THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16
11:00 a.m.—12:15 p.m. ET
B.07 ELA Can’t Do This Alone
Learn how one large urban district has partnered with ThinkCERCA to move close reading and academic writing beyond the English classroom with a cross-curricular and discipline-authentic literacy integrated resource for grades 3–12. We’ll share the strategic implementation moves district leaders have made to support stakeholders of all levels and to integrate this movement into the structures that create classroom, school, and network ecosystems for sustained and impactful implementation. This session is designed for leaders and educators who recognize the literacy needs of our students will only be met when educators of all disciplines—and their leaders—are empowered with literacy rich tools and resources situated in a broad vision for school and student success.
Sponsor/Publisher: ThinkCERCA
Audience Level: Middle, Secondary
Presenters: Shalonda Foster, Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Academics, Jefferson County Public Schools; Emily Wilson, Director District Success East, ThinkCERCA
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17
9:30—10:45 a.m. ET
E.29 Including Adolescent Readers in the Science of Reading Discourse
Join us as we ask: Have we inadvertently excluded adolescent readers from ongoing discourse around the Science of Reading (SoR)? This session explores the SoR for adolescent readers and dissects assessments and interventions that increase achievement. Our discussion aims to equip educators with effective approaches for adolescent readers. Together, let’s cultivate skilled adolescent readers.
Sponsor/Publisher: Capti, Charmtech Labs LLC
Audience Level: Middle, Secondary, Teacher Education, Research
Presenters: Yevgen Borodin, Capti, Charmtech Labs LLC; Ryan Hershey, Capti, Charmtech Labs LLC; Margaret Opatz, Capti, Charmtech Labs LLC; Nicole Vegar
9:30—10:45 a.m. ET
E.30 Discover Story Xperiential, a Student-Driven, Collaborative Learning Program
Discover Story Xperiential, a student-driven, collaborative learning program that harnesses a diverse skill set to communicate and express genuine ideas aligned with career skills. This language curriculum was jointly crafted with pro storytellers from Pixar and major studios, and a team of educators and students. In this workshop you will delve into our approach and how it can be applied in classrooms.
Sponsor/Publisher: Story Xperiential
Audience Level: General
Strand: ELATE
Presenters: Brit Cruise, Co-Founder and Chief Learning Officer; Dennis Henderson, Educator and Vice President of Education and Strategy
11:00 a.m.—12:15 p.m. ET
F.11 Broadening the Scope of “Literacy”: How a Strong Culture of Disciplinary Literacy Helps Students and ELA Teachers Alike
As ELA educators, building literacy is the heart of what we do. But as groups like the International Literacy Association contend, the most impactful literacy initiatives extend beyond the English classroom. This presentation will cover how ELA teachers, non-ELA teachers, and educational leaders can work together to build a culture of disciplinary literacy that serves the needs of every student.
Sponsor/Publisher: NoRedInk
Audience Level: Middle, Secondary
Presenters: Paige Whitlock, NoRedInk
11:00 a.m.—12:15 p.m. ET
F.12 Building Confidence with APA Style—What English Instructors Need to Know
In this session, we will set English teachers up for success by sharing the basics of APA Style and practical getting-started tips to increase instructor confidence and to prepare them to begin teaching APA Style right away. We will cover the benefits of introducing APA Style in English classes, need-to-know APA Style basics, and APA Style starters and tools to prepare your students for their future in academic writing.
Sponsor/Publisher: APA Style
Audience Level: Secondary, College
Presenters: Samantha Denneny, APA Style/APA
12:30—1:45 p.m. ET
G.03 Building Critical Thinkers: Navigating News and Bias in the Classroom with AllSides
Discover how AllSides fosters critical thinking in the classroom. This session explores our platform’s role in media literacy education, empowering students to navigate news and bias while promoting civil discourse and balanced perspectives.
Sponsor/Publisher: AllSides
Audience Level: Middle, Secondary, College, Teacher Education
Presenter: Henry Brechter, Editor-in-Chief, AllSides
2:00—3:15 p.m. ET
H.25 Hands-on Poetry! Work—and Play—through the New Poetry Workbook from Typewriter Rodeo!
Grab a pen, take a seat, and get ready to rip out some pages! Poet Sean Petrie of Typewriter Rodeo leads this fast-paced dive into Pet Poems Plus (Burlwood Books 2023), a new poetry workbook for grades 2–6. Name an Owl. Pick-a-Pet. Make a Poetry Sword. And have the same fun your students will on this interactive, generative, and just plain fun poetry journey. Free workbook for each attendee.
Sponsor/Publisher: Burlwood Books
Audience Level: Elementary, Middle
Presenter: Sean Petrie, Typewriter Rodeo
2:00—3:15 p.m. ET
H.41 The Knowledge Gap: Why Content Knowledge Is Crucial in Fostering a Lifelong Love of Reading
The Science of Reading doesn’t have to come at the expense of the joy of reading! Join Natalie Wexler, author of The Knowledge Gap, to find out how immersing children in rich content plants the seeds of their later success and gets them excited about reading and learning. Explicit foundational skills instruction and knowledge-building can work together to foster confident, enthusiastic readers.
