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Thursday, December 26, 2013

Chapter authors for “Women as Global Leaders”

SUBMISSION INFORMATION

Chapter authors for "Women as Global Leaders" will be identified based on an initial proposal (described below) to be submitted electronically to the volume editors no later than October 1, 2013 (Wordformatted).

Chapter approvals will be communicated to the corresponding author by October 15, 2013.

Completed manuscripts should be approximately 20-25 pages (5,000-6,000 words), including figures and

tables. Complete chapter drafts must be submitted electronically to the volume editors no later

February 15, 2014.

Chapter proposals should include:

• Proposed chapter title

• Author(s) name, title, and institutional affiliation (if any)

• Detailed outline of the chapter (500-700 words) including purpose, content, key

• features

• List of anticipated key references

• Short description of how the chapter will contribute to the volume

 

VOLUME EDITORS

Faith Wambura Ngunjiri

Associate Professor of Leadership and Ethics

Offutt School of Business, Concordia College

fngunjir@cord.edu

 

 

Susan R. Madsen

Orin R. Woodbury Professor of Leadership and Ethics

Woodbury School of Business

Utah Valley University

madsensu@uvu.edu, +1 (801) 863-6176;

Canada Summer Jobs

Canada Summer Jobs

Canada Summer Jobs is a Government of Canada initiative. It provides funding for not-for-profit organizations, public-sector employers, and small businesses with 50 or fewer full-time employees to create summer job opportunities for students between the ages of 15 and 30.

The application period will be from December 2, 2013 to January 31, 2014. These new and extended dates will allow employers to be notified of their application status earlier.

The online application and the paper application as well as the Applicant Guide will be available on the Service Canada website as of December 2, 2013. You can submit your application online, by mail, or in person at any Service Canada office.

If you choose to submit your application online, you will benefit from a fast, easy-to-use, and secure way of applying. By submitting your application online, you will:

  • Have access to the Canada Summer Jobs application 24/7, from any location, allowing you to complete it at your convenience.
  • Ensure the application is received immediately by Service Canada.
  • Receive an instant confirmation number acknowledging the application has been received; and avoid postal delays.

Therefore, we encourage you to submit your Canada Summer Jobs 2014 application online. The online application will be available on the Service Canada website as of December 2, 2013.

Service Canada will inform employers of the status of their application in April 2014.

For more information:

Click www.servicecanada.gc.ca

Call 1-800-935-5555 (ATS : 1-800-926-9105)

Visit a Service Canada office

Canada Summer Jobs W-T Region

Telephone: 1-800-548-2375

Education Partnerships Program to set the foundation for long-term reform of First Nations education.

Education Partnerships Program

The Education Partnerships Program is part of an overarching commitment of the Government of Canada to set the foundation for long-term reform of First Nations education.

This proposal-driven program is designed to promote collaboration between First Nations, provinces, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC), and other stakeholders towards improving the success of First Nation elementary and secondary students in First Nation and provincial schools.

The Program supports the establishment and advancement of formal partnership arrangements that aim to develop practical working relationships between officials and educators in regional First Nation organizations and schools, and those in provincial systems. These partnership arrangements open the way to sharing information and better coordination between First Nation and provincial schools. The result will be concrete benefits for the students, teachers and administrators involved.

Funding is available on a proposal basis to eligible regional First Nation organizations for:

  • the negotiation and drafting of tripartite education Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) and joint action plans where they do not already exist (partnership establishment); and,
  • the drafting and implementation of joint action plans within established partnerships where there is an MOU or similar formal partnership agreement already in place (partnership advancement).

http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100033760/1100100033761

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Awards available to help homeless youth

Eva's Initiatives, the Sprott Foundation and Virgin Unite, the non-profit foundation of the Virgin Group, are pleased to offer four awards of $25,000 each for organizations working with homeless and at-risk youth.


The goal of the awards is to recognize community initiatives that are:
  • Moving beyond responding to the most basic needs of homeless and at-risk youth
  • Demonstrating significant impacts in the lives of vulnerable youth
  • Delivering programs or services aimed at preventing youth homelessness
  • Breaking the cycle of homelessness among youth by integrating supports such as: housing, education, employment, family connections, and interventions to address mental health concerns and/or addictions.
"Initiatives to prevent, reduce and end youth homelessness are indeed bold," noted Maria Crawford, Executive Director of Eva's Initiatives. "These awards are a way to recognize, honour and encourage organizations doing pioneering work that contributes to the national goal of ending youth homelessness."

