Lehigh Valley

Call for proposals issued for Diverse Literacies Conference

Tenth annual conference to be held Sept. 24

Penn State Lehigh Valley, in conjunction with the Lehigh Valley Writing Project, is pleased to announce a call for proposals for the 10th annual Diverse Literacies Conference, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 24, at the Bear Creek Mountain Resort & Conference Center in Macungie, Pennsylvania. The deadline for proposal submission is May 31.

This year’s conference theme is "Language as a Resource for Revaluing Diverse Learners." Yetta Goodman will be this year’s keynote speaker. Goodman is Regents Professor Emerita at the University of Arizona’s College of Education Program of Language, Reading and Culture. She continues to consult with education departments and speaks at conferences regarding issues of language, teaching and learning. Her many publications in support of students and teachers focus on early literacy, miscue analysis and reading and writing processes. Her most recent publication, “The Essential RMA: A Window into Readers’ Thinking,” is co-authored with colleagues Prisca Martens and Alan Flurkey. She has popularized the term “kidwatching,” encouraging teachers to be professional observers of the language and learning of their students, and she continues to demonstrate miscue analysis and RMA with readers from diverse backgrounds. She is a past president of National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), CELT, and has served on the board of directors of the International Reading Association (IRA). She is a past president, co-historian and member of the Reading Hall of Fame. Her whole language philosophy and extensive writing is focused on classrooms, students and teachers.

Conference organizers are inviting program proposals from educators of various backgrounds, including elementary teachers; reading, ESL and other specialists; secondary content area teachers; higher education faculty; adult education instructors; preservice teachers; and other professionals. Presenters can submit proposals for four types of presentations: Demonstration Workshop, Research Session, Graphic Display Session or Strategy Stations.

For more information or to submit a presentation proposal for this conference, please visit www.diverseliteracies.org, or contact Marisa Hockman at mlk239@psu.edu or by calling 302-381-7266.

Last Updated May 11, 2016