webinar

Utilizing Disciplinary Literacy Mentor Texts

Teaching

Literacy in the Disciplines, 6-12 (LiD) is pleased to announce our next webinar.

One of the greatest challenges secondary educators face is supporting students as they navigate challenging disciplinary texts. In this webinar, we make the case that being more intentional with selecting mentor texts aligned to meaningful disciplinary purposes. We will clarify our definition of “text”, consider what it means to apprentice students into the disciplinary text, and define a process for intentional text selection in service of a problem frame. Resources will be provided to support the application in participants’ contexts.

This webinar was held on June 15 2023. Cost: Free. LiD6-12 is funded by the South Carolina Middle Grades Initiative.

The video for this webinar is available here or embedded below.

This webinar featured Jenelle Williams, Oakland Schools, Michigan.

Jenelle Williams is a Literacy Consultant at
Oakland Schools, Michigan. She joined
the organization in 2017 following 18 years
of experience in public schools at the
elementary, middle, and high school
levels. She has served as a classroom
teacher, International Baccalaureate
Middle Years Programme Coordinator, IB
Educator and Examiner, and adjunct
professor. Jenelle recently stepped into
the position of co-editor of the Michigan
Reading Journal. She holds an Education
Specialist in Leadership and a Master’s
degree in Reading and Language Arts.
Jenelle works with teachers, building
leaders, and central office administrators
throughout Michigan as Co-Chair of the
statewide Disciplinary Literacy Task Force.

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Photo by Jehyun Sung on Unsplash

Literacy Behind Bars: Addressing Incarcerated Youth’s Literacy Needs

Research

Literacy in the Disciplines, 6-12 (LiD) is pleased to announce our next webinar.

Literacy Behind Bars: Addressing Incarcerated Youth’s Literacy Needs

Despite the fact that our country has less than 5% of the world’s inhabitants, we house almost 25% of the total prison population. As educators, we need not only to be aware that we are living in the “age of incarceration” (Hill, 2013), but also recognize the need to develop constructive responses to it. As educators, we have a social responsibility to design curriculum and pedagogy that expands literacy instruction in correctional facilities. This webinar will discuss a fourteen-year-old summer reading partnership between a university and the Department of Juvenile Justice. The presenter will share what she has learned from teaching and working with incarcerated youth.

When: This webinar was held on Thursday, May 18, 6:00 – 7:00 pm ET.

The video recording of this session is available below.

Cost: Free. LiD6-12 is funded by the South Carolina Middle Grades Initiative.

This session featured Dr. Mary Styslinger.

Dr. Styslinger is a professor of English and literacy education at the University of South Carolina where she directed the Midlands Writing Project and served as secondary program coordinator. She is a past president of the South Carolina Council of Teachers of English and currently co-edits South Carolina English Teacher. Her research interests include interweaving literacy into the English curriculum, teaching English for democracy and justice, and serving marginalized and at-risk youth. She is the author of Workshopping the Canon and co-editor of Literacy Behind Bars as well as articles published in English Journal, Voices from the Middle, Language Arts, and Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy. Her new book, Workshopping the Canon for Democracy and Justice, will be published by NCTE this summer.

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The Leadership Needed to Support Disciplinary Literacy Initiatives Webinar

Teaching

In this webinar, Dr. Ippolito will present multiple evidence-based ways for both formal and informal literacy leaders—principals, instructional coaches, and teacher leaders—to support disciplinary literacy initiatives across grade levels and content areas. This session is intended to support both teachers and leaders, as we collaboratively navigate disciplinary literacy work in a post-pandemic world.

When: March 30, 2023 6-7PM EST

Cost: Free

The following resources were shared during the webinar.

Jacy is a professor in literacy and leadership at the McKeown School of Education at Salem State University (Salem, MA), where he currently codirects graduate programs in Educational Leadership and the Center for Educational Leadership at SSU (CEL@SSU). Jacy’s work focuses on the intersection of literacy coaching, educational leadership, adolescent/disciplinary literacy, and school reform, and his most recent books include Disciplinary Literacy Inquiry & Instruction (2019), An UnCommon Theory of School Change (2019), Investigating Disciplinary Literacy (2017), and Cultivating Coaching Mindsets (2016).

