reading: Professional Development: How to Overcome People's Perceptions that YouAre Just the"Stupid Lady from Denver"

Pamela Terry Godr

62 Research in Reading: Reporting on "Miseducating Teachers About the Poor: A Critical Analysis of Ruby Payne'sClaims About Poverty"Melissa Srinnett

68 Insights from Illinois Authors: A Conversation with Heidi B. Roemer

Ronda J. Mitchell

72 Calls for Contributions for Future Issues of the Illinois Reading Council Journal

The Illinois Reading Counciljournal (IRC}) is published quarterly and is disttibuted as a service to all members of the Illinois Reading Council.

Membership in the Illinois Reading Council can be obtained rhrough local and special interest reading councils in Illinois. For information,

contact the Illinois Reading Council at 1210 Fort Jesse Road, Suite B2, Normal, IL 61761-1836. IRC staff may also be reached by relephone

ar rhe toll-free number, (888) 454-1341, or at (309) 454-1341. Libraries and educational insriturions can subscribe to IRC} at an annual rare

of $40.00; address inquiries to rhe Executive Director ar rhe IRC office.

Because the IRC} serves as an open forum, irs contents do nor necessarily reflecr or imply endorsement or advocacy by rhe Illinois Reading

·Council, irs officers, or its members.

Photocopies: Individuals may photocopy articles from rhe journal wirhout wrirren permission for nonprofir educarional use, or may make

five copies of a single article for library reserve use in an educarional insriturion. Consent to photocopy does nor extend to photos or irems

reprinted by permission from other publishers. Members of rhe Illinois Reading Council who wish to use copies of an article in a handour

or coursepack and for repeared use may do so wirhout a fee. Nonmembers musr obrain photocopying permission from rhe Illinois Reading

Council, 1210 Fort Jesse Road, Suite B2, Normal, IL 61761-1836.

©2008, Illinois Reading Council

Publication and adminisrrarive services for the IRC} are provided by Document and Publication Services at Western Illinois University inMacomb.

The cover displays the artwork of the following students

in Ms. Shelley Standley's 3rd-grade classroom at Lincoln

School in Macomb, Illinois: Baleigh Baca, Caleb Carper,

Allison DeVolder, Ryan Neve, and Sophia Shovkovy.

About the (over

The cover also displays the artwork of the following students in Ms. Kenyon

Kellogg's 5th-grade classroom at Edison School in Macomb, Illinois: Georgie Hendrickson and

Connor Shinberger.

MISSION

The mission of the Illinois Reading Council is to provide support and leadership to educators as they promote

and teach liftlong literacy.

VISION

The Illinois Reading Council advocates quality literacy opportunities for all learners and serves as a primary

organization that provides educators at all levels access to research, materials, and methodologies to promote

and teach liftlong literacy and learning. Support of an active, well-organized system of local and special

interest councils and state committees provides a viable network for communication, exchange of information,

and grassroots involvement of a diverse membership. The Illinois Reading Council's publications, special

projects, conftrences, and workshops stimulate the personal and proftssional growth of educators.

Editor's Poge

Kathy Barclay, Editor

Greetings! I hope you are enjoying the begin­

ning of tp.e spring season. March brings us

the Illinois State Reading Conference and the

spring issue of the Illinois Reading Council }our­

nal (or what we have begun to call "the confer­

ence issue" since it, hopefully, arrives on your

doorstep just days away from the Conference).The three feature articles in this issue of IRC}

all celebrate work that our fellow IRC members

are doing to enhance literacy instruction for

students of all ages. In our lead article, third­

grade teacher and doctoral candidate Susan

Sokolinski shares details and positive results of

a new family literacy program for struggling

readers. You'll be particularly interested in read­

ing the role that nonfiction literature plays in

this program. In the next article, Pamela Farris

from Northern explains how discussions cen­

tering on the writing traits utilized by authors

can enrich students' writing. As Pamela points

out, combining instruction and modeling of

writing traits during reading makes for a veryefficient use of classroom time. The third article

represents a collaborative effort from the Stud­ies and Research Committee of the IRe. In

their article, Elizabeth Goldsmith-Conley andher fellow committee members share results of

a statewide survey of the research interests and

activities of IRC members. From their survey

results, you'll see how involved IRC members

are in helping to shape the future of literacyinstruction in Illinois and the nation.

And, of course, following our feature articles

are our columns, which contain a plethora of

information and "tried and true" ideas for your

classroom or program. We are welcoming twonew column editors to IRC} this issue. Laurie

Elish-Piper, from Northern Illinois Univer­

sity, and Melissa Stinnet, from Western Illinois

University, have recently joined our Editorialstaff. As chair of the IRC Parents and Read­

ing Committee and a widely published author,

Laurie brings a wealth of expertise to the Parent

Involvement in Reading column. In this issue,

Laurie explores ideas for involving parents of

intermediate and secondary students. Melissa

possesses many, varied experiences in literacy

instruction and is eager to share important new

ideas with IRC readers through the Research in

Reading column. In her first column for IRC,

Melissa reports on the recent research study,

"Miseducating Teachers About the Poor: A

Critical Analysis of Ruby Payne's Claims About

Poverty" by Bomer et al. (2008).

In closing, I want to thank everyone who

makes each issue of IRC} possible, and to

offer a special note of thanks to our previous

Parent Involvement in Reading column edi­tors, Frances Steward and Diana Goff, who for

the past three and a half years have shared their

expertise with readers.

Happy spring to all, and as always ... happy

reading!

EDITOR'S PAGE I