Registration Deadline: October 26, 2002
“Reading and All That Jazz” is the theme of the annual statewide reading conference hosted by the Arkansas Reading Association (ARA). The conference will be held November 14-15, 2002, at the Peabody Hotel and Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock.
The ARA conference will feature nationally-known literacy experts and children’s authors, as well as outstanding Arkansas educators and authors.
On Thursday, November 14, Debra Frasier, award winning author and illustrator, will be the keynote speaker at the First General Session. Her first book, ON THE DAY YOU WERE BORN, was a Reading Rainbow Feature Program and has sold over a million copies. Arkansas teachers know her best for her popular book, MISS ALAINEUS, A VOCABULARY DISASTER.
Leanna Traill, well-known New Zealand educator and author, will present a small group session, “Enhancing Comprehension,” on Thursday, November 14. On Friday, November 15, Dr. Traill will present the keynote address at the Second General Session. The title of her keynote presentation is “Trails to Literacy--Building Systems for Accelerating Reading Performance School-wide.”
Middle level teachers will not want to miss Janet Allen's small group session on Friday morning. Janet has written several professional books for mid-level reading educators, among them, WORDS, WORDS, WORDS, and her latest, ON THE SAME PAGE.
Other small group presenters will include: Marcia Freeman, James Rice, Steve Layne, Bruce Lansky, Eileen Cotton, Joetta Beaver, Cathy Collins Block, and Colleen Salley.
Arkansas' own Linda Dorn and Carol Rasco will also be presenters, along with many Arkansas Reading Educators.
Participants will not want to miss the Thursday night "Jazz Fest." Authors attending the conference will autograph books while being entertained by a jazz combo. At 6:00 p.m., James Rice, author/illustrator of numerous books, including the popular CAJUN NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, will join the combo and play his clarinet. Colleen Sally, popular storyteller and reigning Queen Colleen of the Krewe of Colleen, will entertain with her own brand of Louisiana folk humor. During the two-day event, participants will have the opportunity to select from over sixty small group sessions covering a variety of topics.
On Friday, November 15, Book and Author Luncheon speaker, Robert San Souci, best known for his award-winning book TALKING EGGS, will be the featured author. Luncheon tickets are $30 (not included in the full conference registration).
Full conference registration (Thursday and Friday) is $50 for IRA members and $65 for nonmembers. Hotel information is provided on the last page of the registration form. Hotel reservations must be made prior to October 14, 2002.
A registration form can be obtained by accessing the Arkansas Reading Association website at www.arareading.org.