The Annual Newsletter of the International Reading Association's Phonics Special Interest Group
Phonics Special Interest Group News
Inaugural Meeting
The IRA Phonics Special Interest Group held its first official meeting
last April in San Francisco, just one month after the International Reading
Association board approved the official formation of the SIG. Founder
and chair, Lynn Gordon, an Assistant Professor of reading and literacy
at California State University, Northridge, welcomed the session attendees
and read aloud IRA’s congratulatory approval letter. Dr. Gordon also
led a visual tour through reading history, sharing transparencies from
her collection of old-fashioned readers, teaching manuals, and phonics
materials. Gordon profiled the humorous usage of the slang term “phonicator”
and highlighted examples of positive self-referent usage by phonics enthusiasts
in recent years.
Kendra Wagner, a reading specialist and literacy consultant from Seattle,
Washington discussed brain research and gave a fascinating presentation
entitled: The Difference between Phonics and Phonemic Awareness.
Basha Millhollen, at that time the Literacy Projects Director of the Northern
Comprehensive Assistance Center at West Ed, along with Janie Gates, Director
of Reading/Literacy Projects, Southern California Comprehensive Assistance
Center, gave a wonderful presentation entitled: WestEd, Knowledge Briefs
on Literacy, Reading Excellence Act, and the Secondary Literacy Support
Network.
Karen Cochran, Coordinator of Secondary Reading and Learning/ Language
Support Programs for the Frederick Country Public Schools in Maryland,
brought manipulatives, taught a fun, interactive phonics demonstration
lesson, and spoke about SSL: Syllables, Sounds and Letters Program in
Secondary Schools.
After the Phonics SIG speaker session, a planning meeting and open discussion
was held to discuss the following topics: 1) Phonics SIG activities, 2)
fees, 3) membership, 4) the WeLovePhonics@YahooGroups.com email group,
5) the annual newsletter, and 6) reviews of phonics books and materials.
Many SIG members mentioned the warm sense of camaraderie in the fledgling
organization. Delighted with official IRA recognition, SIG members celebrated
the day with other pedagogically like-minded literacy experts.
2003 Orlando Agenda
Join us at the 48th annual International Reading Association convention
in Orlando, Florida. The Phonics Special Interest Group speaker program
will be presented from 3:30 to 4:45 on Wednesday, May 7th at the Rosen
Center, in Salon 11. We have two terrific speakers scheduled to address
the Phonics Special Interest Group members and other interested conventioneers.
The topic of Grace Haskin’s presentation is entitled: The Spelling/
Reading Connection: How Do We Achieve It? Haskins has studied reading
and spelling for many years and is the author of The Spel-Lang Tree, a
word study program for primary grades.
Dr. John Shefelbine, a professor in the Department of Teacher Education
at California State University, Sacramento, will be speaking on the topic
of Strategies for Decoding and Spelling Polysyllabic Words. Dr. Shefelbine
is widely known as a literacy leader and charismatic public speaker.
Save the Dates
Plan now to attend future IRA conventions and meetings of the Phonics
Special Interest Group. Here is IRA’s proposed convention schedule
for the Phonics SIG:
2004 –
Toronto, Ontario
(Thursday morning)
2005 – San Antonio, Texas
(Tuesday afternoon)
2006 – Minneapolis, Minnesota
(Wednesday morning.)
2007 – Chicago, Illinois
(Thursday afternoon)
2008 – Atlanta, Georgia
(Tuesday morning)
2009 – Site to be determined
(Wednesday afternoon)
Check the IRA website,
www.
reading.org, several months prior to
each annual conference for more precise convention scheduling, travel,
and lodging information.
