The mission of the IRC Communicator is to provide information and resources to members as they promote and teach lifelong literacy. 

If you would like to share teaching tips, helpful hints, and/or short literacy articles on the following topics, please email articles to the IRC Office.  Articles can be submitted as a Word document with up to 400 words.

Each issue is filled with valuable information that you will not want to miss!

 
July 2022 IRC Communicator
  • Upcoming PD Opportunities with IRC
  • About Your Membership
  • IRC Announces 2022-2023 Literacy Support Grants
  • Family Literacy Bookshelf
  • Literacy Links
  • Upcoming PD Events by IRC
 
June 2022 IRC Communicator
  • Program Proposals Being Accepted For the 2023 IRC Conference
  • IRC Office Is Moving To A New Location
  • PD Book Reviews by Nancy Oesterreich
  • Family Literacy Bookshelf
  • Literacy Links
  • Upcoming PD Events by IRC
 
May 2022 IRC Communicator
  • Summer 2022 IRC Book Clubs
  • 6 Picture Books To Engage And Inspire Learners by Maria Walther
  • IRC Workshop Series To Be Held In June 2022
  • Family Literacy Bookshelf
  • Literacy Links
  • Upcoming PD Events by IRC
 
April 2022 IRC Communicator
  • Reimagining the Reader as a Writer Using Wordless Books During Shared Readings by Annette VanAken and Kari Pawl
  • Three Things We Can Do To Help All Students See Themselves As Readers And Writers by Andrea Mear
  • Family Literacy Bookshelf
  • Literacy Links
  • Upcoming PD Events by IRC
 
March 2022 IRC Communicator
  • Marinate Writers in the Language of Books by Maria Walther
  • Developing Vocabulary in L2:  Using L1 As Powerful Tool by Nelofar Khamisami
  • Family Literacy Bookshelf
  • Literacy Links
  • Upcoming PD Events by IRC
 
February 2022 IRC Communicator
  • Reaching Reluctant Readers by Christy Ziller
  • I Really Guess You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover - Reeling In Reluctant Readers Through Literacy Practices by Olabisi K. Adenekan
  • Strategies For Struggling Readers by Susan Lorey
  • Understand and Plan:  Strategies For Struggling Readers by Kari Pawl and Annette VanAken
  • Family Literacy Bookshelf
  • Literacy Links
  • Upcoming PD Events by IRC
 
January 2022 IRC Communicator
  • Registration is Open for the IRC Conference
  • The Script for Struggling Readers by Laura St. John
  • Using Audio Word Walls To Build Academic Vocabulary by Dominique Byrnes
  • Help Struggling Readers Bridge the Gap by Julie Courson
  • Family Literacy Bookshelf
  • Literacy Links
  • Upcoming PD Events by IRC
 
December 2021 IRC Communicator
  • Winter 2022 IRC Book Clubs
  • Registration is Open for the 2022 IRC Conference
  • Nobody Said It Would Be Easy by Cindi Koudelka
  • Family Literacy Bookshelf
  • Literacy Links
  • Upcoming PD Events by IRC
 
November 2021 IRC Communicator
  • Culturally Responsive Teaching:  Building An Environment Where Diversity and Inclusion Thrive by Annette McMahon
  • Culturally Responsive Teaching:  Trauma-Informed Practice by Nelofar Khamisani
  • Family Literacy Bookshelf
  • Literacy Links
  • Upcoming PD Events by IRC
 
October 2021 IRC Communicator
  • Creating a Relational Set of Vocabulary Words to Help Children Cope with Their Emotions by Laura Beltchenko
  • A Culturally Relevant Lessons Through Making a Video by Laura St. John
  • Family Literacy Bookshelf
  • Literacy Links
  • Upcoming PD Events by IRC
September 2021 IRC Communicator
  • Upcoming PD Opportunities with IRC
  • A Social and Emotional Transition Back to School by Laura St. John
  • Communicating Fully is the Opposite of Being Traumatized by Julie Hoffman
  • Family Literacy Bookshelf
  • Literacy Links
  • Upcoming PD Events by IRC
 
August 2021 IRC Communicator
  • Spend Time Now by Maria Walther
  • Read Aloud for Connection and Hope by Julie Hoffman
  • [Re]Connecting with Students by Katie Russell
  • Family Literacy Bookshelf
  • Literacy Links
  • Upcoming PD Events by IRC
 
July 2021 IRC Communicator
  • 2021 IRC Conference
  • Upcoming PD Opportunities with IRC
  • Call for Articles, Tips, and Helpful Hints
  • Family Literacy Bookshelf
  • Literacy Links
  • Upcoming PD Events by IRC
 