For more about Jacy and his work, please visit:
www.visualcv.com/jacyippolito or
www.twitter.com/Jippolito

Cover Photo by Natalie Pedigo on Unsplash

Webinar: Using Curiosity to Write in Science

Teaching

Literacy in the Disciplines, 6-12 (LiD) is pleased to announce our next after-school Webinar Series session.

Using Curiosity to Write in Science

This webinar features two science teachers sharing ways literacy can be used to support science content learning. The purpose of this webinar is to communicate learning in science through the CER framework and provide examples of how writing can be a tool to enhance science knowledge. Our goal is to give other science teachers tools to incorporate writing in their classrooms and more students towards specialized science writing practices.

When: This webinar was held on Thursday, January 19, 6:00 – 7:00 pm ET.

The video recording of this session is available below.

Cost: Free. LiD6-12 is funded by the South Carolina Middle Grades Initiative.

This session featured Anna Stuart and Wanda Littlejohn.

Cost: Free. LiD6-12 is funded by the South Carolina Middle Grades Initiative.

Ms. Anna Stuart is an 8th grade science teacher in Lexington, SC. Anna earned her bachelor’s degree in middle level sciences and her master’s degree in Language and Literacy from the University of South Carolina. As the lead science teacher at her school, she is passionate about creating curiosity in her classroom and helping students see themselves as scientists. She serves on the Board of LiD 6-12.

Ms. Wanda Littlejohn is a native of North Augusta, SC, and has 22 years’ experience in the field of education with a background in science. Currently, she is an Instructional Specialist at Carolina High School where she provides professional development for teachers. Her passion is working with educators to provide engaging and equitable learning experiences for students. Additionally, she enjoys spending time with her 15-year old son and shopping. She serves on the Board of LiD 6-12.

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Webinar: Transdisciplinarity as a Gateway to Critical Literacy

Announcements

Literacy in the Disciplines, 6-12 (LiD) is pleased to announce our next after-school Webinar Series session.

Traversing, Transforming, Transcending, and Transgressing wicked problems in the classroom.

Many critical societal problems are neither simple nor easily solved; they are wicked problems (Zellner & Campbell, 2015). A wicked problem is a social or cultural challenge that involves many social systems and groups, has unpredictable outcomes, and defies typical problem-solving techniques (Rittel & Webber, 1973). To address real-world, wicked problems, a transdisciplinary lens is needed to support educators and students as they engage with content in ways that extend beyond traditional academic boundaries (Alford & Head, 2017). Students experience deeper learning and start thinking outside the box when their teachers collaborate to present different aspects of the same subject across various disciplines. (Mauser et al., 2013). A transdisciplinary lens allows one to construct meaning in more authentic contexts where
disciplines intersect, combine, and work together (Rice, 2013). This session will define transdisciplinarity and provide teachers with techniques to expand critical literacy opportunities in their classrooms.

When: This webinar was held on Tuesday, December 28th, 2022, 6:00 – 7:00 pm ET.

The slide deck for the presentation is embedded below.

The video recording of this session is available below.

Cost: Free. LiD6-12 is funded by the South Carolina Middle Grades Initiative.

This session featured Dr. W. Ian O’Byrne.

Cost: Free. LiD6-12 is funded by the South Carolina Middle Grades Initiative.

This session will feature Dr. W. Ian O’Byrne

Dr. W. Ian O’Byrne (@wiobyrne) is an associate professor of literacy education at the College of Charleston in South Carolina. His research focuses on individuals’ dispositions and literacy practices as they read, write, and communicate in online and/or hybrid spaces. Ian is the author of many journal articles and book chapters focusing on initiatives ranging
from online and hybrid coursework, integrating technology in the classroom, computational thinking, and supporting marginalized students in literacy practices. His work can be found on his website or in his weekly newsletter.

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Webinar: What does Critical Literacy have to do with my Teaching?

Announcements

Literacy in the Disciplines, 6-12 (LiD) is pleased to announce our next after-school Webinar Series session.

What does Critical Literacy have to do with my Teaching?

