DAVID A. ROBERTSON (he, him, his) is the 2021 recipient of the Writers’ Union of Canada Freedom to Read Award. He is the author of numerous books for young readers including When We Were Alone, which won the 2017 Governor General's Literary Award, the McNally Robinson Best Book for Young People Award, and was a finalist for the TD Canadian Children's Literature Award. His acclaimed YA series, The Reckoner, has won the McNally Robinson Best Book for Young People Award, the Michael Van Rooy Award for Genre Fiction, and the Indigenous Writer of the Year Award at the High Plains Book Awards. The Barren Grounds, the first book in the middle-grade The Misewa Saga series, received a starred review from Kirkus, was a Kirkus and Quill & Quire best middle-grade book of 2020, was a USBBY and Texas Lone Star selection, and is shortlisted for the Ontario Library Association’s Silver Birch Award and a 2020 Governor General’s Literary Award. His memoir, Back Water: Family, Legacy, and Blood Memory, was a Globe and Mail and Quill & Quire book of the year in 2020, and was a finalist in three categories at the 2020 Manitoba Book Awards, including the McNally Robinson Book of the Year. His second picture book, On The Trapline, illustrated by Julie Flett, is due May 2021 and has received starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews and Publisher’s Weekly. A sought-after speaker and educator, Dave was award the Aboriginal Circle of Educator’s Award for Research/Curriculum Development in 2015. He is a member of Norway House Cree Nation and currently lives in Winnipeg.
AERIALE N. JOHNSON, she/her/we, is a Reggio-inspired, abolitionist teacher of third graders at Washington Elementary School, a school bursting with the energy of multiculturalism and multilingualism in downtown San Jose, CA. There she strives to build a democratic classroom where all adults (educators and families) believe in children, allow children to bring the fullness of their humanity into the space, and deliberately relinquish their power to the children.
Hello! My name is Jessica Lifshitz and I currently teach 5th grade in Northbrook, IL. I have the absolute pleasure of teaching literacy to two groups of 5th grade students every year. Every day when I go to work, I look for ways to help my students not only become better readers and writers, but to become better human beings by seeing reading and writing as tools that can help them to make this world a better place.
Sarah M. Zerwin is a high school English teacher at Fairview High School in Boulder, Colorado. In over 20 years in the classroom, she has taught high school in a variety of settings as well as methods courses to college students. A national presenter, Sarah also works with teachers through the Colorado Writing Project. She seeks the best ways to invite her students to read and write for reasons that matter to who they are as human beings.
Paula Markus retired from the role of ESL/ELD Program Co-ordinator with the Toronto District School Board in 2017. She is currently a sessional lecturer on supporting English Language Learners in the Masters of Teaching Program at OISE/University of Toronto. Paula is the founder of the annual “Celebrating Linguistic Diversity” Conference, Ontario’s largest professional gathering of K–12 teachers of English language learners. She has presented at conferences for second language educators in Alberta, Nova Scotia, the U.S., Denmark and Norway. Paula is co-author of a forthcoming teacher resource book focusing on supporting English Learners to be released in the winter of 2021. Paula is a co-author of the newly-released teacher resource book, Powerful Practices for Supporting English Learners, published by Corwin.
Maria Walther, who earned a doctorate in elementary education from Northern Illinois University, taught first grade for 34 years. Maria partners with teachers in their classrooms and inspires colleagues through engaging professional learning experiences. The ideas she shares reflect her continued commitment to teaching, researching, writing, and collaborating. What teachers appreciate most about Maria is her enthusiasm for teaching and her realistic approach toward classroom instruction. Maria was honored as Illinois Reading Educator of the Year, earned the ICARE for Reading Award for fostering the love of reading in children, and was named The Outstanding Literacy Alumni by the Department of Literacy Education at Northern Illinois University. The award that Maria cherishes the most is The Most Influential Educator given to her by one of her former first-grade students who is now a colleague. Maria is a prolific professional writer. She strives to create practical resources for busy teachers. Her best-selling book, The Ramped-Up Read Aloud, promotes joyful read aloud experiences. Her latest book, The Literacy Workshop: Where Reading and Writing Converge, was written with Karen Biggs-Tucker. Maria is also the co-author of Scholastic’s Next Step Guided Reading Assessment with Jan Richardson.
Now an international consultant, ReLeah Cossett Lent began her career as a secondary teacher before becoming a founding member of a statewide literacy project at the University of Central Florida. she has written numerous books, most recently This is Disciplinary Literacy and Disciplinary Literacy in Action (Corwin). ReLeah is former chair of NCTE’s committee against censorship and the recipient of both NCTE and ALA’s intellectual freedom award in addition to being honored with the pen first amendment award at an event in her honor in New York City.
