Athens, Ga. – University of Georgia College of Education professor JoBeth Allen has been named as a 2012 inductee into the Reading Hall of Fame.
The International Reading Association established the Reading Hall of Fame in 1973. Its purpose is to contribute to the collective experience of its members and further improvement in reading instruction. Prospective members must have at least 25 years of active involvement in reading instruction, a strong reputation in the profession, authorship of significant research on the subject, performance in positions of responsibility in the field, and participation in such professional activities as speaking, organizing programs and assisting teachers.
Allen, a professor in the department of language and literacy education, teaches courses on writing pedagogy, poetry, family-school partnerships and critical pedagogies. She conducts research with teachers who are exploring issues of educational equity and social justice in relation to literacy teaching and learning at home, in schools and in the community. Her most recent two books highlight the work of teachers, Literacy in the Welcoming Classroom: Creating Family-School Partnerships that Support Student Learning (2010) and Creating Welcoming Schools: A Practical Guide to Home-School Partnerships with Diverse Families (2007).
Allen also co-directs the Red Clay Writing Project, in which she facilitates teachers studying their practice. A group of RCWP teachers researched how teachers, students and families co-construct critical pedagogies that employ the United Nations Rights of the Child as a critical content framework. Their book, Critical Inquiry through the Rights of the Child, is currently in press with Teachers College Press. Another RCWP group working with Allen is co-authoring a book on family dialogue journals.
Allen is the third UGA faculty member in the Reading Hall of Fame. She joins UGA Distinguished Research Professor Donna Alvermann and Professor Emeritus Ira Aaron.
The Reading Hall of Fame induction will be held at the International Reading Association’s annual meeting on May 2 in Chicago.