Welcome to the Manitoba Reading Association
Welcome to the Manitoba Reading Association's website! The Manitoba Reading Association (MRA) is a provincial council of the International Literacy Association. We include over 500 teachers, parents, students, and others committed to the promotion of literacy and to the improvement of reading and writing instruction throughout Manitoba. We also support the development of literacy throughout the province with our local councils.
Preparing children for their literacy future is the most important work anyone can do.
Recent Updates
MRA's Right to Read Position Statement
Click below to read the position statement.
| mra_right_to_read_position_statement_2024.pdf |
By-Election: Call for Nominations for Vice President
Nominations for the position of Vice President for the Manitoba Reading Association will close of Nov. 22, 2024 at 5:00. Please note the nomination package attached in the file below. Click to download.
| call_for_nominations_2024_update_-_by-election.docx |
Registration is open!
Registration at EventBrite is now open. Click here to purchase your tickets!
Keynote and Breakout Session Descriptions:
Keynote: David A. Robertson and Beatrice Mosionier - Our World Since April Raintree
David A. Robertson, author of numerous picture books and novels aimed at middle-grade readers, young adults, and adults, along with Beatrice Mosionier, author of the novel In Search of April Raintree, will discuss how the world has changed since the publication of Mosionier's groundbreaking novel.
Keynote Author Panel- Beatrice Mosionier, Jen Storm, Tasha Spillett and David A. Robertson
David A. Robertson will moderate an Indigenous Voices panel featuring esteemed authors Beatrice Mosionier, Jen Storm, and Tasha Spillett. Our guests will discuss their publishing experiences and offer ideas for educators looking to develop their students' writing skills.
Keynote: Tricia Ebarvia- Let's Tell a Better Story: Antibias Literacy Instruction for Stronger Readers, Writers, and Thinkers
In today's challenging climate of book bans and backlash against the importance of diverse voices, it can sometimes be hard to know how to engage in the necessary work we know all of our children need and deserve. Yet we also know that providing students strong academic instruction and opportunities for raising their own self and social consciousness are not mutually exclusive. Using her own personal story and the story of her classroom over the years, Tricia will discuss the possibilities for freedom and powerful learning when we root our reading and writing practices in anti-bias instruction by defining bias, identifying how it informs teaching and learning, and ultimately, how we can shift our approach to teaching in ways that are more inclusive of diverse learners and experiences.
Keynote: Michael Redhead Champagne - How Reading Saved My Life
Michael will share about how literacy and books helped him as a child and adolescent to overcome loneliness, trauma and displacement. He will share the role that books, libraries, librarians and teachers had on his literacy journey that led him to his current role as a community leader and published author. He will also share elements and lessons from his children's book We Need Everyone and the graphic novel about his life Little By Little: You Can Change The World, both published by HighWater Press in 2024.
Breakout Sessions
Day 1
Manitoba Education: Exploring ELA and Global Competencies in the new Framework for Learning. Join Angela to learn about English language arts in the new Framework for Learning. This session will help educators "build bridges" in their understanding of the new Framework for Learning as they explore Global Competencies in English language arts within their own and others' rich learning experiences.
Ellen Bees: This presentation will focus on teaching students skills to improve their online media literacy, particularly related to social media and how to be responsible citizens in an online world. Ellen will cover the importance of online media literacy, how to help students recognize misinformation and disinformation, and skills associated with lateral reading online. (MY/SY)
Jesse Thomaschewski and Lisa Carlson: Jesse and Lisa will discuss how to support students who are part of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community through literature, activities, and the operation of GSA clubs. Participants will also engage in thought-provoking activities designed to expand their understanding of the community and with which they can utilize with their own students at their schools. (MY/SY)
Margaret Murray: How do teachers encourage young writers to practice daily reading and writing skills, the two essential pillars of an English class? Doing so helps build their stamina and confidence. This session will focus on planning and delivering effective instruction while creating an environment that facilitates student learning. It will address the curriculum through a variety of teaching strategies that engage students in critical thinking and developing authentic, differentiated assessment tasks that allow students to demonstrate what they have learned and, in turn, experience success. (SY)
Kenneth Kunz: In this session presented by ILA Past President, participants will engage in an interactive workshop centred on best practices for engaging students as readers, writers, thinkers, listeners, and viewers. Strategies can be applied across age and proficiency levels and have connections to different content areas. Learn more about the power and promise of reading aloud and the emphasis on the core components of literacy in the classroom. (MY/SY)
Joanna Kaptein: Joanna will focus on implementing a comprehensive literacy approach across grade levels, incorporating the ELA practices from the current Manitoba curriculum. The focus will be on organizing the ELA block/period to effectively implement a comprehensive approach (including word work, reading workshop, and writing workshop) and to effectively incorporate small groups in the middle years setting. (MY)
Britney Morrish: A diverse vocabulary facilitates equitable participation in classroom discussions, helping to bridge the gap for students from underrepresented backgrounds who may struggle to express themselves. In this session, Brittany will share creative strategies to engage students in vocabulary development. Educators will learn to recognize essential words and present them in ways that resonate with students. Join us for a fun and interactive workshop where we turn theory into practice, providing you with practical tools to make vocabulary more interesting and effective for older students.