Angela Stockman is a writer, a writing teacher, and an instructional designer for Daemen College in Buffalo, New York. She's published three books on writing instruction including Make Writing (x10 Publications, 2015) and Creating Inclusive Writing Environments in the K-12 Classroom (Routledge, 2020). Her new books, which explore multimodal writing workshops at the K-5 and 6-12 levels will be published by Routledge in 2022.
My name is Adrienne Gear and I am an elementary teacher in Vancouver, Canada, where I have taught for over 20 years. I live in Vancouver with my husband, our two amazing boys and our dog. I am passionate about teaching, learning and best practice. I am also passionate (some might call it “obsessed”) with children’s literature and how to integrate books into all areas of learning.
Lester L. Laminack is Professor Emeritus at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, North Carolina where he received two awards for excellence in teaching. Lester is now a full-time writer and consultant working with schools throughout the United States and abroad. He is an active member of the National Council of Teachers of English and has served three years as coeditor of the NCTE journal Primary Voices and as editor of the Children’s Book Review Department of the NCTE journal Language Arts (2003–2006). He also served as a teaching editor for the magazine Teaching K–8 and wrote the Parent Connection column (2000–2002). He is a former member of the Whole Language Umbrella Governing Board, the Governing Board and Secretary of the North Carolina Association for the Education of Young Children, and the Board of Directors for the Center for the Expansion of Language and Thinking. He served as the Basic Reading Consultant to Literacy Volunteers of America from 1987 through 2001 and is a former member of the Board of Directors of Our Children’s Place. Lester has served as editor (2017) of the Writing Department for the ILA Journal Reading Teacher.
Recipient of ILA's Adolescent Literacy Thought Leader Award in 2017, Cris Tovani is a veteran teacher, staff developer, and nationally known consultant on issues of reading, content comprehension and assessment in secondary classrooms. She is the author of I Read It But I Don’t Get It, Do I Really Have to Teach Reading? and So, What do They Really Know?
Dr. Sonja Cherry-Paul is the adapter of the New York Times Best Seller, Stamped (For Kids). She is an educator, author, and the co-founder of the Institute for Racial Equity in Literacy. Sonja is the Director of Diversity and Equity at the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University and the host of The Black Creators Series. She develops curricula that centers the work of racial literacy in K-12 schools. Sonja leads presentations at educational conferences and works with educators around the world providing professional development on antiracist reading and writing instruction.
Dr. Gholnecsar (Gholdy) Muhammad is an Associate Professor of Language and Literacy at Georgia State University. She also serves as the director of the GSU Urban Literacy Collaborative & Clinic. She studies Black historical excellence within educational communities with goals of reframing curriculum and instruction today. Dr. Muhammad’s scholarship has appeared in leading educational journals and books. Some of her recognitions include the 2014 recipient of the National Council of Teachers of English, Promising New Researcher Award, the 2016 NCTE Janet Emig Award, the 2017 GSU Urban Education Research Award and the 2018 UIC College of Education Researcher of the Year. She works with teachers and young people across the United States and South Africa in best practices in culturally responsive instruction. She is the author of the best-selling book, Cultivating Genius: An Equity Model for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy.
BIO
We will look at classroom practices that help focus identity as a way to connect with the world around us through both reading and writing. I presented this topic at ILA NeXt and will be revamping it a bit for this.
Target Audience: High School Educators
Lisa Smith works as an ELL Consultant with Calgary Catholic School Division. In her role, she works to support school communities in providing safe, welcoming environments which offer meaningful classroom instruction to English Language Learners. She believes that the instructional strategies that are essential for ELLs are good for all students in every classroom.
Targeted scaffolding of activities and assessments provides ELLs access to content and the opportunity to demonstrate ability. Teachers will leave this interactive session with practical strategies for differentiating assessment.
Target Audience: ELL, K-12
Carla Cameron has been an educator for almost 20 years. She has had the opportunity to teach in all three prairie provinces, working with a variety of students in kindergarten through grade eight. Throughout her career, Carla has provided support for early literacy and intervention as a Classroom Teacher, Learning Resource Teacher, Workshop Presenter and has worked many summers with Alberta learning providing PAT support. Carla has experience with both mainstream and special education classrooms, working extensively with students who struggle with learning disabilities for the past 15 years at Foothills Academy. Currently, Carla is the Inclusive Practices Coordinator at Connect Charter, where she strives to empower and support all learners through collaboration with her wonderful team of teachers!
