April 16, 2008
 
News and Notes from the National Institute for Literacy 

Dr. Sandra L. Baxter, Director

 
WHAT'S NEW AT THE INSTITUTE
 
*	Institute Supporting Good Start, Grow Smart Early Childhood ELL 
 
Dr. Sandra L. Baxter will present today at the Good Start, Grow Smart Early
Childhood Roundtable on Research, Policy, and Practice for Young Language
Minority Children in Washington, DC. The Roundtable, hosted by Norma Garza,
Senior Advisor, U.S. Dept. of Education, will also include Sharon Yandanian,
Early Language Specialist, Office of Head Start, U.S. Dept. of Health and
Human Services. Dr. Baxter will provide remarks on the Institute's support
of Good Start, Grow Smart, an early childhood education English Language
Learner Federal initiative. She will also discuss the need for a systematic
review of the literature about English literacy development in young
children for whom English is a second language.
 
*	Literacy and Learning in South East Texas
 
"The opportunity to advance literacy and learning across South East Texas is
what this is event was about," said Dr. Sandra L. Baxter who took part in
the first-ever Congressional Roundtable on Literacy in America, sponsored by
Congressman Ruben Hinojosa (D-TX). The March 28 Roundtable, held in
conjunction with the Festival of International Books & Arts at The
University of Texas, Pan American in Edinburg, TX, included representatives
from libraries, higher education, the arts and from the literacy field. Read
more about the Roundtable and the launch of a new literacy initiative for
the region in the upcoming edition of Catalyst, the Institute's new
newsletter.
 
*	Celebrating John Corcoran - A Bridge to Literacy
 
The world has come to know John Corcoran as the "Teacher Who Couldn't Read,"
also the title of his amazing autobiography. Today, the retired educator who
didn't learn to read until age 48 is celebrating the upcoming release of his
second book, Bridge to Literacy: No Child - or Adult Left Behind. "Bridge to
Literacy," says Corcoran, "examines the state of crisis of literacy in
America and shares a vision of hope for children and adults."
 
Dr. Sandra L. Baxter, who was interviewed for Bridge to Literacy, said,  "At
the Institute, we continue to celebrate John's tremendous journey and
incredible success. He is a role model for the nation's adult learners and
for those across the lifespan."  In 1992, Corcoran became the first adult
learner to serve as a member of the Institute's Advisory Board. The former
Board member was appointed by President George Bush in 1992. He subsequently
served under both President Bush and President Clinton. 
 
*	Welcome Jim Williams
 
Jim Williams began a yearlong detail at the Institute on April 14. Williams,
on loan from the Department of Education, Office of Adult and Vocational
Education where he served since 2002, worked most recently in the
Accountability and Performance branch that collected data on the Carl D.
Perkins Career and Technical Program. While at the Institute, Williams will
work with staff on a variety of Institute programs.
 
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