Leslie Dickson: Lack of motivation can prevent students from engaging in reading, regardless of the remediation or "ability." Many high school students have not read a novel during their entire high school career, and research shows that children's enjoyment of reading for pleasure starts to decline as early as grade three. Fortunately, we can re-engage adolescents in reading. This workshop will explore current practices and research on motivation and engagement in reading, focusing on student agency, self-efficacy, choice, relevance, and the impact of electronic device use on teenage brain development. (SY)
Day 2
Tricia Ebarvia: Psychologist Jennifer Eberhardt reminds us, “Neither our evolutionary path nor our present culture dooms us to be held hostage by bias. Change requires a kind of open-minded attention that is well within our reach” (Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice That Shapes What We See, Think, and Do, 7). Every day in our classrooms, we can engage in an “open-minded attention” that not only protects kids against biased thinking traps, but also empowers them to seek perspectives beyond their own and beyond those loudest in the room or on their devices. In this session, we’ll explore strategies we can practice with our students as they read, respond, and interpret texts and the world beyond those texts. We can seek answers to questions like: What other possibilities exist? Whose voice or perspective am I missing? We can make looking again, behind, and next to a habit of mind. (MY/SY)
Riley Supeene: This session connects early literacy concepts, reading tools, and assessments to middle years learners, helping identify where middle school readers struggle and the necessary steps to enhance their literacy skills. This approach builds a bridge between early literacy concepts and middle years reading development. (MY)
Khalie Jackson-Davis: In this session, we will explore various technology tools that support learning for all students, especially those with learning challenges, disabilities, or English as an Additional Language. Immersive Reader leverages the latest research on reading to address common obstacles. This platform allows users to customize features such as text-to-speech, dictation, picture dictionaries, word syllabication, parts of speech identification, and line highlighting for easier reading. Additionally, Immersive Reader can instantly translate documents into over 67 languages and is integrated with all Microsoft products. Topics covered will include Immersive Reader, Edge, Microsoft Lens, and useful accessibility settings on devices. (MY/SY)
Jay Nickerson: Successful sports teams have a playbook to guide them, and an ELA team can do the same! In this session, we will explore how we crafted a playbook that compiles our past successes to help us achieve future success. (MY/SY)
Manitoba Education: Exploring ELA and Global Competencies in the new Framework for Learning. Join Angela to learn about English language arts in the new Framework for Learning. This session will help educators "build bridges" in their understanding of the new Framework for Learning as they explore Global Competencies in English language arts within their own and others' rich learning experiences.
Lori Emilson and Stacey Bradley: This session is designed for educators eager to enhance their classrooms through dynamic book clubs. Stacy and Lori will share best practices for structuring and guiding effective book club sessions, along with strategies to encourage active participation and critical thinking. Participants will learn how to build community, foster collaboration, empathy, and a sense of belonging in their classrooms. You'll also receive recommendations for excellent titles to kickstart your book club journey. (MY/SY)
Dr. Michelle Honeyford: A search for images of writers typically shows individuals at desks with pens in hand, reflecting how writing often appears in classrooms. However, the teacher leaders in this session will discuss how they are moving writers out from behind desks and into meaningful spaces within their schools and communities. They will share ideas and resources for writing with students and colleagues in various contexts, focusing on how to notice, listen, and learn as writers. Participants will explore ways to critically engage with issues of equity, power, and care related to place, deepen their understanding of place through diverse reading and research, write in multiple modes and genres for different audiences, and contribute to communities that advocate, create, and compose together.
Raeanne Donaldson: The session will cover the intentional incorporation of Indigenous literature and how this practice has evolved as students' understanding of Indigenous history has grown.
David A. Robertson, author of numerous picture books and novels aimed at middle-grade readers, young adults, and adults, along with Beatrice Mosionier, author of the novel In Search of April Raintree, will discuss how the world has changed since the publication of Mosionier's groundbreaking novel.