Roll Call
The following people are active members of the IRA Phonics Special Interest
Group as of June 2002:
_ Patricia Allegrucci
_ Patricia Babcock
_ Denise Baker
_ Cory Balsom
_ Susan Beisel
_ Patricia Benner
_ Richard Block
_ Sandra Boggs
_ Meggie Bowen
_ Patricia Butchko
_ Karen Cochran
_ Judith Cohen
_ Andrea Comiez
_ Rochelle Ireland D’Ardenne
_ Edie Delaglio
_ Judith Dierker
_ Annette Gast
_ Janie Gates
_ Gina Goble
_ Lynn Gordon
_ Doug Gross
_ Sheila Harper
_ Grace Vyduna Haskins
_ Phyllis Herzog
_ Fred Hooper
_ Kathleen Horner
_ Amy Johnson
_ Joanne Kirk
_ Adria Klein
_ Carol Krajewski
_ Patricia Langton
_ Lorraine Long
_ Constance Loscalzo
_ Donald McCabe
_ Peggy McCardle
_ Marcia McGowan
_ Patricia McKenzie
_ Basha Milhollen
_ Julie Oakford
_ Susan Okeefe
_ Tamaye Ota
_ Karen Pasquini
_ Lucy Pearson
_ Deanna Preiss
_ Mary Rector
_ Robyne Ridge
_ Eugenia Ropp
_ Jeanette Sleeper
_ Lori Snowden
_ Mari Stangland
_ Jeannie Strudas
_ Heidi Verkler
_ Suzanne Vishanoff
_ Kendra Wagner
_ Mildred Ward
_ Jan Wellman
_ Wendy Whitnah
_ Kathleen Wilson
_ Kay Wulf
_ Mary Youngblood
If you don’t
see your name, you either 1) joined after last year’s roster was
submitted to IRA for validation, or 2) have not paid your IRA membership
fee, or 3) have not submitted your information to the Phonics SIG secretary
yet. To become an active member (or to check on your status), please forward
your name and IRA membership number, or name and address, to SIG secretary,
Rochelle Ireland D’Ardenne, at rireland@mail.mcps.org
Membership
Drive
The IRA Phonics Special Interest group is eagerly seeking to increase
its membership in order to qualify for a longer session at future annual
IRA meetings! (When we have 100 members in our SIG, we will be granted
a 2-3/4 time slot at the annual conference, instead of a 1-1/4 hours time
slot.)
If you know
any phonics fans please solicit their membership. Direct interested folks
to e-mail their Phonics SIG membership request to Rochelle Ireland-D'Ardenne
at: rireland@mcps.org. An interest in phonics and current, paid-up membership
in the International Reading Association are the only requirements for
membership in the Phonics Special Interest Group.
In order to become
an officially registered member of the Phonics SIG, each applicant must
e-mail our secretary with either their name and IRA membership number,
or their name and mailing address (for IRA membership verification). Remember,
membership in the International Reading Association’s Phonics Special
Interest Group is free.
We Love Phonics
Members of the Phonics Special Interest group and non-member interested
folks are invited to join the WeLovePhonics@yahoogroups.com
e-mail list. Like a listserv, or old-fashioned party line, when a member
of this group sends out an e-mail, the message goes out to all other members.
Membership registration in the e-mail group can only be initiated by the
moderator. If you wish to join, please send your request via e-mail to
Lynn Gordon at Lynn.Gordon@csun.edu.
The official communication channel for the IRA Phonics Special Interest
Group will continue to be the WeLovePhonics@YahooGroups.com
e-mail group. SIG members are not required to participate in the e-mail
group, but are strongly encouraged to do so. The forum features sparkling
conversation and provides for efficient and inexpensive communication
between group members. New and continuing members of the Phonics Special
Interest Group stay informed about phonics news, speaker programs, elections,
calls for proposals, and other SIG business when they sign-up with the
WeLovePhonics@YahooGroups.com e-mail group. E-mail group membership, like
Phonics Special Interest Group membership, is free of charge.
WeLovePhonics@YahooGroups.com is serving phonics experts across four corners
of the United States, plus phonics enthusiasts in Australia, Canada, and
England.