Action Canada is seeking nominations of emerging Canadian leaders for their 2014/15 fellowship year.

Action Canada fellowship nominations open
Action Canada is seeking nominations of emerging Canadian leaders for their 2014/15 fellowship year. Each year, Action Canada selects up to 20 outstanding young Canadians to participate in an 11-month leadership development program that enhances Fellows' leadership skills, broadening their understanding of Canada and its policy choices, and builds an exceptional network of leaders. The deadline for nominations is February 14, 2014.  

Aboriginal Women’s Programming Elements of the Aboriginal Peoples’ Program at the Department of Canadian Heritage

The Department of Canadian Heritage would like to announce we are now accepting application for 2014-2015 funding. The deadline for application is February 13, 2014.

Information on this funding opportunity will be updated on the website shortly at www.pch.gc.ca/aboriginal.

The 2014-2015 Call for Applications is now open for eligible organizations interested in applying for funding for community-based projects under the Aboriginal Women's Programming Elements of the Aboriginal Peoples' Program at the Department of Canadian Heritage.

The Aboriginal Women's Programming Elements supports community-based projects that demonstrate the ability to achieve tangible results with strong community participation. This Program enables Aboriginal women to participate in projects that focus on any of the following three programming elements:

         Women's Community Initiative – Projects that address issues affecting Aboriginal women and their families, and that contribute to strengthening their cultural identity and traditions.
         Family Violence Initiative – Community-based culturally appropriate approaches to addressing the issue of family and violence within Aboriginal families.
         Women's Self Government Participation Initiative – Aboriginal women's participation in self-government design and advancement.

Priority will be given to the Women's Community Initiative and Women's Self-Government Participation Initiative sub-components.  Priority is also given to projects with an emphasis on support for the retention of language and culture, and which demonstrate the ability to achieve tangible results with strong community participation.

Please note that funding is limited, and that not every eligible project will receive funding. It is also possible that an approved funding application may receive a lower amount than what was requested. According to the Treasury Board of Canada Directives on Transfer Payment Policy, the Program should provide the minimum level of support required to achieve the expected results. Funding decisions are made through a competitive and merit-based process. There are no specific allocations for individual groups.

If your organization is eligible and interested in applying for an Aboriginal Women's Program project, please visit our website at: www.pch.gc.ca/aboriginal


Program templates can be obtained by contacting Sabrina.Buksh@pch.gc.ca or 604-362-3527.  Sabrina Buksh is available to provide clarification on program guidelines and to support the development of proposals up to the deadline date.

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Talk Story: Sharing stories, sharing culture is a literacy program

Talk Story: Sharing stories, sharing culture is a literacy program that reaches out to Asian Pacific American (APA) and American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) children and their families. The program celebrates and explores their stories through books, oral traditions, and art to provide an interactive, enriching experience.  Children and their families can connect to rich cultural activities through Talk Story in their homes, libraries, and communities. We welcome all ethnicities to customize Talk Story as needed for your community family literacy needs.

November 1, 2013

The American Indian Library Association (AILA) and the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA) Announce Continued Sponsor, Toyota Financial Services.

The American Indian Library Association (AILA) and the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA) are pleased to announce their continued sponsorship from Toyota Financial Services. Toyota Financial Services will sponsor the Talk Story: Sharing stories, sharing culture program by providing funding for the third year for mini-grants that will be awarded in early 2014.

http://talkstorytogether.org

Enabling Accessibility Fund - New Workplace Accessibility Stream Announced


Harper government helps Canadians with disabilities access jobs

Enabling Accessibility Fund - New Workplace Accessibility Stream Announced

OTTAWA, Dec. 20, 2013 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is inviting small businesses and social enterprises to apply for funding through the Enabling Accessibility Fund for projects that will increase accessibility for Canadians with disabilities in workplaces across the country.

The Enabling Accessibility Fund call for proposals, which was launched at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce today, gives eligible small businesses and social enterprises in all provinces and territories the opportunity to submit proposals until January 20, 2014.