Engage your students literacy skills through strength based learning. Learn how to teach your Students the fundamentals of how to run a meeting and build on their public speaking skills through short presentations. Opportunities for choice enable students to demonstrate strengths while practicing these valuable skills.
Target Audience: Gr 4-9
Bev Smith has been a teacher for the past 35 years. She spent 27 of those as a classroom teacher before moving into the role of ESL/Literacy Lead Teacher. Bev has taught all elementary school grades, but for the majority of her career she has worked with primary aged students. She obtained her Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Saskatchewan her Master of Education degree at the University of Lethbridge with a literacy focus. Bev has supported teachers across Canada develop their literacy practices.
There is no question that children need to understand the relationship between spoken sounds and the letters that represent those sounds. The question is how do we do this in meaningful ways. In this session you will learn some of the research behind why "letter of the week" isn't the best way to teach the alphabet and what you can do instead. This session will be most appropriate for Kindergarten and Grade 1 teachers.
Target Audience: Early Learning
Charlie Kraig is a Learning Network Educational Services Professional Learning Consultant who is leading the Implementation work associated with the 'new' Alberta Curriculum. She is a passionate instructional leader who takes pride in helping others to improve their teaching practice.
Have you ever considered reading as an act of reconciliation? The contents of your TBR pile can help support your ongoing commitment to understanding the history and stories of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples of Turtle Island. This session will be a series of book talks, as well as time to share your own “must reads” with other participants.
Target Audience: K-12
Tracey Bowes just survived her 30th year of teaching! Tracey, a proud Word Nerd, splits her time between teaching middle school humanities and consulting with Mack Jack Learning. After 4 years, a back surgery and a pandemic she is finally finishing her certification in Orton-Gillingham Dyslexia Remediation with the Scottish-Rite Learning Centre of Canada. She has also completed both volumes of LETRS training (Language Essentials for Teaching Reading and Spelling) and feels equipped to teach anyone and everyone how to read and write! Tracey finds great joy in spreading the word about best practices in literacy education. If you ever want to talk about literacy solutions for all, drop Tracey a line at tracey@mackjacklearning.com or if you want to learn more about Structured Literacy practices, join us at the Structured Literacy Teachers-Canada Facebook Group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/sltcanada
Come see how to build your students’ morphological awareness in your middle school structured literacy program using Deb Glaser’s Morpheme Magic program.
Target Audience: Middle School Educators
Christina Pickles has been an environmental educator for 20 years and has worked in wetlands, badlands, forests and streams with students of all ages. For the last 5 years she has lead the Get Outside and Play Early Childhood Network in Alberta. She lives in Calgary minutes from the Bow River with her family.
Everything is possible outside! The senses open up to new experiences, we connect with our community and we are more physically active. These are all great things, but how does this connect with early literacy? We will explore this question in this session and you will leave with practical ideas to take back to the classroom. This session is most applicable to K-3 teachers.
Target Audience: K-3
Miriam Ramzy is the Director of Student Learning, Jr K - 6, for the Foothills School Division. The focus of her education, teaching practice, and professional development endeavours has been on early learning and literacy. Miriam has her PhD from the Werklund School of Education; her doctoral work looked at early literacy learning in a grade one setting, with an emphasis on writing instruction, and the role of printing and word study. Her passion for supporting teachers in building powerful literacy classrooms, where all learners experience success, drives her work.
Michelle Bence 's passion is early literacy. She is an enthusiastic educator with over 18 years of teaching experience. Over the past few years, Michelle has worked extensively with several school boards in Alberta, investigating professional teacher learning and evidence-based early literacy practice. Currently, Michelle is a Ph.D. student at the University of Calgary, examining the connection between oral language development and early literacy acquisition.
How do students make sense of the text that they read? In this 2-part session, we will uncover the 6 key elements in supporting a student's ability to recognize words and comprehend written language through a graphic we created titled, “The Layers of Reading Development”. Together, we will examine the research and guiding principles for each layer, highlighting its importance, and pair that with engaging, instructional strategies for you to take back to your classroom. Join us in deepening your understanding of reading development and what you can do to support your students in becoming skilled readers.
Target Audience:
Kendra Adams comes to SAPDC currently serving as a vice principal in a K-12 school and a student working towards a Master’s degree in literacy. Kendra started her career as a ⅚ teacher, and has since taught many different grade levels as well as fulfilling the role of a divisional Literacy Coordinator. Kendra is an enthusiastic lifelong learner who truly believes in Malala Yousafzai’s statement, “Let us remember, one child, one pen, one teacher, can change the world.” Kendra works with others to establish high expectations for learning and the belief that all students can learn.