PhonicsBulletin.info
An online version of the Phonics Bulletin, as well as other information
about IRA’s Phonics Special Interest Group will be available soon
at www.PhonicsBulletin.info. If you are interested in being the webmaster
for this site, please e-mail Lynn Gordon: Lynn.Gordon@csun.edu.
“Phonicator”
term submitted to the Oxford English Dictionary
In 2002, the word “phonicator” was officially submitted to the
Oxford English Dictionary. Examples of usage in print were documented
and the following definition was proposed:
Pho•ni•ca•tor fon’i-ka-ter n. 1. Humorous slang. An educator who champions the use of phonics instruction as a method of beginning or remedial reading instruction, often used as a self-referent. “I’m a phonicator, and proud of it!” 2. Offensive slang (rare). Disparaging term for one who endorses the use of phonics. “Those phonicators are going to take the joy out of learning how to read.”
If you
notice an example of the term “phonicator” used in speech or
print, please mail or fax (818-610-0306) a complete reference citation
along with
a xerographically reproduced copy of the quote, if published, to:
Dr. Lynn Gordon
Department of Elementary Education
California State University, Northridge
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA 91330
Gordon is studying
the connotative evolution and usage of the term, as phonics experts embrace
“phonicator” and make it their own.
Officers:
The following volunteers serve, through May of 2004, as officers of the
Phonics Special Interest Group:
Chair
Lynn Gordon, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor,
California State University, Northridge
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA 91330
Phone: 818-677-7894
Fax: 818-610-0306
e-mail: Lynn.Gordon@csun.edu
Assistant Chair:
Basha Millhollen
Administrator of Curriculum and Instruction
Santa Barbara County Education Office
e-mail: millhollen@sbceo.org
Secretary:
Rochelle Ireland-D'Ardenne
Reading Supervisor
Montgomery County Public Schools
e-mail: rireland@mail.mcps.org
Phonics Bulletin Editors:
Kendra Wagner:
Reading Specialist & Literacy Consultant
e-mail: Kendra9@mindspring.com
Lynn Gordon, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor,
California State University, Northridge
18111 Nordhoff Street (over)
Northridge, CA 91330
Phone: 818-677-7894
Fax: 818-610-0306
e-mail: Lynn.Gordon@csun.edu
Elections:
Next year, the Phonics SIG will elect new officers. Please consider serving.
Monitor the WeLovePhonics@YahooGroups.com e-mail group for nomination
and election instructions.
Panel of
Readers
Reading and literacy scholars and professionals in the Phonics Special
Interest Group are invited to submit applications to join the Phonics
SIG panel of readers. Additional readers are sought to review presentation
proposals and article submissions. Interested SIG members should submit
their resumes and cover letters via e-mail to the Phonics SIG Chair, Lynn
Gordon (Lynn.Gordon@csun.edu), and Assistant Chair, Basha Millhollen (millhollen@sbceo.org).
Request
for Proposals Due May 25, 2003
The International Reading Association's Phonics Special Interest Group
is now accepting proposals for presentations at the 49th annual IRA convention
in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 2004. The convention dates are from May
9th to 13th. Our speaker meeting will probably be scheduled on Thursday
morning, the 13th. Please e-mail your proposal to Phonics SIG chair, Dr.
Lynn Gordon at Lynn.Gordon@csun.edu. Please put the text of your proposal
in the body of the email. Do not send attachments. Mailed applications
will not be accepted.
Please indicate
the following:
1. Your name, e-mail address, institutional affiliation (if applicable),
your home address, and phone number/s where you can be reached.
2. Title of your presentation.
3. Amount of time needed. Please indicate 10-minutes, 20-minutes, or 30-minutes.
(Yes, we are interested in relatively brief presentations, as the Phonics
SIG will probably be given a short session again next year.)
4. Provide a summary or description of your presentation.
Presentation proposals for the International Reading Association's Phonics
Special Interest Group may address any topic related to systematic, explicit
phonics, including lesson plan ideas and practice activities, or related
topics such as phonemic awareness, word families/onsets/rimes, decodable
print, dictation, phonics assessments, phonics resources, history of phonics,
back-to-phonics reading reform initiatives, “new” phonics, and
phonics research.