Organizations can receive grants of up to $50,000 per project. Projects must address the objective of removing barriers, improving accessibility and enabling Canadians with disabilities to participate in and contribute to their local economies. They must support employment opportunities for people with disabilities through construction and renovation activities that will improve accessibility in the workplace.

Quick facts

·         Since the first call for proposals in 2008, over 1100 projects have been awarded funding to improve accessibility in Canadian communities.

·         Through Economic Action Plan 2013, the Government is extending the Enabling Accessibility Fund on an ongoing basis at $15 million per year to continue to improve accessibility in facilities across Canada, including workplaces.

 

Enabling Accessibility Fund - Workplace Accessibility Stream

Projects receiving funding under the Workplace Accessibility Stream must create or enhance accessibility in workplaces to enable Canadians with disabilities to participate more fully in the workforce. This call for proposals closes on January 20, 2014.

Project costs will be shared between the recipient and government. Contributions equal to or greater than 50 percent of the total eligible costs of the project must be provided by sources other than the federal government (which can include the applicant's own organization).


The following types of organizations can apply for funding:

·         small businesses (having fewer than 50 employees and less than $5 million in gross revenue per year); and

·         social enterprises: a business or venture owned by a not-for-profit organization (including charities and co-operatives) that is involved in the production and/or selling of goods and/or services for generating income and achieving value related to social, cultural, and/or environmental goals.


Eligible activities for these projects include construction, renovation or retrofitting of:

·         facilities in which jobs could be maintained or created specifically for people with disabilities;

·         motor vehicles for work use; and,

·         information and communications technologies for work use.


The Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF) was originally announced in 2007 as a three-year, $45-million program to support community-based projects across Canada. In 2010, the EAF was extended with an additional three-year, $45-million commitment and the creation of a new mid-sized project component.

Economic Action Plan 2013 strengthens federal programs for Canadians with disabilities to help them get the skills and training they need to prepare for and find work. Beginning in 2015-16, more Canadians with disabilities will receive training for in-demand jobs through ongoing support from the Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities.

SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada

http://rt.newswire.ca/rt.gif?NewsItemId=C6168&Transmission_Id=201312201148CANADANWCANADAPR_C6168&DateId=20131220For further information:

Alexandra Fortier
Office of the Minister
819-994-2482

Media Relations Office
Employment and Social Development Canada
819-994-5559
media@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

 

 


Thursday, December 19, 2013

EF Education First Launches Research Project on Language Learning

EF Education First Launches Research Project on Language Learning with Harvard Graduate School of Education Faculty

CAMBRIDGE, MA, June 18, 2013 /CNW/ - Why do students from certain countries learn English more easily than students in other places? Why do the most effective strategies for teaching English to Russian and Chinese students differ greatly from those used to teach native speakers? Could a better understanding of what influences the mastery of core English skills help educators design more effective ways to teach? EF Education First EF and faculty from the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) will attempt to answer questions central to English language acquisition through an examination of language learning methodologies.

To view the Multimedia News Release, please click: http://www.multivu.com/mnr/61917-ef-education-harvard-graduate-school

The collaboration will begin by focusing on how students acquire written English proficiency. Associate Professor Paola Uccelli and her PhD students from HGSE's Language & Literacy Program will access written works submitted by Russian, Chinese, and Native English speakers who have studied with EF. The team will contrast the essays, chronicle recurring differences in the prose, and attempt to understand which academic approaches worked best in developing written English language proficiency.

This collaboration is an opportunity for the world's leading private international education organization to offer HGSE researchers potential access to unprecedented amounts of data which could reveal new approaches for making English language learning easier for people in every corner of the world.

"We are proud to continue pushing the boundaries of innovation in language education," said EF Co-Chairman Philip Hult. "Our research project with the HGSE team is exciting and may reveal how a data-driven assessment of language learning can help students learn English more effectively in the future."

EF and HGSE researchers are considering additional topics for future study, including the effectiveness of regional pedagogy on spoken English language proficiency, the impact of experiential learning over traditional textbook approaches, and the potential to utilize "Big Data" from millions of EF students to identify new approaches to teaching English.

"This collaboration has the potential to offer important findings to inform research-based assessments and pedagogical approaches to support adolescents as they learn to become skilled writers of academic English in different countries," said Dr. Uccelli.