Keynote Author Panel- Beatrice Mosionier, Jen Storm, Tasha Spillett and David A. Robertson
David A. Robertson will moderate an Indigenous Voices panel featuring esteemed authors Beatrice Mosionier, Jen Storm, and Tasha Spillett. Our guests will discuss their publishing experiences and offer ideas for educators looking to develop their students' writing skills.
Keynote: Tricia Ebarvia- Let's Tell a Better Story: Antibias Literacy Instruction for Stronger Readers, Writers, and Thinkers
In today's challenging climate of book bans and backlash against the importance of diverse voices, it can sometimes be hard to know how to engage in the necessary work we know all of our children need and deserve. Yet we also know that providing students strong academic instruction and opportunities for raising their own self and social consciousness are not mutually exclusive. Using her own personal story and the story of her classroom over the years, Tricia will discuss the possibilities for freedom and powerful learning when we root our reading and writing practices in anti-bias instruction by defining bias, identifying how it informs teaching and learning, and ultimately, how we can shift our approach to teaching in ways that are more inclusive of diverse learners and experiences.
Keynote: Michael Redhead Champagne - How Reading Saved My Life
Michael will share about how literacy and books helped him as a child and adolescent to overcome loneliness, trauma and displacement. He will share the role that books, libraries, librarians and teachers had on his literacy journey that led him to his current role as a community leader and published author. He will also share elements and lessons from his children's book We Need Everyone and the graphic novel about his life Little By Little: You Can Change The World, both published by HighWater Press in 2024.
Breakout Sessions
Day 1
Manitoba Education: Exploring ELA and Global Competencies in the new Framework for Learning. Join Angela to learn about English language arts in the new Framework for Learning. This session will help educators "build bridges" in their understanding of the new Framework for Learning as they explore Global Competencies in English language arts within their own and others' rich learning experiences.
Ellen Bees: This presentation will focus on teaching students skills to improve their online media literacy, particularly related to social media and how to be responsible citizens in an online world. Ellen will cover the importance of online media literacy, how to help students recognize misinformation and disinformation, and skills associated with lateral reading online. (MY/SY)
Jesse Thomaschewski and Lisa Carlson: Jesse and Lisa will discuss how to support students who are part of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community through literature, activities, and the operation of GSA clubs. Participants will also engage in thought-provoking activities designed to expand their understanding of the community and with which they can utilize with their own students at their schools. (MY/SY)
Margaret Murray: How do teachers encourage young writers to practice daily reading and writing skills, the two essential pillars of an English class? Doing so helps build their stamina and confidence. This session will focus on planning and delivering effective instruction while creating an environment that facilitates student learning. It will address the curriculum through a variety of teaching strategies that engage students in critical thinking and developing authentic, differentiated assessment tasks that allow students to demonstrate what they have learned and, in turn, experience success. (SY)
Kenneth Kunz: In this session presented by ILA Past President, participants will engage in an interactive workshop centred on best practices for engaging students as readers, writers, thinkers, listeners, and viewers. Strategies can be applied across age and proficiency levels and have connections to different content areas. Learn more about the power and promise of reading aloud and the emphasis on the core components of literacy in the classroom. (MY/SY)
Joanna Kaptein: Joanna will focus on implementing a comprehensive literacy approach across grade levels, incorporating the ELA practices from the current Manitoba curriculum. The focus will be on organizing the ELA block/period to effectively implement a comprehensive approach (including word work, reading workshop, and writing workshop) and to effectively incorporate small groups in the middle years setting. (MY)
Britney Morrish: A diverse vocabulary facilitates equitable participation in classroom discussions, helping to bridge the gap for students from underrepresented backgrounds who may struggle to express themselves. In this session, Brittany will share creative strategies to engage students in vocabulary development. Educators will learn to recognize essential words and present them in ways that resonate with students. Join us for a fun and interactive workshop where we turn theory into practice, providing you with practical tools to make vocabulary more interesting and effective for older students.
