Europe

Mission Statement

• Functioning as an information platform for its members.
• Enhancing professional development of reading educators.
• Engaging in advocacy to support research, policy and practice that improves reading instruction and promotes the best interests of teachers and learners.
• Fostering partnership with national organizations (Austrian Bookklub, Institute for Children's Literature and Reading Research, Study and Information Center for Children's Literature, Library and Media Center, Association of Children's Book Publishers, etc.) and international organizations (UNESCO Austria, etc.) to support and strengthen national and international alliances.
• Supporting Research and reading promotion campaigns according to the PISA-results and their implications that promote decision making by reading professionals, policymakers and the public.

Our Association can be viewed as a forum, a space for discussions promoting mutual understanding and cooperation among educators of all levels, and between reading professionals coming from various horizons-teachers, socio-educational workers, teacher trainers, researchers, librarians. These interactions are expected to disseminate knowledge helpful for solving problems related to literacy in a critical and non-simplistic way.

Goals:

• To promote the study of reading, writing, and new literacy at all educational levels
• To publish the results of significant and relevant investigations and practices
• To organize meetings and conferences to disseminate, debate, critique those results
• To promote the use of quality children's and youth books in literature-based curricula
• To promote a balanced and socio-constructivist approach of reading instruction
• To support the development of improved teacher-training programs

Vision Statement

Promoting research, development and education through facilitating and coordinating the cooperation between associations that are active in the field of reading and writing.

Goals

• Promotion of reading and writing
• Supporting reading and spelling-related research
• Relating associations that are active in the field of reading and writing

Mission Statement

To encourage, research and promote reading and literacy.

Goals

• to promote and encourage reading and literacy at all levels
• to raise awareness about the importance and impact of reading and literacy
• to promote and develop optimal level of literacy and reading skills of every individual
• to provide an open forum for the exchange of experiences and ideas
• to facilitate professional development

Vision Statement

Theoretical and practical support for development literacy in the society, cooperation on research projects on reading, cooperation on the development of teacher training curricula for primary school teachers.

Goals

CzechRA goals are to develop and support reading in the Czech Republic, and to promote cooperation between universities and colleges training teachers, experts and consultants in the field of reading.

Vision Statement

Through literacy we make the world better.

Goals

• To raise the linguistic competence of children, youth and adults in Estonia
• To promote reading interest and reading skills in compliance with each person's individual abilities
• To exchange information about linguistic competence, literacy and reading problems between the interested parties
• To support scientific research on reading, literacy and linguistic competence

Goals

AFL gathers all people who are committed to the transformation of reading and writing practices. AFL works towards generalizing innovations in reading policies and writing for social use. The idea is to work with method about new hypothesis, in coherence with advancement of research.

For almost four decades FinRA has played an important role for teachers who have benefited from the quarterly journal Kielikukko, the publications and instructional material, and the professional development conferences. The ABC-rooster is an old Finnish symbol for learning to read. The rooster is the logo of FinRA and it has given the name both to the Rooster Award and to the FinRA quarterly journal, Kielikukko.

Goals

• to stimulate and promote interest in literacy
• to sponsor conferences and workshops related to literacy development
• to disseminate knowledge helpful to the solution of literacy problems

Goals

• The promotion of the development of language and literacy as these are defined by the current trends.
• The promotion of the ongoing education of scientists specialized in this field
• The promotion of relevant scientific research.
• The information and awareness of parents and others engaged with the child in matters of language and literacy development.
• The consultative and advisory support as well as the intervention to state and social agents for the purposes of national policy making and the confrontation of specific difficulties.
• The communication with relevant international organizations.

Mission Statement

We try to develop a letter-rich environment for all, independently of anybody's age, gender, social background, ideology, religion, nationality.

Goals

• To support reading research in Hungary
• To spread out the results of these researches
• To foster reading in all groups of the society
• To develop and maintain nation-wide programs and projects in reading, writing, also in (story)telling, listening etc.

Vision Statement

Reading is our way of life

Mission Statement

We must promote reading for a better life

Goals

• Promoting reading as a Multilanguage priority
• Structuring more local councils
• Promoting Read for All

Goals

• To encourage the study of reading issues in all educational levels
• To develop an awareness of the impact of reading among people 

Mission Statement

LatRA shall contribute to the development of an educated, democratic society by facilitating professional competitiveness in the modern world.

Goals

• To popularize reading as a value
• To foster reading literacy in all levels of education
• To promote research on reading and writing in Latvia
• To promote teaching critical thinking in Latvia

Goals

• promoting membership and participating in IRA sponsored affiliate activities;
• to encourage the study of reading problems at all educational levels;
• to stimulate and promote research in reading;
• to study the various factors that influence progress in reading;
• to publish the results of relevant and significant investigations and practices;
• to assist in the development of teacher-training programs;
• to act as a clearinghouse for information relating to reading;
• to disseminate knowledge helpful for solving problems related to reading;
• to promote mutual understanding and cooperation among educators in elementary school, middle school, high school, special literacy content areas, college, and leadership positions.

