FOCUS Newsletter Fall 2025
Georgia Association of Literacy Advocates (GALA)
In this ISSUE of the GALA FOCUS NEWSLETTER:
1. GALA UPDATES & ANNOUNCEMENTS
- GALA's Board of Directors & Leadership Team Voting Results!
- School Is In $100 Grant Opportunity
2. STUDENT BOOK TALKS!
- Salt in His Shoes ~ Reviewed by Lark & Max from South Douglas Elementary School
- Secrets, Lies, and Algebra ~ Reviewed by Tyla from General Ray Davis Middle School
- Queen of the Diamond ~ Reviewed by Travis & Addie from South Douglas Elementary School
- Dog Diaries: Big Top Bonanza ~ Reviewed by Otis from General Ray Davis Middle School
- Twice as Good ~ Reviewed by Elijah & Oliver from South Douglas Elementary School
3. AUTHOR'S CHAIR
- Captain Francis Hays Hook: An Illustrated Mini-Memoir Moment ~ Written by Marta Anderton
4. FEATURE ARTICLES
- Say that Again? Looking at the Impact of Technology and Social Media on Students’ Attention Span by Leslie Roberts-Chala, Alma D. Stevenson, and Antonio Gutierrez de Blume
- Not So Random Thoughts About Some Not So Random Things by Melissa Comer
Expanding Literacy Through Nature and Science at Episcopal Day School by Amy Tomblinson
Bridging Decoding and Comprehension: Why Prosody Matters by Robert A. Griffin, Jennifer K. Allen, and Melissa Bradley
5. K-12 BOOK REVIEWS!
- Lady of the Lines: How Maria Reiche Saved the Nazca Lines by Sweeping the Desert (2025), Reviewed by William P. Bintz
- The First State of Being (2024), Reviewed by Vicki Luther
- Not an Easy Win (2023), Reviewed by Kelsey Howard
- The Efficient, Inventive (Often Annoying) Melvil Dewey (2025), Reviewed by William P. Bintz
- Tree. Table. Book. (2024), Reviewed by Vicki Luther
6. OTHER INFORMATION
- Share Your Literacy News & Highlights with GALA!
- Learn More About GALA's Group Membership Bundles
Say that Again? Looking at the Impact of Technology and Social Media on Students’ Attention Span
Leslie Roberts-Chala, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Reading, Georgia Southern University
Alma D. Stevenson, Ph.D., Professor of Literacy Education, Georgia Southern University
Antonio Gutierrez de Blume, Ph.D., Professor of Educational Research, Georgia Southern University
“Huh? What was that? Sorry, I missed it.” How often have we heard this phrase uttered daily, or maybe we have also uttered it occasionally? It is not uncommon for both children and adults to get distracted during a conversation while using our cellphones or watching a video on the computer. However, does the integration of technology and social media in the classroom always cause distraction among students? According to research, distractions and attention span are situational conditions (Subramanian, 2018).
Social Media and Technology Affecting Attention Span
Social media and technology have the potential to foster stronger networks between individuals by eliminating the need for proximity to connect. As a result, technology and, more specifically, social media have become widely prevalent in most people’s day-to-day lives. “Surveys suggest that more than 90% of teenagers in the United States use some sort of social media, from TikTok to Instagram, which could cause changes in their attention span” (Alaparthi, 2024, p. 2).
Not So Random Thoughts About Some Not So Random Things
Dr. Melissa Comer, Professor, Tennessee Tech University
Reflecting on my days as an English major, I hear the voices of mentors and professors saying that I need a strong introduction and a tidy thesis statement that I develop throughout my manuscript. They, of course, were the experts and wanted me to be successful. And throughout my career (first as a middle and high school English teacher and currently as a literacy educator), I have followed their dictates. Until now. Now, there is not a traditional thesis per se, insisting I cultivate it in a connected, streamlined manner. Instead, herein are thoughts about various things that have sometimes left me scratching my head, sometimes encouraging me, sometimes not. Regardless, the thoughts have made me think, begging for exploration. So, without further ado, here are some not so random thoughts about some not so random things.
Fear & Self-censorship
Years ago, I struggled selecting a book for a whole-class read-aloud. Knowing the importance of picking the right one to engage learners, I settled on Where the Red Fern Grows (Rawls, 1961). Teaching in a rural, small middle school situated in the heart of Appalachia, I reasoned the book would resonate with the students. Having settled on it, I drafted assignments, created projects, and wrote comprehension questions. The more I delved into the novel, however, the more I questioned my choice. Were my students emotionally equipped to handle the poignant death scene Rawls describes so well? Should I teach a book that references hunting and using a gun? Fearing backlash (from whom I don’t recall), I chose not to use the book, making this my first recollection of invoking self-censorship.
Expanding Literacy Through Nature and Science at Episcopal Day School
Amy Tomblinson, Head of Preschool & Lower School, Episcopal Day School
At Episcopal Day School, literacy is not confined to the pages of a book. Instead, it is a living, breathing practice that connects children to the world around them. We know that children learn best when reading, writing, and knowledge building are paired with meaningful, hands-on experiences. One way we bring this philosophy to life is through our Flowing Wells Campus visit days. This campus, located just seven miles from our main campus, is dedicated to outdoor learning. Here, students in preschool through fourth grade step beyond the classroom every three weeks for an extended learning block on our satellite campus.