This interactive session will walk participants through elements of Marzano, Beck, and McKeown’s ideas about effective vocabulary instruction. Each component explored will be paired with practical ideas for implementing in the classroom. This session is also relevant to Alberta’s focus on concept-based learning as effective strategies for acquiring new concepts as well as having students articulate the relationships between new concepts are shared.
Target Audience:
BIO
"This session will explore the idea of land literacy from an Indigenous Perspective.
Including: Understanding and experiencing connections with the land is fundamental to Indigenous Knowledge.
Intended Outcomes:
develop their own relationships with the land
interact with their environment and community
engage in authentic experiences
develop an understanding and appreciation of different relationships with the land
view the land from a holistic, interconnected perspective
Questions posed will include:
What is the geology of the land where I live? What are the actual soil types? What plants and animals might have existed here before humans began to make their mark? What were the historical uses of this land before settlement? How have precipitation patterns changed in recent years, and if they have what effect has it had on the land?"
Target Audience: Gr 6 - 12
Tannis is currently supporting Alberta teachers as a Professional Learning Facilitator with the Edmonton Regional Learning Consortium. She recently served as a curriculum consultant for the Edmonton Catholic School Division. Throughout her 30-year career as an educator, in both Edmonton and Winnipeg, Tannis remains passionate about teaching and learning, and the need for explicit literacy apprenticeship at all levels in all subject areas. Tannis is a voracious reader who believes all students deserve access to rich, diverse reading experiences and to a safe equitable space to talk about what they see, hear, think and feel. She is on a journey to disrupt and bring clarity to the conversations that drive our planning and assessment practice.
Using peer writing groups to elicit peer feedback and response, rather than the traditional “editing partner”, is a more focused and meaningful way to nurture student writers and amplify student voice. As teachers model and teach the conversation skills and feedback protocols writing groups need in order to move their work forward, students can become increasingly more comfortable sharing their work, more adept at receiving and providing quality feedback, and more willing to take risks in their own writing.
Target Audience: Gr 7 - 12
As a former educator, literacy consultant and currently founder and CEO of Calgary Reads, Steacy Pinney has been helping children experience the life-changing magic of reading for more than 35 years.
Steacy’s career began in the Grade 1 classroom, where she became passionate about helping children develop a love of reading. Later, as a literacy consultant, Steacy became inspired by a movement to ensure every child could read by the end of third grade, setting them up for success in school and in life. It became her mission to help all children read with confidence and joy, and this was the driving vision of Calgary Reads.
What began as a volunteer reading tutor program in just two schools is now a vibrant reading movement that reaches children, families and educators in so many ways. As a reading champion possibilitarian, and placemaker, one of Steacy’s proudest achievements is The Little Red Reading House, a magical home that lets children experience the joy of family reading time and the power of book ownership.
Join Steacy for this session in which she introduces you to the joy of reading children’s picture books not only with your students but for yourself as an adult. It can be a profound experience to re-encounter books that you once treasured and exciting to discover new ones. Be inspired to learn more about your sHelfie and the mental health benefits of falling into the pages of a book.
Target Audience: K - 12
Lois has been teaching with the Lethbridge School Division for over 20 years, with experience in elementary and middle schools from Kindergarten to Grade 8. Lois recently completed her Master of Education degree at the University of Lethbridge in Multiple Literacies in Canadian Classrooms with additional leadership courses at the U of L to achieve her Alberta Leadership Quality Standard certification. An advocate for equitable classrooms focused on student strengths, Lois is using her role as a Vice Principal and Learning Support Teacher to promote strong relationship building and positive school culture. Passionate about literacy and leadership, she believes that inclusive classrooms thrive by listening to the stories of others.
This session examines the following question by merging literacy and leadership: How can a school leader build positive school culture by listening to the stories around them, in order to establish responsive leadership that extends beyond walls? Using the nine competencies of the Alberta Leadership Quality Standard as a grounding framework, relationship-building practices are interwoven and discussed throughout each competency. I conclude that leaders who want to lead effectively today must be mindful of the stories around them to foster effective relationships, taking their influence beyond the walls of the school. Responsive leadership is relationship-driven, models lifelong learning, and seeks to create welcoming and inclusive environments for all learners through a foundation of a competency-driven framework. Positive school culture is sparked by leaders who are responsive to the stories around them.
Target Audience: Administrators
Charlie Kraig is a Learning Network Educational Services Professional Learning Consultant who is leading the Implementation work associated with the 'new' Alberta Curriculum. She is a passionate instructional leader who takes pride in helping others to improve their teaching practice.