Sponsor/Publisher: Amplify
Audience Level: Elementary
Presenter: Natalie Wexler, Amplify
3:30—4:45 p.m. ET
I.49 Applying Artificial Intelligence to Writing Assessment and Instruction
Artificial intelligence and machine scoring are revolutionizing the assessment and instruction of writing. High-stakes assessments, colleges and universities, and K-12 school districts nationwide rely on machine scoring to produce better data, better outcomes, and better students.
Sponsor/Publisher: Vantage Learning
Audience Level: General
Presenters: John Burke, Vantage Learning; Jaclyn Ferry, Vantage Ferry
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18
11:00 a.m.—12:15 p.m. ET
K.06 Science of Reading and Middle School: The Other End of the Reading Rope
Join Amplify VP of ELA Deb Sabin to explore how the strands of the Reading Rope—a framework for understanding the elements of fluent reading —remain critical for supporting secondary readers. We’ll explore how teachers can strategically strengthen these elements within their classrooms and allow students to succeed with grade level content.
Sponsor/Publisher: Amplify
Audience Level: Middle
Strand: ELATE
Presenter: Deborah Sabin, VP of ELA, Amplify
11:00 a.m.—12:15 p.m. ET
K.07 An Intentional and Scaffolded Approach to Writing Instruction
Join us as we explore the power of an intentional and scaffolded approach to writing instruction! We’ll give an overview of this approach and why it is so needed, look at examples of the approach in action, and how it can support students with ever-more complex writing demands.
Sponsor/Publisher: Quill.org
Audience Level: Middle, Secondary
Presenters: Christina Collins-Berry, VP of Partnerships and Professional Services, Quill.org; Scarlet Melo, VP of Curriculum, Quill.org
1:15–2:30 p.m. ET
L.49 A Renaissance of Revolutionary Love in Teaching and Learning
Join the authors of Revolutionary Love and Revolutionary Love for Early Childhood Classrooms for a dynamic session filled with practical strategies for rejuvenating teaching and learning in classrooms. Authors will engage participants in thinking about what they Believe; Know; and Do in classrooms. Don’t miss this opportunity to transform your teaching approach and foster a deeper sense of inclusivity and connection in your classroom.
Sponsor/Publisher: Scholastic
Audience Level: Elementary
Presenters: Gloria Boutte, University of South Carolina; Eliza Braden, University of South Carolina; Nathaniel Bryan, Miami University; Michele Myers, Wake Forest University; Sanjuana Rodriguez, Kennesaw State University; Natasha Thornton, Thornton Educational Consulting; Kamania Wynter-Hoyte, University of South Carolina
1:15–2:30 p.m. ET
L.50 Your Guide to Reimagining Peer Review in Your Classroom
Peer review not only gets students writing and editing; it can also help you embed SEL, cultural competency, and AI discernment into your curriculum! Hear from Universal Design for Learning expert Billie Fitzpatrick, who will share instructional strategies (from 10+ years of research) that you can implement right away. Attendees will receive a published journal of mentor texts and resources.
Sponsor/Publisher: Write the World
Audience Level: Middle, Secondary
Presenters: Billie Fitzpatrick, CAST Publishing/Write the World Board of Advisors
2:45–4:00 p.m. ET
M.49 Supercharging Intervention Plans with a Relentless Focus on Reading Volume
Traditional reading intervention plans focus primarily on teaching discrete skills and strategies. In this session, learn how an additional, relentless focus on increasing students’ reading volume—how much high-success reading they actually do—fuels reading success.
Sponsor/Publisher: Scholastic
Audience Level: General
Presenters: Stephanie Harvey, Stephanie Harvey Consulting; Maggie Hoddinott Konrad, Harrison NY Schools; Annie Ward, Mamaroneck NY Schools
2:45–4:00 p.m. ET
M.50 Stenhouse-Hot off the Press!
Come see what Stenhouse authors have been cooking up since last year’s conference! This session will showcase new and upcoming titles from our ever-growing list of professional books “by teachers for teachers.” We’ll celebrate with giveaways and time built in to ask questions and meet your favorite Stenhouse authors.
Sponsor/Publisher: Stenhouse Publishers (Routledge/Taylor & Francis)
Audience Level: General
Presenters: Lynsey Burkins, Dublin City Schools; Holly Durham, Patterns of Power, Stenhouse/Routledge; Dawnavyn James, University at Buffalo; Whitney La Rocca, La Rocca Literacy; Travis Leech, independent; Nawal Qarooni, NQC Literacy; Franki Sibberson, SproutFive; Maria Walther, Maria P. Walther LLC, Aurora, IL