Leslie Dickson: Lack of motivation can prevent students from engaging in reading, regardless of the remediation or "ability." Many high school students have not read a novel during their entire high school career, and research shows that children's enjoyment of reading for pleasure starts to decline as early as grade three. Fortunately, we can re-engage adolescents in reading. This workshop will explore current practices and research on motivation and engagement in reading, focusing on student agency, self-efficacy, choice, relevance, and the impact of electronic device use on teenage brain development. (SY)
Day 2
Tricia Ebarvia: Psychologist Jennifer Eberhardt reminds us, “Neither our evolutionary path nor our present culture dooms us to be held hostage by bias. Change requires a kind of open-minded attention that is well within our reach” (Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice That Shapes What We See, Think, and Do, 7). Every day in our classrooms, we can engage in an “open-minded attention” that not only protects kids against biased thinking traps, but also empowers them to seek perspectives beyond their own and beyond those loudest in the room or on their devices. In this session, we’ll explore strategies we can practice with our students as they read, respond, and interpret texts and the world beyond those texts. We can seek answers to questions like: What other possibilities exist? Whose voice or perspective am I missing? We can make looking again, behind, and next to a habit of mind. (MY/SY)
Riley Supeene: This session connects early literacy concepts, reading tools, and assessments to middle years learners, helping identify where middle school readers struggle and the necessary steps to enhance their literacy skills. This approach builds a bridge between early literacy concepts and middle years reading development. (MY)
Khalie Jackson-Davis: In this session, we will explore various technology tools that support learning for all students, especially those with learning challenges, disabilities, or English as an Additional Language. Immersive Reader leverages the latest research on reading to address common obstacles. This platform allows users to customize features such as text-to-speech, dictation, picture dictionaries, word syllabication, parts of speech identification, and line highlighting for easier reading. Additionally, Immersive Reader can instantly translate documents into over 67 languages and is integrated with all Microsoft products. Topics covered will include Immersive Reader, Edge, Microsoft Lens, and useful accessibility settings on devices. (MY/SY)
Jay Nickerson: Successful sports teams have a playbook to guide them, and an ELA team can do the same! In this session, we will explore how we crafted a playbook that compiles our past successes to help us achieve future success. (MY/SY)
Manitoba Education: Exploring ELA and Global Competencies in the new Framework for Learning. Join Angela to learn about English language arts in the new Framework for Learning. This session will help educators "build bridges" in their understanding of the new Framework for Learning as they explore Global Competencies in English language arts within their own and others' rich learning experiences.
Lori Emilson and Stacey Bradley: This session is designed for educators eager to enhance their classrooms through dynamic book clubs. Stacy and Lori will share best practices for structuring and guiding effective book club sessions, along with strategies to encourage active participation and critical thinking. Participants will learn how to build community, foster collaboration, empathy, and a sense of belonging in their classrooms. You'll also receive recommendations for excellent titles to kickstart your book club journey. (MY/SY)
Dr. Michelle Honeyford: A search for images of writers typically shows individuals at desks with pens in hand, reflecting how writing often appears in classrooms. However, the teacher leaders in this session will discuss how they are moving writers out from behind desks and into meaningful spaces within their schools and communities. They will share ideas and resources for writing with students and colleagues in various contexts, focusing on how to notice, listen, and learn as writers. Participants will explore ways to critically engage with issues of equity, power, and care related to place, deepen their understanding of place through diverse reading and research, write in multiple modes and genres for different audiences, and contribute to communities that advocate, create, and compose together.
Raeanne Donaldson: The session will cover the intentional incorporation of Indigenous literature and how this practice has evolved as students' understanding of Indigenous history has grown.
RCGW MTS PD Day - Integrating Reading and Writing for Engaged Learning
Ellin Oliver Keene is presenting at MTS PD Day, sponsored by the Reading Council of Greater Winnipeg. Click here for more information.
Tuesdays with Morrie
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The Winnipeg Jewish Theatre company is presenting the oft-taught Senior Years story written by Mitch Albom, "Tuesdays with Morrie." If you are interested in attending, please check out the link here.
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Congratulations to Carol Hryniuk-Adamov for receiving the prestigious Maryann Manning Special Service Award from the International Literacy Association. Carol's lifelong dedication to literacy has made a profound impact on literacy worldwide. The Maryann Manning Special Service Award is awarded to individuals who have demonstrated exceptional and distinguished service to the field of literacy throughout their lifetime. Carol, member and past executive of the Manitoba Reading Association, the Reading Council of Greater Winnipeg, and the Manitoba Council of Reading Clinicians, is a most deserving recipient of this honour. For more information about this award, click here. To learn about other award and grant recipients through the ILA, click here.
ALA Ukraine Library Relief Fund
The MRA is pleased to support worthwhile international causes. This year, we donated to the Ukraine Library Relief Fund. From the ALA's website: "The funds are being used under the title program “We Work for Victory” to:
- Restart their work, fulfill restoration and preservation of libraries that suffered as a result of hostilities or actions of Russian occupying forces and administrations (including repair work, purchase of equipment, replenishment of book collections, and other resources).
- Develop and provide services to internally displaced persons (IDPs), war veterans, those who study online, etc."