Goals

• Work as a active intermediate between IRA / IDEC and the professional bodies concerning research and practice from different disciplines
• Participate and encourage participation in international projects, as: MacNed project, the children's books project, School Where Literacy Thrives, etc.
• Research the challenges of using technology in reading, use and implement new ways of using these new possibilities
• Assist in using new technology in knowledge sharing and collaboration between the members of IDEC
• Improve cooperation with some of the professional bodies mentioned earlier
• to assist in the development of teacher-training programs

Goals

• To stimulate and promote the instruction in reading, writing and the interest in literacy
• To promote knowledge, understanding and research in language development and skills
• Provide information about research and practices dealing with improvement in the field of language and reading

Goals

• To promote and facilitate the cooperation among individuals and institutions concerned with research, teaching and promotion of reading and writing practices;
• To promote literacy practices among individuals without distinction of culture, race, faith or gender;
• To promote education and research concerning literacy in all educational levels;
• To develop the awareness of the importance of reading and writing by means of a permanent stimulus of literacy practices.

Goals

• Provision of support for pre-service and in-service training, for improving the quality of education,
• Support for the professional development of teaching staff by using reading and writing as means of professional development,
• Provision of a professional framework for sharing experiences in the field of reading, writing, and instruction.

Vision Statement

Good Reading Good Life

Mission Statement

To promote reading is to promote knowledge and more meaningful life.

Goals

• To disseminate knowledge through reading
• To organize national and local events promoting reading
• To raise awareness about the importance of reading
• To support everybody involved with the teaching of reading

Vision Statement

The AELE´s web, the CRIJ program, the literacy campaign were born with the intention of approach children, adults or professionals to the use of writing and digital skills to be able to communicate with other people. Actually more than 1000 children make use our web www.dioperico.com; schools, high schools, training centers and universities of several regions know the AELE through our campaign, professional development conferences or workshops.

Goals

• To raise the public awareness on the role of the written language in personal and social development.
• To promote the teaching of reading and writing, at all the education levels.
• To advocate the development of reading and writing abilities from the respect for diversity.
• To promote the inter-professional participation in the resolution of problems related to the teaching and acquisition of written language, as well as with its use in other social environments.
• To encourage inter-professional and inter-association national and international relations, particularly with Latin America, in relation to the promotion of the use of the written language, as a symbol of a democratic and diverse society.
• To generate networks of professionals who promote the formation of readers and writers throughout all the life cycle.
• To promote actions of general interest focused on the knowledge and use of the language that lead towards the constitutional values, human rights, the equality of opportunities, and the cultural tolerance.

Goals

Leseforum Schweiz is an interdisciplinary meeting place for all persons and institutions concerned with reading, literacy, reading promotion and writing. Through organisations and the publication of the annual bulletin, it seeks to bring together the diverse research and practice connected with reading promotion and literature. Within Switzerland, it serves as an interregional contact. At the international level, it maintains and promotes the exchange of information with bordering countries.

Vision Statement

The United Kingdom Literacy Association aims to support and inform all those concerned with the development of language, literacy and communication, encourage them in reflection and dialogue, challenge them in their practice and give public voice to their concerns.

Goals

• To present an informed national voice on language, literacy and communication issues.
• To provide formal and informal communication systems with and between members by the provision of a newsletter, journals and support for local branches.
• To provide and support regional, national and international conferences and related activities

Mission Statement

1. The United Kingdom Literacy Association aims to support and inform all those concerned with the development of language, literacy and communication, encourage them in reflection and dialogue, challenge them in their practice and give public voice to their concerns.
2. Our understanding of the nature and successful practice of language, literacy and communication is that:
   • their forms are complex, changing and intricately related
   • there is an especially close relationship between oral and written language
   • changing technologies affect language forms
   • language development begins in the home and community and language teaching and learning is not, therefore, the exclusive concern of formal institutions
   • successful language development draws on a wide range of resources including those of a variety of cultures
   • critical literacy is an essential part of literacy development at all levels
   • reflection and knowledge of appropriate research can assist language development.
3. We especially support the development of approaches to literacy learning and teaching which underpin these understandings. We recognise the significance for effective language, literacy and communication learning of literature, drama, the visual media, non-fictional texts and information technology. We welcome approaches to teaching which draw on the resources of a wide range of cultures and which are informed by a detailed understanding of how literacy and language work. In fulfilling our mission we aim to provide support for:
   • professional development
   • the formation of partnerships with organisations who share our interests
   • the provision of a research database
   • leadership on emerging global issues in language
   • advocacy for a wide range of language issues
   • equality of opportunity for all language Users
4. In accordance with these aims, our main activities centre on:
   • presenting an informed national voice on language, literacy and communication issues
   • developing formal and informal communication systems with and between members by the provision of a newsletter, journals and support for local branches
   • promoting dialogue between the teaching and research communities
   • commissioning, disseminating and selling a wide range of books and other publications
   • supporting and informing appropriate small scale research
   • providing and supporting regional, national and international conferences and related activities
   • celebrating language achievements through a system of awards
   • providing limited sponsorship for conference attendance in accordance with our aims
5. The quality of our services to members is underpinned by:
   • effective networking within the Association
   • contacts with national bodies
   • co-operation and partnership with appropriate sister organisations
   • affiliation to the International Reading Association
   • representation on the appropriate European association
   • a clearly thought out management and administrative structure
   • appropriate training for those holding voluntary or salaried posts within the Association
   • conformity to Charity Commission guidelines and modern financial systems
   • providing appropriate training for those holding voluntary or salaried posts within the Association
   • Vigilance in promoting equality of opportunity

While the Association's principal mission is to those concerned with teaching and learning our membership is open to anyone sharing our beliefs. We recognise the value of discussion and debate and welcome a range and variety of viewpoints within our broad-based membership while avoiding obviously partisan approaches and extremes of opinion. Our funding is in the main from membership fees, publications and conferences. We accept only limited sponsorship for very specific purposes and only where we retain ultimate control.