EF Education First was established in 1965 with the mission to break down barriers of language, culture and geography. With 450 schools and offices in over 50 countries, EF specializes in language learning, educational travel, academic degrees, and cultural exchange programs.

Video: http://www.multivu.com/mnr/61917-ef-education-harvard-graduate-school

SOURCE: EF Education First Ltd.

http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1185755/ef-education-first-launches-research-project-on-language-learning-with-harvard-graduate-school-of-education-faculty




Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation supports Libraries Transforming Communities initiative


Grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation supports Libraries Transforming Communities initiative

CHICAGO - The American Library Association (ALA) announced today that it has received a grant of $1.5 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to fund a two-year project, Libraries Transforming Communities.

The Libraries Transforming Communities project addresses a critical need of the field by developing and distributing new tools, resources and support for librarians to engage with their communities in new ways; strengthens librarians as community leaders and change agents; and strengthens ALA’s capacity as a lead library support entity. The two-year project includes in-person training and coaching of librarians and ALA staff and member leaders to support the transformation of library services and the expanding role of libraries as community conveners. ALA will also offer conference-based and distance-learning opportunities. Free digital resources will be accessible through the project website http://www.ala.org/transforminglibraries/libraries-transforming-communities.

“Building on a deep reservoir of trust, public libraries are in an excellent position to lead their communities toward a shared vision and a foundation for growth and innovation,” said ALA President Barbara Stripling. “With the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, libraries and librarians will be better able to engage deeply with their constituents and support community aspirations.”

During the grant period, ALA will work with the Harwood Institute for Public Innovation to provide training opportunities and learning resources. Libraries interested in the in-person training and coaching will be recruited through an open application process. To receive an alert when the application period for Libraries Transforming Communities opens, interested libraries should sign up for the ALA Public Programs Office’s PPO Grants electronic discussion list at www.ala.org/offices/ppo/about/ppolist.

The groundwork for this project was laid during the past year when, through support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, ALA worked with the Harwood Institute for Public Innovation and a core group of library leaders to develop a framework for training consistent with ALA’s overall engagement with the transformation and future of libraries.

“Each library serves a unique community. Community engagement allows us to better understand our community and the aspirations and challenges faced by community members. The result is better library service, increased innovation, a greater impact on the part of the library and, ultimately, a stronger and more successful community,” said ALA Executive Director Keith Michael Fiels.

For Immediate Release
Tue, 12/17/2013

Contact:

Steve Zalusky

Manager of Communications

PIO

312 280 1546


 

Terry O’Banion Student Technology Awards 2014— Sponsored by the League for Innovation in the Community College

Terry O'Banion Student Technology Awards 2014— Sponsored by the League for Innovation in the Community College

 

The League for Innovation in the Community College (League) invites you to nominate two outstanding community college technology students for theTerry O'Banion Student Technology Awards. The winners of these awards will be determined through an international search of nominations from League Member Colleges. Two students with special talent and interest in a technology career will each be presented an award of $1,000. The Student Technology Champion award is presented to a student with a career interest in a technology field, while the Student Developer Champion award is presented to a student with a career focus in software development.

 

League member college faculty or staff members are invited to nominate student candidates by completing the nomination form athttp://www.league.org/league/competitions/tob.cfm and submitting a 500-word letter of recommendation.

 

EligibilityEligible student nominees must be:

1)                  Currently enrolled in a League member institution;

2)                  Pursuing a career in technology; and

3)                  In need of financial assistance to further his or her education.

 

Nominations. Each League member institution may submit one nomination for Student Technology Champion and one nomination for Student Developer Champion. In multicollege districts, each college separately accredited by one of the six regional accreditation associations is allowed one nominee for each student award. Singly accredited, multicampus community colleges are allowed one nominee for each student award.

 

The application form should be completed and returned with the letter of recommendation by Sunday, February 2, 2014. The Selection Committee will review the nominations, and award winners will be announced at the League's Innovations 2014 conference, March 2-5, 2014, in Anaheim, California. 