MRA welcomes new executive and members
The Manitoba Reading Association's Annual General Meeting was held on Saturday, April 20 in Winnipeg at the Victoria Inn. We have a new executive and several new members at large on our board for the 2024/2025 school year. Our executive is:
Past President: Stacey Bradley
President: Carrie Woods
President Elect: Keeshan Jain
Vice President: (open)
ILA Coordinator: Cathyann Winters
Director of Membership: Helen Proulx
Please consider becoming a member of the MRA. Our General Meetings will be held during next school year on Sept. 21, Nov. 23, Jan. 18, and March 15., and the AGM is set for May 3. We are actively seeking a new Vice President!
Past President: Stacey Bradley
President: Carrie Woods
President Elect: Keeshan Jain
Vice President: (open)
ILA Coordinator: Cathyann Winters
Director of Membership: Helen Proulx
Please consider becoming a member of the MRA. Our General Meetings will be held during next school year on Sept. 21, Nov. 23, Jan. 18, and March 15., and the AGM is set for May 3. We are actively seeking a new Vice President!
ILA's Literacy Today Member Focus
We're kind of a big deal. That's tongue-in-cheek of course, but we did make it into the ILA's Literacy Today magazine under group profiles. Check it out here, or read the piece at left. This magazine is free, and so valuable for literacy educators. Check out ILA's website - great resources!
YOU ARE INVITED to Manitoba Reading Association's 6th Adolescent Literacy Summit: Building Bridges
The Literacy Summit will be held on April 16 and 17, 2025 at the Victoria Inn in Winnipeg, MB. Watch our website for more information, coming soon!
"ILA Digital Event: Four Actions to Design Tailored Reading Instruction"
Interested in this one of many digital events hosted by the International Literacy Association? Click here for more information!
Newbery and Caldecott Awards announced
Click here to read about this year's Caldecott and Newbery books, among other books that will carry distinguished seals on their covers!
Position Statement on Book Banning
The Manitoba Reading Association is a provincial council of the International Literacy Association, and is comprised of both rural and urban members from other local reading councils. We are posting our position because of recent book banning attempts in our Province and are concerned over the issue of book censorship.
Professor Emeritus Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop is credited with promoting books for children that act as windows and mirrors. It is important for children (really, all people) to see themselves reflected in the books they read. It is also important to see into the lived experiences of other people. This creates empathy and understanding of others for the reader. Children need books to learn about themselves and the world. Books hold the transformative power to broaden horizons, cultivate empathy, and ignite meaningful discussions.
Banning books from libraries is a dangerous precedent in a democratic society. Besides allowing one group of people to dictate what others can read, it has a ripple effect that impacts the rights of other readers. Readers who may need that book need to see themselves as a part of society, and that there is a place in the world for all of us. We stand in solidarity with the 2SLGBTQ+ community, advocating for representation, acceptance, and equal rights. Let us embrace diverse perspectives and ensure a society that values and respects everyone's identities.
- Manitoba Reading Association
Professor Emeritus Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop is credited with promoting books for children that act as windows and mirrors. It is important for children (really, all people) to see themselves reflected in the books they read. It is also important to see into the lived experiences of other people. This creates empathy and understanding of others for the reader. Children need books to learn about themselves and the world. Books hold the transformative power to broaden horizons, cultivate empathy, and ignite meaningful discussions.
Banning books from libraries is a dangerous precedent in a democratic society. Besides allowing one group of people to dictate what others can read, it has a ripple effect that impacts the rights of other readers. Readers who may need that book need to see themselves as a part of society, and that there is a place in the world for all of us. We stand in solidarity with the 2SLGBTQ+ community, advocating for representation, acceptance, and equal rights. Let us embrace diverse perspectives and ensure a society that values and respects everyone's identities.
- Manitoba Reading Association
MRA Annual General Meeting
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Our AGM was held the day after the Tovani event at the Victoria Inn Conference Centre, on April 22, 2023. After our business meeting, where we elected a brand new Secretary (Sarah Harrison) and President Elect (Carrie Wood), Lisa and Brian Wyzlic presented author Lisa's new picture book Harold the Iceberg Melts Down, and how to use picture books with all ages. We are still looking for a Treasurer, Vice President and members at large. Please reach out to our committee if you are interested in joining!
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Kudos to Friesens, one of MRA's Partners in Literacy, for their commitment to I Love To Read Month
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From their website:
Book printing is always a reason to celebrate at Friesens Corporation because it’s our business and it’s what we love! But February is a special month with a special meaning – it’s I Love to Read month! This campaign, promoted locally and nationally, means a lot to us for several reasons:
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CBC Best Canadian Books for Kids and Teens of 2022
Click here to check out the CBC Books picks for the best Young Adult, middle grade and picture books for kids published in 2022.
Right to Read: Accessible Books for Everyone!
Check out more information on audiobooks, including a webinar, from the Canadian Children's Book Centre website.