Trisha Sotropa is currently a Learning Facilitator with the Southern Alberta Professional Development Consortium. During her career as an educator, she has been involved in leading literacy projects, facilitating social justice initiatives with students and coordinating cooperative planning. During her doctoral studies, Trisha investigated leading through a change process and engaging students and their families. Trisha has a deep love of learning and is always looking for ways to co-construct knowledge with colleagues.
Did you know that ARPDC had developed a library of professional learning “one pagers” that educators can use as part of their ongoing professional learning? This session will give time to explore the library and share plans and possibilities with other session participants.
Target Audience: K-12
BIO
A glimpse into the world of freelance writing and novel publishing from YA fantasy author Jenna Greene. She'll list a few tips and tricks of the trade, as well as distinguish between what works in the classroom and what publishers, agents, and editors are looking for.
Target Audience: 6 - 12
Donna Ross is a 30-year educator. She is a Cree-Métis from Saskatchewan and member of the One Arrow First Nation, Treaty Six territory. Donna began her teaching career as a classroom teacher with Tsuut’ina Nation and continued to support First Nations learners in subsequent positions with Siksika and Stoney Nakoda Nations, and is currently an Indigenous Designer of Learning with the Calgary Regional Consortium. Donna brings passion and also a deep knowledge of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit histories, the impact of residential schools, and the infusion of Indigenous ways of knowing into Alberta curriculum and organizational culture.
To learn how to use Indigenous literature more confidently in the classroom.
To be more knowledgeable about guiding principles for identifying key Indigenous themes in texts
Be familiarized with a handful of literacy strategies that align well to Indigenous pedagogies.
To be open to new possibilities of text, storytelling and exploring new truths ultimately contributing to reconciliation.
Sharing knowledge and fostering an understanding of how evidence based instruction informs classroom practice. As the parent of a child with dyslexia, Sandra has passionately embraced researching reading and writing instruction and has a wealth of knowledge and expertise to share from her 25 years of classroom experience. Sandra is presently taking her Masters of Reading Science degree from Mount Saint Joseph University, and is working on her Masters of Education in Dyslexia Therapy.
After teaching Kindergarten for 20 years, Sandra moved to teaching upper elementary. Not wanting to abandon the collection of picture books she acquired over the years, she has found ways to incorporate picture books into reading and writing lessons for upper elementary students. Sandra will share one of her favorite picture books and demonstrate how she uses this in her classroom, and how it can be adapted for younger or older students. The teacher will learn to push pupils to the edge of learning through asking targeted questions. You will leave this session with reading and writing lessons ready to inspire.
Target Audience: Gr 3-7
Becky and Kari have been actively involved in promoting literacy in schools and their community for 30+ years. They are passionate about literacy and are a trusted resource for teachers, parents and children; assisting them in book selections that inspire a love of reading and discovery.
Join the UofL Bookstore ladies as they book talk new and upcoming titles that will get you and your students excited about reading!
Do you have that nagging feeling that hidden out there – somewhere – is a book or two that just must get into the hands of your young readers? Well, who better than to help you mine those hidden gems than Becky Colbeck and Kari Tanaka from the University of Lethbridge Bookstore! With over 30 years of trade book experience between them, Becky and Kari not only know what’s hot, but what should be, in the K-12 market. Their book talks will include new releases and books for every reading ability, including a few that haven’t even hit store shelves yet! This session will be jam packed with information but, don’t worry, you will leave with a comprehensive list of all of the titles that were book talked…and then some. Plus, it will be fun! Like speed dating, but with books!
Target Audience: K - 12
Irene Heffel has been an educator for over 35 years. She has a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership. Her work revolves around staff development in the areas of literacy, curriculum and assessment. Currently Irene works with many districts throughout and beyond the province of Alberta. She is also an instructor at the University of Alberta and Concordia University College of Alberta.
As teachers, we are always looking for ways to motivate students to love reading. We know the rewards of reading are immense. Explicit reading instruction and appropriate texts are indeed valuable. Motivational support is sometimes overlooked. Practical strategies for supporting intrinsic motivation across curriculum will be addressed. Participants will also be afforded an opportunity to reflect on their own practices.
Target Audience: 10 - 12 cross curricular
Laura Weselowski has been an educator with over 20 years experience. She holds a Masters’ Degree in Educational research, specializing in the learning sciences. Her interests are focused on designing instructional environments and the principles of interaction and engagement in all learners. Through current research and literature, Laura uses the skills to develop expertise in theory of knowledge, successful teaching practices, as well as strategies of intervention to design and evaluate innovative learning experiences.
This session will be filled with tips and strategies to support reading and writing for teachers who are meeting the needs of all students; both online and those learning in a school setting. There will be a focus on the "how" and "why". How do we delivery the content and why do students need to know what they are learning?
Target Audience: K - 6