Learning through a critical literacy lens encourages students to take steps toward identifying potential solutions to current, real-world problems (Vasquez et al., 2019). They can do this when educators ask
them to explore “personal, sociopolitical, economic and intellectual border identities” when they read (Bishop, 2014, p. 52), and to promote valid, thoughtful critique of the power structures they either are subjected to or that are upheld in their classrooms. This session will define critical literacy and provide frameworks and techniques for teachers to begin exploring this concept in their classrooms.

When: Tuesday, November 22nd, 2022, 6:00 – 7:00 pm ET.

The recording of this event is embedded below.

Cost: Free. LiD6-12 is funded by the South Carolina Middle Grades Initiative.

This session will feature Drs. Rachelle Savitz and Jennifer D. Morrison.

Dr. Rachelle S. Savitz is an associate professor of reading/literacy at East Carolina University. Her scholarship investigates teacher self-efficacy, literacy within the disciplines, and the use of culturally sustaining pedagogy and practices. She worked across the grade levels as a reading teacher, literacy coach, reading interventionist, and music teacher. She has three published/in-press books and has been published in such journals as Teaching and Teaching Education, Literacy Research and Instruction, Whiteness and Education, and Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy. She serves as the President of LiD 6-12.

Dr. Jennifer D. Morrison is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of South Carolina and a National Board Certified Teacher. She worked as a middle and high school English teacher and instructional coach for 19 years. Her research agenda focuses on teacher induction, literacy attainment (particularly digital and multimodal), and teacher inquiry processes. She has been published in such journals as: English Journal, Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, Talking Points, Principal Leadership, and Educational Leadership. She serves as the interim Vice President and Secretary of LiD 6-12.

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Webinar: Tensions & Supports Between Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Pedagogy & Disciplinary Literacy

Uncategorized

Literacy in the Disciplines, 6-12 (LiD) is pleased to announce our next after-school Webinar Series session.

Tensions and Supports Between Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Pedagogy and Disciplinary Literacy.

What are Culturally Relevant and Sustaining Pedagogies? What is Disciplinary Literacy? Understanding Ourselves, Our Curriculum, and Our Students. Building Students’ Cultural Competence in Disciplinary Literacy: How Can We Do It? Tensions in Disciplinary Literacy and CSP.

The video recording and the associated slides for the session are available at the bottom of this page.

When:  Thursday, June 23, 2022, 6:00 – 7:00 pm ET.

Where: Please register here for the July session.  A Zoom link will be sent one day before the session.

Cost: Free. LiD6-12 is funded by the South Carolina Middle Grades Initiative.

This session will feature Drs. Rachelle Savitz and Britnie D. Kane.

Dr. Rachelle S. Savitz is an assistant professor of adolescent literacy at Clemson University having been a K-12 literacy coach/interventionist and high school reading teacher. She is the recipient of Association of Literacy Educators and Researcher’s Jerry Johns Promising Researcher Award, American Reading Forum’s Gary Moorman Early Career Literacy Scholar Award, finalist for International Literacy Association’s Timothy and Cynthia Shanahan Outstanding Dissertation award, as well as Secondary Reading Council of Florida’s Reading Teacher of the Year award. She has published articles on inquiry-based learning, analysis and use of young adult literature, and response to intervention.

Britnie Delinger Kane is an Associate Professor of Literacy Education at The Citadel’s Zucker Family School of Education. Broadly, her research interests focus on DL and instructional coaching. Dr. Kane has published in Teachers College Record, the Journal of Teacher Education, the American Educational Research Journal, the Journal of the Learning Sciences, and elsewhere. She serves as the Literacy Program Coordinator at her home institution, the Associate Director of the Lowcountry Writing Project, and the Vice President of LiD 6-12.

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LiD-June-Presentation-Savitz-and-KaneDownload

Webinar: Providing Access to Content Area Learning for Students with Disabilities

Uncategorized

Literacy in the Disciplines, 6-12 (LiD) is pleased to announce our next after-school Webinar Series session.

Providing Access to Content Area Learning for Students with Disabilities.

When you think about instruction in the content areas, do you automatically think that all students have the opportunity to engage in this type of learning?  Can students beyond those with learning disabilities meaningfully participate in content area classrooms?  In this session, we will explore what access means for students with disabilities and identify ways to engage this group in content area instruction.   

The video recording of the session is available at the bottom of this page.

