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The Common Core State Standards recommend that all educators equip students with the literacy skills needed for college and careers. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine middle-level content-area teachers’ perspectives on a district-led literacy professional development program and their implementation of the literacy strategies they learned. The conceptual framework included Bruner’s constructivist, Bandura’s self-efficacy, and Knowles’s andragogy theories. These theories informed the investigation of adult learners’ perspectives regarding the way they learn and gain confidence in providing literacy instruction. Eleven English, math, science, and social studies teachers participated in the study through individual interviews. Data were also gathered via classroom observations and lesson plans. The findings of the study indicated that teachers did implement the literacy strategies following the professional development provided despite lacking perceived self-efficacy with these skills. Although teachers saw value in literacy, their perceptions of the professional development were affected by their commitment to content instruction, time constraints, the organization of the professional development, and a forced compliance district mandate.

The 2024 Notable Books in the English Language Arts have appealing formats, promote language arts, and invite children to respond in various ways.

After carefully reading the 768 titles submitted for review for the 2024 Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts Award (NCBLA), the committee members expanded their understanding of various topics, embraced new perspectives, admired the resilience and bravery of both real and fictional characters, and found pure joy in the language of the texts. The seven committee members convened regularly for both in-person and online meetings during the evaluation process to reflect on the power and influence that each title had on us, in addition to how well each title adhered to the established award criteria. Following extensive re-readings, deliberations, and often sharing titles with students in classrooms, the committee curated this list of exemplary children's books. Through questions and rich descriptions, the reader experiences how this spider moves with an attached line of silk, senses vibrations through its elbows and knees to avoid the dangers of predators, hears prey approaching through the tiny hairs on its arms and legs, uses eight eyes to see in all directions to judge distance, and at just the right moment . . . jumps to capture its prey.

The 2023 Notable Children’s Books in the Language Arts are of enduring quality, inviting readers to deeply engage with language in expansive and varied ways.

The Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts Committee identifies thirty books each year that are of enduring high quality, appealing, deal explicitly with language, offer unique use of language, and invite children to engage with the texts. This year the seven-member committee reviewed 653 books published in 2022, which included various formats and genres, such as nonfiction and poetry, for K-8 readers. Here, Will et al present the list of Notable Children's Books that would help readers navigate the challenges of our world while supporting their advocacy for others and agency in shaping their lives.

In a year in which books have been banned at an alarming rate and curricular materials have been frequently censored, how might we consider the importance of inclusion and representation of marginalized voices, as well as access to and engagement with a wide expanse of books for children? If books provide a conduit to others' stories, knowledge, and wisdom-a way to listen and to know ourselves, others, and the world near and far- perhaps then as readers we might be on the journey to our better and more expansive selves. Have an appealing format Be of enduring quality Meet generally accepted criteria of quality for the genre in which they are written Meet one or more of the following criteria: deal explicitly with language, such as plays on words, word origins, or the history of language; demonstrate uniqueness in the use of language or style; and/or invite child response or participation Our review committee particularly focused on the fourth criteria, noting the ways that these books' use of and focus on language set them apart from their peers. [...]the lion lands home and asks to have a story told to it.

The 2025 Notable Children’s Books in the Language Arts are of enduring quality, inviting readers to deeply engage with language in expansive and varied ways.

The Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts Committee identifies thirty books each year that are of enduring high quality, appealing, deal explicitly with language, offer unique use of language, and invite children to engage with the text. This year the seven-member committee reviewed 917 books published in 2024, which included fiction picture books and novels, nonfiction texts, and books of poetry. The list of titles is geared toward readers in grades kindergarten through eighth grade. The list that follows meets the criteria while also helping readers connect with the world by presenting titles with themes of home and place, friendships and community, adventures and explorations, and feelings and identity, along with mindfulness and creativity.