The Literacy and Social Responsibility Special Interest Group (L-SR SIG) is comprised of members of the International Reading Association (IRA), who study and promote practices which foster literacy development and social responsibility in students of all ages. We invite members of IRA to join our SIG (and if interested in our group but not yet a member of IRA, please consider joining so you can also join our group). There are no dues to be a member of this SIG.

Our Mission Statement

expresses our intent to study, understand, and advocate for high quality programs which integrate into the development of literacy across the curriculum:

• community service,
• participatory citizenship,
• social responsibility,
• appreciation for diversity,
• environmental stewardship,
• character education, and/or
• caring behavior
  
  This special interest group (SIG) provides a forum for educators, authors, researchers, and the public to present their insights and to interact with others with similar concerns at our annual meeting at the International Reading Association convention, in our electronic journal, and also online on our website.

We are excited to announce the first annual Literacy & Social Responsibility Book Award, with winners The House on Dirty Third Street by Jo Kittinger and illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez and Summer on the Moon by Adrian Fogelin. Both books were published by Peachtree Publishers. The committee was co-chaired by Carolyn Cook, Kenny Fasching-Varner, and Aimee Rogers. More information is forthcoming soon.

Be sure to check out our latest recipient of the Literacy and Service Recognition Award for Students Program and consider submitting your nominee for next year.

Congratulations to Melanie Cohen Goodman for her article about our group in Reading Today Online (Tuesday, March 20, 2012)! (Click here for pdf version)

Please explore the IRA Literacy and Social Responsibility SIG (IRA L-SR SIG) website and click the Leadership link to interact with our officers and members of our Board of Directors and the Get Involved - Communication section to interact via email and Facebook.