The room will be equipped with an overhead projector.
Please note that IRA guidelines require that everyone register for the
conference. As a professional, nonprofit organization, IRA is unable to
reimburse program participants for travel or living expenses. Registration
and additional information about the 2004 IRA convention will be made
available several months prior to the conference at www.reading.org
The deadline for proposals to present at the 2004 annual meeting is May
25th, 2003. Decisions will be e-mailed to applicants on or before June
27th, 2003.
Request for Submissions
The submission deadline for next year’s Phonics Bulletin is March
1st, 2004. Please submit all documents electronically to the editors at
Kendra9@mindspring.com and Lynn.Gordon@csun.edu.
The Phonics Bulletin welcomes the following:
• Brief articles, essays, and research reports related to phonics
instruction, phonemic awareness, decodable print, phonics dictation, phonics
assessments, phonics and reading comprehension, word families/onsets/rimes,
phonics curricula and resources, reading achievement scores, history of
phonics, phonics and reading reform initiatives, phonics ethnography,
pedagogy, policies, and new phonics/old phonics commentaries. Articles
should run from 500 to 3000 words. Include a title for the article, your
full name, and institutional affiliation.
• Brief
reviews of phonics books, resources, and instructional
materials. We solicit reviews in the following categories:
1. Phonics books (reference books & books for teachers.)
2. Commercial reading programs
3. Instructional phonics materials (including manipulatives, toys,
and games)
4. Decodable books/readers/series
5. Reading methodology college textbooks
6. Videos (for students or teachers)
7. Phonics software
8. Websites (only informational, non-commercial websites with a focus
on phonics)
9. Online articles about phonics
Word limit for reviews is 100 words
(for categories 1 - 7) and 25 words for website reviews or online article
reviews (categories 8 and 9).
Please follow the following format for reviews (in categories 1-7):
Line 1: Identify the name or title of the book or product.
Line 2: Provide the ISBN number if this is a book.
Line 3: Provide name of publisher (or distributor) and year of publication.
Line 4: Provide the publisher's (or distributor's) contact website, if
available.
Line 5+: Provide a 100-word description and review highlighting features,
utility, price, limitations, etc. (Note: if the item is an instructional
toy, game, or manipulative for teaching reading, indicate whether the
item is appropriate for whole class, small group, or one-on-one instruction.)
Next line: Indicate price.
Next line: How many stars (0 to 5)?
Next line: (Reviewed by _______)
Statement
of Purpose
The IRA Phonics Special Interest Group was formed to provide a supportive
forum where reading professionals with expertise in systematic, explicit
phonics instruction could meet to share lesson plans and practice activities,
plus discuss related topics such as phonemic awareness, word families/onsets/rimes,
decodable print, dictation, phonics assessments, phonics resources, history
of phonics, back-to-phonics reading reform initiatives, “new”
phonics, and phonics research. The group prepares an annual peer-reviewed
newsletter, The Phonics Bulletin, highlighting recent research on phonics,
essays, and reviews of phonics-related publications. IRA’s Phonics
Special Interest Group is not associated with, nor does it stem from any
commercially published program or package. Any member of IRA may join
and there is no Phonics Special Interest Group membership fee.
Who’s Who
Updates
Phonics SIG members should e-mail their 100-word Who’s Who profile
or update to kendra9@mindspring.com
How
to Join
If you are not yet a member of the IRA Phonics Special Interest Group
and you wish to become one, please e-mail Rochelle Ireland-D'Ardenne Secretary
of the Phonics Special Interest Group. Rochelle’s e-mail address
is:
rireland@mail.mcps.org
Please provide your name and address where you receive your IRA publications,
or your name and IRA membership number. An interest in phonics and current,
paid-up membership in the International Reading Association are the only
requirements for membership in the Phonics Special Interest Group. Phonics
SIG membership is free.