Dr. Ernest Morrell, Zaner-Bloser Author, Elected Future President of the National Council of Teachers of English

NEW YORK, June 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Zaner-Bloser congratulates author Dr. Ernest Morrell for his election as a future president of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). Morrell will lead this professional organization devoted to improving the teaching and learning of English and the language arts at all levels of education.

Morrell is making a four-year commitment to NCTE, beginning in November, and will serve as vice president and president-elect before becoming NCTE president in November 2013. He also is in the process of moving from UCLA to Columbia University. On July 1, he will become Professor of Arts and Humanities and Director of the Institute for Urban and Minority Education at Teachers College, Columbia University.

Morrell is a consulting author for Voices Literature & Writing and Voices Leveled Library, two new supplemental literacy programs from Zaner-Bloser. Voices Literature & Writing is scheduled for release this summer, and Voices Leveled Library follows in 2012.

"We believe that NCTE has made a wise choice in selecting Dr. Morrell to serve as its president. He brings an exceptional level of knowledge and experience to the role that will certainly benefit NCTE," Zaner-Bloser President Bob Page said.

For almost two decades, Morrell has worked with adolescents, drawing on their involvement in popular culture to promote academic literacy development. As associate director of UCLA's Institute for Democracy, Education, and Access, he has worked with high school students in Los Angeles, CA on in-school and out-of-school literacy instruction, cultural studies, and civic involvement. He previously was an award-winning English teacher at Oakland High School in the Oakland Unified School District. He earned his doctorate from the University of California at Berkeley.

About Zaner-Bloser

Zaner-Bloser, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Highlights for Children with more than 120 years of experience in education, is one of the premier publishers of research-based reading, writing, spelling, vocabulary, and handwriting programs. The Zaner-Bloser mission is to create dynamic, appealing and effective educational programs and services. Zaner-Bloser focuses on distinctive programs that inspire all students to become engaged, literate participants in the global society.

SOURCE Zaner-Bloser