June 2021 IRC Communicator
  • Providing Access to High Quality Inclusive Books and Content by Cindi Koudelka
  • Vocabulary Naturally - Ideas For Parents by Camille Blachowicz and Charlene Cobb
  • Family Literacy Bookshelf
  • Literacy Links
  • Upcoming PD Events by IRC
 
May 2021 IRC Communicator
  • Reading Intervention During Remote and Hybrid Teaching by Jaclyn Turner
  • Access to High Quality, Diverse Books and Content by Leslie Forsman
  • Family Literacy Bookshelf
  • Literacy Links
  • Upcoming PD Events by IRC
 
April 2021 IRC Communicator
  • Top 5 Reasons to Attend the 2021 IRC Conference by Katie Russell
  • Implementing a Summer Book Club by Alaina Weatherford
  • Family Literacy Bookshelf
  • Literacy Links
  • Upcoming PD Events by IRC
 
March 2021 IRC Communicator
  • If Only We're Brave Enough To Be It by Laura St. John
  • Book Review of Bored and Brilliant by Melissa Stinnett
  • Balanced Literacy - A Deeper Understanding by Dick Koblitz
  • Family Literacy Bookshelf
  • Literacy Links
  • Upcoming PD Events by IRC
 
 
February 2021 IRC Communicator
  • IRC Workshop Series Online in March 2021 by Katie Russell
  • Illinois Reads Book Festival on March 13, 2021
  • Read Around the CASEL Books to Spark SEL Conversations (Part 2) by Maria Walther
  • Strategies for Struggling Readers by Rachel Lesinski-Roscoe, Leigh Cavanaugh, Jenni Clesen
  • Family Literacy Bookshelf
  • Literacy Links
  • Upcoming PD Events by IRC
 
 
January 2021 IRC Communicator
  • IRC Conference – October 19-20, 2021 by IRC
  • Let Them Talk by Andrea Mear and Jessica Doneske
  • Family Literacy Bookshelf by Barb Ashton
  • Literacy Links by the Educational Media Committee
  • Upcoming PD Events by IRC
 
December 2020 IRC Communicator

  • Simple Ways to Incorporate SEL into your Remote Learning by Laura St. John
  • Two Simple Mantras to Good Teaching (Part II) by Melissa Wheeler
  • Equity and Title I by Nancy Oesterreich
  • Family Literacy Bookshelf by Barb Ashton
  • Literacy Links by the Educational Media Committee
  • Upcoming PD Events by IRC
 
November 2020 IRC Communicator

  • Respecting Names is Respecting Identity by Nancy Steineke
  • Two Simple Mantras to Good Teaching (Part I) by Melissa Wheeler
  • Don't Pandemic About Time Management by Jaclyn Turner
  • An Equity Precedent by Marygrace Farina
  • Family Literacy Bookshelf by Barb Ashton
  • Literacy Links by the Educational Media Committee
  • Upcoming PD Events by IRC
 
 October 2020 IRC Communicator
  • Read Around the Casel Wheel:  Books to Spark SEL Conversations (Part I) by Maria Walther
  • Sharing Stories to Foster Reading Fluency by LaShay Jennings, Jessica Dunker, and Edward J. Dwyer
  • Digital Literacy by Christy Ziller
  • Family Literacy Bookshelf by Barb Ashton
  • Literacy Links by the Educational Media Committee
  • Upcoming PD Events by IRC
 
September 2020 IRC Communicator
 
  • Beginning of a New School Year by Stephanie Benson
  • Tips for Remote Learning by Sheila Ruh and Sherry Sejnost
  • Keeping It Real by Laura St. John
  • No-Pressure Text Parking Lot by Andrea Mear
  • Family Literacy Bookshelf by Barb Ashton
  • Literacy Links by the Educational Media Committee
  • Upcoming PD Events by IRC
 
August 2020 IRC Communicator
  • Flipping Out Over Flipgrid by Alaina Weatherford
  • Family Literacy Bookshelf by Barb Ashton
  • Literacy Links by the Educational Media Committee
  • Upcoming PD Events by IRC
 
July 2020 IRC Communicator
  • IRC Conference – March 11-12, 2021 by IRC
  • New Look for the IRC Communicator by IRC
  • Family Literacy Bookshelf by Barb Ashton
  • Literacy Links by the Educational Media Committee
  • Upcoming PD Events by IRC

 

For more information, contact us at [email protected].