Pam Allyn (born January 31, 1963) is an American literacy expert and author. She is the Executive Director of LitLife, a nationally recognized organization specializing in transformative school improvement through literacy education, and the Executive Director of LitWorld, a 501 non profit organization dedicated to bringing quality education to the world’s most vulnerable children. Allyn is a motivational speaker for audiences of teachers, school administrators, librarians and parents.
Allyn founded LitLife in 2002. LitLife works with charter and public schools throughout the United States conducting teacher training, professional development, curriculum design and content review to improve the reading and writing programs. LitLife's main headquarters is in Westchester County, New York.There is also a LitLife West Hudson branch in New Jersey, a LitLife Connecticut branch, and a LitLife West branch in Arizona. LitLife's work is conducted through consultants working directly with teachers and school staff, through Pam Allyn and Team Leaders conducting seminars at select conferences and giving keynote talks at schools, and through the Complete Year series of books, published by Scholastic in 2008.
Allyn founded LitWorld in 2008. LitWorld is currently working with schools in Kenya and Liberia, conducting teacher training workshops and developing programs to teach children how to read and write and share stories internationally using various digital techniques. LitWorld's "School to School" partnership between Red Rose School in Kibera, Nairobi, Kenya and Bronxville School in Bronxville, New York was featured in an article in the New York Times in 2009. LitWorld is producing a "World Read Aloud Day" global event, to take place March 3, 2010.
Allyn is the author of What to Read When, a book for parents, teachers, and caregivers, published by Avery, a Member of Penguin Group (USA), in 2009. What to Read When is a finalist for the Library Journal’s Book of the Year 2009, has won the 2009 Gold Award from the National Parenting Publications Association, and has been featured across the country on radio and television programs, in publications, and throughout the blogosphere.
Her first professional book, The Complete 4: How to Teach Reading and Writing Through Daily Lessons, Monthly Units and Yearlong Calendars, was published by Scholastic in 2007. This was followed by Allyn’s series of grade level books, The Complete Year, published by Scholastic in 2008 and co-authored with her LitLife colleagues.
Allyn founded the program Books for Boys in 1999 at The Children's Village, the nation’s largest residential treatment center for foster care children. This program has been acclaimed for its innovative efforts on behalf of at-risk boys, and its work is replicated in other foster care agencies. Allyn created The Family Story Power Project in 2008, which brings literacy-rich curriculum and reading and writing opportunities to families and children.
Allyn received the James Patterson PageTurner Award for excellence in bringing literacy to underserved populations and has also received a Disney Points of Light Foundation Award for her work bringing books and literacy to children. In May 2007 The Children's Village presented Allyn with its Legacy of Service Award for bringing books and reading to children.
Allyn is on the Dream Charter School Advisory Board, the Global Action for Children Leadership Council, the Amherst College Center for Community Engagement Board of Advisors, the New York City Department of Education's English Language Arts Scope and Sequence Advisory Group, and James Patterson’s ReadKiddoRead Board.
Allyn received her undergraduate degree from Amherst College and a Masters in Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. She was the Director of Funded Projects for The Teachers College Columbia University Reading and Writing Project where she worked alongside teachers in New York City schools as a coach and literacy leader.