When:  Thursday, July 14, 2022, 6:00 – 7:00 pm ET.

Where: Please register here for the July session.  A Zoom link will be sent one day before the session.

Cost: Free. LiD6-12 is funded by the South Carolina Middle Grades Initiative.

This session will feature Dr. Kavin Ming.

Kavin Ming is a Professor of Literacy at Winthrop University.  Her research interests include at-risk student populations, culturally responsive pedagogy, content area literacy instruction, disciplinary literacy, and multisensory teaching of literacy skills.  She is published in a wide variety of journals that include general and special education populations.  She currently serves as the Curriculum and Pedagogy department chair in the Richard W. Riley College of Education. 

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Webinar: Supporting Literacy and Content-Area Learning

Uncategorized

Literacy in the Disciplines, 6-12 (LiD) is pleased to announce our next after-school Webinar Series session.

But I Want to Teach What I’m Really Teaching: Supporting Literacy and Content-Area Learning

This webinar will include activities and discussions intended to help educators understand some of the ways that literacy differs across disciplines. The focus of the session is to encourage teachers to support literacy while helping students meet content-specific learning goals. Being aware of our own use of literacy strategies opens up discussions of how to continuously enrich every lesson, every day with content-area and disciplinary literacy practices.  

When: Thursday, May 12, 2022, 6:00 – 7:00 pm ET.

Cost: Free. LiD6-12 is funded by the South Carolina Middle Grades Initiative.

The recording of this webinar is embedded below. The slide deck is available beneath the video.

This session will feature Dr. Britnie D. Kane and Charlene Aldrich.

Britnie Delinger Kane is an Assistant Professor of Literacy Education at The Citadel’s Zucker Family School of Education. Broadly, her research interests focus on DL and instructional coaching. Dr. Kane has published in Teachers College Record, the Journal of Teacher Education, the American Educational Research Journal, the Journal of the Learning Sciences, and elsewhere. She serves as the Literacy Program Coordinator at her home institution, the Associate Director of the Lowcountry Writing Project, and the Vice President of LiD 6-12.

Charlene Aldrich is an instructor in the Office of Professional Development at the College of Charleston. While content-area literacy is her specialty, she also teaches Assessments in Reading, Foundations in Reading, and Instructional Practices as required by South Carolina for recertification. She serves as the Treasurer of LiD 6-12.

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Webinar: Developing a community of inquiry focused on poetry and multimodal exploration

Uncategorized

Literacy in the Disciplines, 6-12 (LiD) is pleased to announce our third after-school Webinar Series session. The slide deck and video of the session is available below.

Talk, Text, Content & Context: Using Poetry & Multimodal Exploration to Develop a Community of Inquiry

This webinar will share guidance from a research-tested way to embed literacy and technology instruction in and across disciplines by focusing in poetry response and writing using digital, multimodal texts. The #WalkMyWorld project started with a community focus on poetry and multimodal exploration; it then developed into a community of inquiry. The focus of this session is to identify opportunities to have students explore various lifeworlds by responding to and authoring multimodal poetry. In #WalkMyWorld, educators and students create a social space of engagement to explore civic uses of social media. This exploration served as an opportunity to consider the media literacies at play as the group participated as a community of writers. 

When: Thursday, April 28, 2022, 6:00 – 7:00 pm ET.

Cost: Free. LiD6-12 is funded by the South Carolina Middle Grades Initiative.

This session will feature Dr. W. Ian O’Byrne and Caroline Graham.

Dr. W. Ian O’Byrne (@wiobyrne) is an associate professor of literacy education at the College of Charleston in South Carolina. His research focuses on the dispositions and literacy practices of individuals as they read, write, and communicate in online and/or hybrid spaces. Ian is the author of many journal articles and book chapters focusing on initiatives ranging from online and hybrid coursework, integrating technology in the classroom, computational thinking, and supporting marginalized students in literacy practices. His work can be found on his website or in his weekly newsletter.

Caroline Graham (she/her/hers) is currently a College of Charleston student majoring in Secondary Education and English. She is a South Carolina Teaching Fellow at the College serving as the President. You can see more of Caroline on her website:  https://cgaggraham.wixsite.com/website 

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