Writing for Voices from the Middle

["Nancy Patterson" <patterna@gvsu.edu>]

The editors of Voices from the Middle, NCTE's middle school journal, are looking for articles written by classroom teachers.  Below are the calls for manuscripts.  It's so cool to see something you've written published in a journal. 
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Service-Learning: The Intersection of Civic and Academic Engagement

Deadline for Submission: September 1, 2008

17(1) September 2009. Service-learning allows young adolescents to use what they learn in meaningful, real-world contexts. As a community-based approach to literacy, service-learning involves the application of academic skills to address or solve issues and problems in the world. In the Report from the National Commission on Service-Learning (www.learningindeed.org/slcommission/execsumm_word.doc <http://www.learningindeed.org/slcommission/execsumm_word.doc> ), Learning in Deed, John Glenn states that service-learning is a "a powerful strategy for teaching and learning, which allows young people to deepen and demonstrate their learning and develop a strong sense of civic responsibility.... Service-learning stands at the intersection of civic and academic engagement." How have you used service-learning as a community-based approach to literacy?

Ghandi said, "Be the change you want to see in the world."

 

 

The Toll We Pay: Critical Literacy

Deadline for Submission: December 1, 2008

17(2)  December 2009. On their journey toward adulthood young adolescents, who are naturally inquisitive, have many questions about themselves and their lives. Critical literacy can help them analyze their world and understand how texts contribute to maintaining the status quo and/or how texts do or do not contribute to making the world a more just and equitable place to live (Henkin, 2005, p. viii). From a critical literacy perspective, young adolescents can read and write about social justice issues, such as bullying. Bullying peaks at the middle level and all students are affected by this, including the victims, the bystanders, and the bullies. Other issues that young adolescents need to view critically can include video games, movies, newspapers, TV programs, and other aspects of pop culture. 

            Critical literacy is important because texts can influence readers in multiple ways, and we need to understand how authors and producers are trying to do this. Critical literacy can help young adolescents deconstruct texts by asking questions such as: What is the author trying to do? What does the author want me to think? Is this text true for all people (ethnicity, gender, religion, SES, culture, sexual orientation, nationality, language)? Who is included in the text? Who is left out of the text? In what ways have your students used critical literacy to become better and more critical readers and consumers of texts (books, pictures, media, oral discourse, etc.) to make their life's journey more just and equitable?

 

 

Merging Literacy and Technology 

Deadline for Submission: March 1, 2009

17(3) March 2010 Integrating technology into our literacy practices takes us on a journey that leads to many questions. What does it mean to integrate technology? How do you integrate technology in innovative and exciting ways to support literacy development? What are the intended or unintended outcomes of technology integration? How do you personally keep up with new advances in technology? How do you honor and incorporate the technological expertise of your students? How do you address student access to technology both in and out of school? How do you guide students to ask critical questions about the use of technology and its impact?

 

Young Adult Literature

Deadline for Submission: May 1, 2009

17(4) May 2010 The field of young adult literature has thrived in the past years resulting in a plethora of wonderful books for young adolescents. We now have a robust collection of books that traverse all genres, including realistic fiction, science fiction, fantasy, and historical fiction. Even graphic novels have recently sparked the reading interests of young adolescents. Our students can find themselves in these books as well as come to understand other perspectives about issues that are common to all. What role does young adult literature play in your classroom? How do you motivate resistant readers to engage in reading? What have you noticed about how your students respond to particular young adult books? What are the favorite books? 

 

 

Volume 18 Issues 1-4

 

International Literacy 

Deadline for Submission: September 1, 2009

18(1) September 2010 The world is shrinking as globalization brings us closer to people around the world. We want to widen the focus of this call to include the following: What kinds of literacy projects are happening in countries around the world? What aspects of literacy are currently drawing attention in your country? What can we learn from your best literacy practices? How do literacy practices compare across different countries? 

 

We also invite articles from American teachers and researchers that address the following questions: What literacy projects have you and your students engaged in that involve other countries? How has current technology opened the door to international literacy practices? What projects have your students been involved in that support the literacy development of students in underdeveloped countries? Are you involved in other international literacy practices, projects, initiatives, and issues that would be of interest to VM  readers?       

 

Talking About Talk

Deadline for Submission: December 1, 2009

18(2) December 2010 As educators of young adolescents, we understand the importance of the social nature of literacy and the role of talk in the classroom. In recent years our understanding of talk has deepened and we have worked consciously to provide our students opportunities to share their ideas with others. As students explore new ideas, participation in discussion enriches, deepens, and expands their understandings. What do students talk about in your classroom? What does talk look like and sound like? How does observing and reflecting on this talk inform your teaching? How do you facilitate rich and meaningful talk? How do you invite all students into the conversation? How does talk inform student learning in the classroom? 

 

 

Honoring Student Voices 

Deadline for Submission: March 1, 2010

18(3) March 2011 In the most authentic and engaging classrooms, students feel a sense of ownership and responsibility toward the learning community to which they belong. In this issue, we are honoring the voices of young adolescents by inviting them to submit their stories about authentic and engaging literacy experiences. What makes literacy meaningful and relevant to you? What positive middle level literacy classroom experiences have you had that you want to share with others? What advice do you have for teachers in the future to make literacy learning more valuable? Please talk to your students about these questions and help them brainstorm additional topics. 

 
Kimberly Bols-Corkins
Editorial Assistant
 
Voices from the Middle, Editorial Office 
Department of Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching
University of Texas at San Antonio
One UTSA Circle
San Antonio, TX 78249
Fax: 210.458.7281
voices@utsa.edu <mailto:voices@utsa.edu> 
Phone: 210.458.7283




Nancy Patterson, PhD
Literacy Studies Program Chair
College of Education
Grand Valley State University 
920 Eberhard Center
301 W. Fulton
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49504
616-331-6226
patterna@gvsu.edu
http://faculty.gvsu.edu/patterna