Participation In International Events  
  RAI Members in International Events  
     
  23rd World Congress, New Zealand ( July 12-15, 2010 )  
 
The International Reading Association and Reading Association of New Zealand jointly organised the 23rd World Congress on Reading at SKYCITY Convention Centre, Auckland, New Zealand from July 12-15, 2010. Delegates from all over the world attended the Congress. The Indian Adult Education Association was represented by Shri K.C. Choudhary, President, IAEA (President, Reading Association of India) and Prof. S.Y. Shah, Vice President, IAEA (President Elect, Reading Association of India).
 
   

The 23rd World Congress on Reading was held at Skycity Convention Centre, Auckland, New Zealand from July 12-15, 2010 in which more than 800 delegates from all over the world participated. In addition, authors and publishers also shown keen interest by participating in the congress. Indian delegation was represented by Shri KC Choudhary, Prof. SY Shah and Prof. Asoke Bhattacharya. The theme of the congress was "Leading and Learning in Literacy".The congress was inaugurated by Ms. Patricide A. Edwards, President, International Reading Association on July 12, 2010 which was followed by a reception hosted by New Zealand Reading Association. Everyday, the programme started with a general session in which eminent scholars like Joy Cowley, prolific author of stories for all ages, Baverly Derewianka, teacher educator and researcher, Stuart Mc Nanguton, a person , educational leader

 
 
 
and experienced administratoraddressed the delegates. Most of the addresses were devoted to the types of books needed for children to learn. Round Tables/Workshops/Discussions were held in 90 concurrent sessions on various topics like research, research to practice, teaching/reading/responding to diversity, learning communities, literature, professional development issues etc. In an exhibition there were 26 stalls in which interesting books for children published by 21 publishers were exhibited. The conference concluded with a demonstration of engineering involved in creating a book for a new reader by Joy Cowley. Her presentation dealt with stories for child centered learning language levels, syntax, punctuation, line breaks, visualization, layout and illustrations.
 
     
  International Conference on Literacy in Asia at Penang, Malaysia ( October 11-13, 2011 )  
 
The International Literacy Research Unit (ILRU), Universiti Sains Malaysia School of Languages, Literacies and Translation; International Development Asia Committee (IDAC) in collaboration with International Reading Association (IRA) organized an International Conference on Literacy (LITCON) International Language Learning Conference (ILLC) with the theme ‘Language and Literacy in the Local and Global Contexts: Success Stories and Unfolding Narratives’ at Berjaya Georgetown Hotel, Penang, Malaysia from October 11-13, 2011. Reading Association of India was represented by Shri K.C. Choudhary, General Secretary, IAEA and Past President of Reading Association of India and Prof. S.Y. Shah, current President of the Reading Association of India. Dr. Shah presented a paper on Teaching Reading through Film songs based on the interim findings of a pilot project on developing low cost alternatives to teaching pronunciation. Apart from four plenary presentations by eminent scholars, one hundred sixty one papers (161) were presented in 96 parallel sessions at the three days conference. The plenary presentations covered the following themes; New Learning and New Literacies, Numeracy and the Development of Scientifically Literate Workforce in a Borderless World, Reading For ALL, Changing Literacy: Don’t Be a Tourist, Mobile Solutions in Literacy and learning. The conference was inaugurated by the Deputy Minister of Education, Dr. Mohammed Puad Bin Zarkashi. The conference was attended by 500 persons from several countries in Asia, Europe and North America
 
     
  Participants of the Workshop  
 
(Standing fourth from Left K.C.Choudhary and fifth S.Y. Shah)
First from right S.Y.Shah participating in the discussion
 
 
The Conference provided a space for interested groups and individuals to explore and share success stories and unfolding narratives on their experiences and journeys in language and literacy education. It also provided an opportunity to understand the perspectives and lived experiences of contemporary actors, agents, and the processes, forces, factors, and epistemologies involved in literacy and language education within and across University-Community and Industry. It explored in detail the question of language and literacy engagement at the intersections of digital networks with conventional communication and literacy practices, offered a platform for policy makers, academics, teachers, administrators, parents, learners, community activists and practitioners from various disciplines and sectors to interact, network, share findings and exchange knowledge as they examine the meanings, uses, choices, risks, constraints and consequences of literacy in diverse global and local environments.
 
     
  Phillipines  
 
Reading Association of Phillipines in cooperation with the International Development in Asia Committe held Asian Literacy Conference 2010 on November 3-5, 2010 at Manila Hotel, Manila, Philippines. Literacy experts in Asia and International Reading Association presented papers on the topics Literacy in Many Languages, Multi-cultural Literature, Techonology and Literacy, Green Literacy and Retooling the Asian Teacher. Dr. S.Y. Shah President Elect Reading Association of India attended Asian Literacy Conference from India.

 
 
     
 
     
     
  57th Annual Convention Chicago ( April 26 to May 3, 2012 )  
 
The theme of the convention was “Celebrate Teachers and Teaching”. More than 10,000 educationists, educational administrators attended the convention which gave an opportunity to the participants according to their choice to attend lectures, hands-on workshops, symposia and discussions simultaneously held in different groups. From India two persons attended the convention out of which one was Mrs. Kalpana Kaushik representing Reading Association of India (RAI) while the other was Smt. Doris Saldanha, Teacher in Jusudben M.L. School, Mumbai representing the Chairperson of Gujarat Research Society.

The inaugural session of the convention was addressed by Ms. Victoria J Risko, I was in Chicago, Illinois, USA from April 26 to May 3, 2012 to attend the 57th Annual Convention of International Reading Association (IRA) held at McCormick Palace, Hyatt Regency. The theme of the convention was “Celebrate Teachers and Teaching”. More than 10,000 educationists, educational administrators attended the convention which gave an opportunity to the participants according to their choice to attend lectures, hands-on workshops, symposia and discussions simultaneously held in different groups. From India two persons attended the convention out of which one was I representing Reading Association of India (RAI) while the other was Smt. Doris Saldanha, Teacher in Jusudben M.L. School, Mumbai representing the Chairperson of Gujarat Research Society. The inaugural session of the convention was addressed by Ms. Victoria J Risko, President, IRA and Dr. Steve Perry, Founder, Capitol Preparatory Magnet School and best-selling author of “Man Up” and education contributor in CNN.

 
 

The convention offered an opportunity for the first timers to attend a separate session titled “Making your First IRA Convention Productive and Enjoyable”. In this session a lot of information was given to the participants with regard to the academic sessions and the exhibition. I attended this session and found to be interesting and informative. I was called for a discussion with Dr. Sakil Malik, Merlene Alon, Abha Gupta and Amy Kushner to strengthen RAI which according to them has a huge potential to grow. Some of the suggestions emerged in the discussion were conduct of membership campaign, members sponsoring others to become members, publication of a separate newsletter or a page devoted in IAEA newsletter, more involvement of school teachers and development of a database. I also had an opportunity to attend the meeting of International Development Coordinating Committee (IDCC) as an Observer which gave an opportunity for me to know and understand the working of this committee. The Chairman of this committee is Dr. Oskar Martinez. The IDCC also organized a symposium on May 1, 2012 which talked about Literacy and GPE partnership.
 
     
     
     
     
 
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