Friday, December 13, 2013

World Book Day April 23

World Book Day April 23

April 23 marks the anniversary of the birth or death of a range of well-known writers, including Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Maurice Druon, Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, Haldor Kiljan Laxness, Manuel Mejía Vallejo, Vladimir Nabokov, Josep Pla and William Shakespeare. For this reason, UNESCO's General Conference chose this date to pay tribute to books, the authors who wrote them, and the copyright laws that protect them.

 

World Book Day is on 6 March 2014 and we've put together ideas for how libraries can get involved to get more children and young people reading through this important nationwide promotion.

 

http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/un/world-book-day

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Inter-Action, Canada’s new Multiculturalism Grants and Contributions Program

Inter-Action, Canada's new Multiculturalism Grants and Contributions Program, is administered by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). The Program supports CIC's mandate, as well as the Canadian Multiculturalism Act, by assisting in the socio-economic integration of individuals and communities and helping them to contribute to building an integrated and socially cohesive society.

The Inter-Action Events stream [note 1] provides funding, normally in the form of grants, to community-based events that foster intercultural or interfaith understanding, civic memory and pride or respect for core democratic values. The primary intention is to create concrete opportunities for interaction among cultural and faith communities. Applications will be considered year-round.

These guidelines will help you complete the General Application Form (GAF). Please refer to the website (www.cic.gc.ca/Multi_Funding) for instructions on how and where to submit the GAF.

General Application Form (GAF) [IMM 5639] (PDF, 1.8 MB)

Event Stream Objective

Funding is provided under the Inter-Action Events stream for events that support the following:

  • Building an integrated, socially cohesive society by building bridges to promote intercultural understanding, or by fostering citizenship, civic memory, civic pride, and respect for core democratic values grounded in our history.

Eligible Recipients

The following groups and institutions are eligible for funding:

  • Canadian not-for-profit organizations, associations and unincorporated groups of individuals
  • Canadian incorporated and unincorporated municipalities and townships with a population of up to 10,000
  • Canadian Aboriginal organizations

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/multiculturalism/funding/events.asp

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Dec 10 is International Human Rights Day

 logo

The UN General Assembly proclaimed 10 December as Human Rights Day in 1950, to bring to the attention ‘of the peoples of the world’ the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as the common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations.
In 2013, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights marks 20 years since its establishment.

http://www.un.org/en/events/humanrightsday/

http://at20.ohchr.org/timeline_full.html

December 5 is International Volunteer Day

Theme for 2013: YOUNG.GLOBAL.ACTIVE

International Volunteer Day (IVD) offers an opportunity for volunteer organizations and individual volunteers to make visible their contributions - at local, national and international levels - to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Apart from mobilising thousands of volunteers every year, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme works closely with partners and governments to establish national volunteer programmes to create structures that foster and sustain local volunteerism in countries. Through the Online Volunteering service volunteers can take action for sustainable human development by supporting the activities of development organizations over the Internet. Every day thousands of people are volunteering, online or on-site, contributing to peace and development and working to achieve the MDGs.

IVD 2013 is a global celebration of young people acting as the agents of change in their communities.

http://www.un.org/en/events/volunteerday/

December 3 is Giving Tuesday

GivingTuesday is a National Giving Day

Most people know about Black Friday and Cyber Monday  …now GivingTuesday is coming to Canada on December 3, 2013.

It is a new Canadian movement for giving and volunteering, taking place each year after Cyber Monday. The “Opening day of the giving season,” it is a day where charities, companies and individuals join together to share commitments, rally for favourite causes and think about others.

http://givingtuesday.ca

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

While only about 15 per cent of Canadians are illiterate, Dunn says one in four suffers from low literacy.

Dunn is referring to international survey results released last month that show Nova Scotians aged 16 to 24 ranked lower than average compared to other industrialized countries.

The Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies indicates 42 per cent of Canadians struggle with low literacy. That figure ranges from 38 to 55 per cent in Nova Scotia.

"In order for change to happen you have to have a plan," Dunn says. "In order to get somewhere you have to have a map."

Canada is one of the few industrialized countries without a coordinated framework to address literacy from early childhood to adulthood.

While only about 15 per cent of Canadians are illiterate, Dunn says one in four suffers from low literacy.

