About
the National Reading Panel (NRP)
NRP
Meetings Archive
| Regional Meetings
May 29, 1998
Chicago, IL
Meeting Minutes
Introduction
The National Reading Panel met in Chicago
on Friday, May 29, 1998 in the Illinois Room of the
Chicago Circle Center at the University of Illinois
at Chicago.
The Chicago meeting was chaired by
Panelist Timothy Shanahan. Those Panelists also in attendance
were Cora Marrett, S.J. Samuels, Thomas Trabasso, and
Joanne Yatvin. Also attending was Panel Executive Director
F. William Dommel, Jr.
The meeting was called to order by
George Gaines, liaison officer for the National Institute
of Child Health and Human Development at the National
Institutes of Health at 10:10 a.m.
Dr. Shanahan offered welcoming remarks,
introduced the members of the National Reading Panel
and explained the purpose of the National Reading Panel.
He also explained that the presentations
that individuals make are limited to 20 minutes, with
10 additional minutes for questions from the Panel.
Following the scheduled presentation, the floor will
be opened for public comment, which will be limited
to five minutes per person.
Jerome Harste, National Council of
Teachers of English
The Panel first heard from Jerome Harste,
Vice President of the National Council of Teachers of
English.
Harste pointed out the need for a consistent
model of learning to undergird the Panel’s findings,
providing an explicit foundation on which to anchor
the teaching of reading. He also pointed to a need for
a consistent definition of reading; a thorough review
of all areas of reading; and an understanding of the
comprehension strategies that proficient readers use
in order that instructors know how to teach and support
the use of these strategies in the classroom.
Kathryn Ransom, International Reading
Association
The second presenter to address the
National Reading Panel was Kathryn A. Ransom, president
of the International Reading Association, a 90,000-plus
membership organization.
Ransom urged the Panel to include a
wide variety of research methodologies as it proceeds
with its mandate. She also emphasized her belief that
no single approach to reading instruction will work
equally well for all children.
Ransom also stressed the importance
of professional development and detailed the problems
that today’s teachers face.
Recess
Following a lunch break from 11:13
a.m. to 12:52 p.m., Dr. Shanahan re-opened the meeting.
He began the afternoon session by inviting those present
to provide public comments.
Mattie Williams
The audience heard from Mattie Williams,
the language arts manager for the K-12 language arts
program for the City of Chicago Public Schools, who
stressed the importance of using carefully chosen strategies
when teaching kids to read.
Paula Costello
The Panel then heard public comment
from Paula Costello, an English language arts coordinator
for a large suburban school district outside Buffalo,
NY who asked that attention be paid to study groups
as a teaching tool and to increasing resources for staff
development.
Following the public comments of Williams
and Costello, Dr. Shanahan returned to the scheduled
presenters, inviting Nedra Whittig and Jill Brennan
from Reading is Fundamental to the lecturn.
Jill Brennan, Reading is Fundamental
First, Jill Brennan, chairman and president
of Reading is Fundamental in Chicago addressed the Panel.
She detailed the RIF program and the
contributions it makes to literacy efforts in Chicago,
including involving parents in the reading process.
Nedra Whittig, Reading is Fundamental
Brennan was followed by Nedra Whittig,
executive director of Reading is Fundamental in Chicago
and director of RIF’s subsidiary program, Project
Open Book, at Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago.
Whittig detailed her work through Project
Open Book, a hospital-based program that helps parents
recognize their children can be good readers.
She explained that RIF’s primary
role is that of facilitator. Project Open Book has quarterly
meetings of parents from all over the city with varied
backgrounds. The parents have one thing in common –
they want their children to be better readers.
Cozette Buckney, Chicago Public Schools
After a 15-minute break, the Panel
heard from Dr. Cozette Buckney, the Chief Education
Officer for Chicago Public Schools.
She detailed the progress the Chicago
Public School District has made over the last three
years as it has tried to improve its test scores and
programs, including putting together an education plan
that included academic standards, professional development
for teachers as well as principals, and resources for
students to be able to catch up when they are behind.
Sheila McDonnell
The first five-minute speaker was Sheila
McDonnell, a teacher and a coordinator of an early reading
intervention program in Oak Park, Illinois. She discussed
the success her school has enjoyed since instituting
Reading Recovery, an early reading intervention progam.
Becky McTage
The Panel next heard from Becky McTage,
a Reading Recovery-trained teacher leader for some of
Chicago’s northern suburbs who emphasized the need
for broad-based research and for enough time in the
classroom for reading.
Conclusion
Dr. Shanahan then offered closing remarks,
thanking those who had attended and who had made the
meeting possible. He assured the audience that their
written and verbal statements will be shared with the
panelists who were not able to attend
The National Reading Panel meeting
in Chicago then concluded at 2:58 p.m.
Registered Attendees of Chicago Regional
Meeting
Name-Affiliation
Paula Costello - WMS V/ Cent Schools
Matthew Williams - Chicago Board of Educators
Roberta Brooks - Chicago Public Schools
Tom Trabasso - National Reading Panel
Becky McFaque - Reading Recovery Northern Il.
Dianne Napolitano - Northern Il. Reading Recovery
Nancy Wojcik - School City of Hobart
Julian Anderson - School City of Hobart
Diana Greenberg - School City of Hobart
Jennifer Bransky - VIC-EO-student
Vinita Chabbra - NRP
Pat Gallahan - NICHD
Bob Bock - NICHD
George Gaines - NICHD
Grace M. Martin - Longfellow School
Sheila McDonnell - Longfellow School
Joyce Brunster - CPS
Dr. Cozette Buckney - Chicago School District, CEO
Marja Stanford-Leak - CPS District 299
Jeff Boynes - VIC Public Affairs
Laura Diamond - The Times; Munster, IN
Michael Lelani - Voice of America
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