Connecting CKLA Nonfiction to Real-World Exploration
These visits provide the perfect opportunity for teachers to expand upon the nonfiction texts and domains of the Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) curriculum with real-world applications. Each grade level deepens its literacy learning by experiencing the science content it reads about in class, creating a powerful overlap among reading, writing, and the natural world.
Bridging Decoding and Comprehension: Why Prosody Matters
Robert A. Griffin, Ed.D., Associate Professor, University of West Georgia
Jennifer K. Allen, Ph.D., Associate Professor, University of West Georgia
Melissa Bradley, M.Ed., Former Graduate Student, University of West Georgia
What happens when children can sound out words but still don’t truly understand what they’re reading? Imagine a student who can quickly decode “The dog ran up the hill” but delivers it in a flat, robotic tone. The words are correct, yet the meaning is lost. That gap between “word caller” and “meaning maker” is where fluency, and especially prosody, comes in.
Fluency is comprised of three components: accuracy (reading words correctly), rate (reading at an appropriate speed), and prosody. Prosody is the rhythm, phrasing, and expression that brings text to life, and it makes the difference between reading with the story and simply reading through the words. When students learn to pause at commas, raise their voices at question marks, or emphasize a character’s feelings, they begin to comprehend. In other words, prosody is the hidden bridge that connects decoding to understanding.
Lady of the Lines: How Maria Reiche Saved the Nazca Lines by Sweeping the Desert (2025)
Reviewed by William P. Bintz, Ph.D.
Professor
Kent State University, Kent, OH
Reading materials on the topic of World History often include biographical picture books, informational anthologies, encyclopedias, and history textbooks. By their nature, intent, and audience, these materials focus on major historical characters who are highly recognizable and unquestionably famous. Rarely, if ever at all, do reading materials focus on historical characters who are not already highly visible and widely accepted. While this is understandable, it is also unfortunate.
The First State of Being (2024)
Reviewed by Vicki Luther, Ph.D.
Professor
Mercer University, Macon, GA
Before you go to sleep at night, ask yourself: Was I the best person I could be today?
–Erin Entrada Kelly, The First State of Being
Erin Entrada Kelly’s The First State of Being is a story of friendship, family, loss, and learning to be the best version of oneself. Awarded the 2025 Newbery Medal winner for excellence in writing, the story provides readers with a glimpse into the past with both humor and poignancy. The story comes alive through Entrada Kelly's descriptive words, realistic historical perspectives, and incredible storytelling techniques. Readers are transported back to the year 1999 and the end of the 20th century while simultaneously being conveyed well into the future and into the year 2199.
Not an Easy Win (2023)
Reviewed by Kelsey Howard
Elementary Media Specialist
Mount Carmel Elementary, Douglasville, GA
This past spring, my book club read Chrystal D. Giles's compelling novel, Not an Easy Win. This coming-of-age story navigates the multifaceted challenges faced by its main character, Lawrence. At the age of 12, Lawrence is uprooted from Charlotte, North Carolina, and forced to relocate to his mother's small hometown. He soon finds himself in a school where he is marginalized and treated unjustly due to being in the minority. After getting into too many fights, Lawrence is ultimately expelled. Despite his mother's efforts, Lawrence feels very much alone in this new community. He strongly feels the void of his father, who is not currently present in his life, and his "old school" granny is strict and more tough than loving. In addition to these struggles, their living situation is far from ideal, with Lawrence sharing a small home with his mother, sister, cousins, and grandmother.
The Efficient, Inventive (Often Annoying) Melvil Dewey (2025)
Reviewed by William P. Bintz, Ph.D.
Professor
Kent State University, Kent, OH
Like many parents, grandparents, and caretakers, I like to take my seven-year-old granddaughter to our public library. We go to enjoy each other's company, but also to browse, select, and check out picture books for reading time. A bonus is that our library has a designated children's section filled not only with a wide array of fiction, non-fiction, and wordless picture books, but also many kinds of hands-on gadgets, gizmos, and games. We spend most of our time in this section because it’s fun and the place where she meets new friends.
Tree. Table. Book. (2024)
Reviewed by Vicki Luther, Ph.D.
Professor
Mercer University, Macon, GA
Tree. Table. Book. is a beautiful tale of an unexpected and enduring friendship. Written by award-winning novelist Lois Lowry, this novel follows the story of Sophia (“Sophie”) Winslow, an up-and-coming sixth grader, and her best friend, who happens to be her 88-year-old neighbor, Sophie Gershowitz. The “two Sophies” share a unique, yet deeply sacred, bond.
When 11-year-old Sophie overhears her parents talking about Mrs. Gershowitz’s recent memory loss, she decides to test her octogenarian friend’s cognitive skills. Through these series of “tests,” the elder Sophie is transported in her mind, and she begins to share personal stories about her childhood in Poland during World War II.
FOCUS: A Newsletter of the Georgia Association of Literacy Advocates (GALA)
Dr. Bethany L. Scullin, FOCUS Newsletter Editor
FOCUS Editorial Reviewers
Dr. Jennifer K. Allen
Dr. Robert A. Griffin