That means reading, writing and math skills below a Grade 8 level.

http://metronews.ca/news/halifax/865376/provinces-below-average-literacy-skills-pretty-devastating-dartmouth-educator/

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Community training program puts latest digital tools in hands of low-income, older Americans

James Reese, 69, is a poster child for the pilot program. He's using his iPad to find some old friends — even childhood sweethearts. He's listening to online versions of his favorite blues performers and joining discussion groups about his glaucoma.

Hazel Avery, 86, holds her iPad for the first time. The Connecting to Community program, with funding from the AARP Foundation, teaches low-income seniors how to increase social engagement online. The Washington, D.C., program chose seniors with no previous computer experience.

Hazel Avery, 86, holds her iPad for the first time. The Connecting to Community program, with funding from the AARP Foundation, teaches low-income seniors how to increase social engagement online. The Washington, D.C., program chose seniors with no previous computer experience.

Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post/Getty Images

The Internet is often considered the realm of the young. But in the U.S., people over 65 are one of the fastest-growing groups to go online, and social media usage among seniors has soared.

A program in Washington, D.C., is designed to bring more seniors online, especially those who are socially isolated.

The Connecting to Community training program is sponsored by the AARP Foundation in partnership with the nonprofit Older Adults Technology Services, Comcast and the D.C. social services organization Family Matters of Greater Washington.

It puts the latest digital tools in the hands of low-income, older Americans to help them combat loneliness and develop social connections through social media and other online offerings.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2013/11/25/247173249/helping-low-income-seniors-build-a-social-web-online




Monday, November 25, 2013

Reading grants


  • Nevada Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy Grant
  • Pennsylvania Keystones to Opportunity Grant
  • Steps to Writing Successful Grants
  • ARRA Funding

  •    

    Hot Grants

    Other Grant Resources

    The Diabetes Essential Skills Kit D.E.S.K.

    The Diabetes Essential Skills Kit D.E.S.K. – Learning Modules The D.E.S.K. Learning Modules contains 12 learning modules that address 6 common barriers to a patient's independent diabetes self-management: These 6 barriers are:

    • Reading and understanding information
    • Understanding and remember information given verbally
    • Using math to count carbohydrates and manage dietary needs
    • Using ratios to calculate insulin dosage
    • Filling in forms
    • Recognizing and analyzing patterns in blood glucose test results

    These learning modules can be used with learners with different goal paths as they include activities from various contexts including employment and education.

    The Diabetes Essential Skills Kit D.E.S.K. – Essential Skills Profiles The D.E.S.K. Essential Skills Profiles contains 15 profiles that reflect the tasks that individuals living with diabetes have to perform on a regular basis. The profiles have been separated into 3 groups:

    • Understanding Profiles (example: Understanding Type 1 Diabetes)
    • Managing Profiles (example: Managing and Measuring Blood Glucose Levels)
    • Complications Profiles (example: Understanding and Managing Foot Complications)
    These profiles are meant to be used by both Health Practitioners and Literacy Practitioners.
     

    Friday, November 22, 2013

    Country of origin was a better predictor of reading skills than individual traits

    A University at Buffalo education professor has sided with the environment in the timeless "nurture vs. nature" debate after his research found that a child's ability to read depends mostly on where that child is born, rather than on his or her individual qualities.

    Besides showing that the country of origin was a better predictor of reading skills than individual traits, the study also showed that other attributes at the child, school and country levels were all related to reading.

    First, girls were more likely than boys to have basic reading skills, Chiu says. Children with greater early-literacy skills, better attitudes about reading or greater self-confidence in their reading ability also were more likely to have strong basic reading skills.

    More than 99 percent of fourth-graders in the Netherlands can read, but only 19 percent of fourth-graders in South Africa can read, Chiu notes.

    "Although the richest countries typically have high literacy rates exceeding 97 percent," he says, "some rich countries, such as Qatar and Kuwait, have low literacy rates—33 percent and 28 percent, respectively."
    The study, "Ecological, Psychological and Cognitive Components of Reading Difficulties: Testing the Component Model of Reading in Fourth-graders Across 38 Countries," analyzed reading test scores of 186,725 fourth-graders from 38 countries, including more than 4,000 children from the U.S. Chiu and co-authors Catherine McBride-Chang of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Dan Lin of the Hong Kong Institute of Education published the study in the winter 2013 issue of the Journal of Learning Disabilities.