This Month’s NCTE Policy Statement—21st Century Literacies: NCTE’s definition of these literacies remind affiliates of ways we can support our members’ work with our colleagues and students.

“Literacy has always been a collection of cultural and communicative practices shared among members of particular groups. As society and technology change, so does literacy. Because technology has increased the intensity and complexity of literate environments, the 21st century demands that a literate person possess a wide range of abilities and competencies, many literacies. These literacies are multiple, dynamic, and malleable. As in the past, they are inextricably linked with particular histories, life possibilities, and social trajectories of individuals and groups. Active, successful participants in this 21st century global society must be able to

• Develop proficiency and fluency with the tools of technology;
• Build intentional cross-cultural connections and relationships with others so to pose and solve problems collaboratively and strengthen independent thought;
• Design and share information for global communities to meet a variety of purposes;
• Manage, analyze, and synthesize multiple streams of simultaneous information;
• Create, critique, analyze, and evaluate multimedia texts;
• Attend to the ethical responsibilities required by these complex environments.”

July 15 Deadlines—Final Chance: Affiliate presidents and executive directors, please complete the annual report for your affiliate before July 15. The electronic form is available on the NCTE website. A separate form is available for student affiliates to file their annual reports.

If you are proud of your affiliate’s accomplishments during this academic year, apply for the Affiliate Excellence Award before the July 15 deadline.

Applications for the Student Affiliate Excellence Award are also due before July 15.

List of States’ Implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA): Lu Ann McNabb in NCTE’s Washington Office urges affiliate leaders to follow the ways their states are implementing ESSA. NCTE maintains a list of these actions, continually updated. The summary of the act and links to the full text appear on the Department of Education’s site.

MATELA Plans Meeting to Enhance Statewide Cooperation: The Montana Association of Teachers of English Language Arts (MATELA) has invited educators from around Montana to a day-long symposium focused on collaboration between higher education schools across Montana and K-12 education. The purpose of this meeting is to develop a strategic plan to improve writing instruction for K-16 in five key areas:

• Dual Credit Classes
• Teacher Preparation Program
• Mentorship of New ELA Teachers
• College & Career Readiness
• Standardized Tests (ACT & AP)

During the day we will work in small groups with the goal of developing a strategic plan and determining the next steps we can take to foster collaboration and communication between universities and colleges, as well as steps to reach out to K-12 schools across the state. Our first meeting is a step toward future meetings and the development of a clear vision to improve writing instruction across all grade levels in Montana.

Professors from public and private universities, directors of National Writing Project institutes, experienced K-12 teachers and instructional coaches, and officials of Montana’s Office of Public Instruction will collaborate.

Plan for 2016 NCTE Annual Convention: Online registration and hotel links are now available for the NCTE Annual Convention. Make plans to attend November 17-20, 2016, in Atlanta. Authors of program proposals may contact the NCTE Convention Department to discover the status of their proposals.