Teaching With Diversity in Mind
Schedule
Morning Keynote Speaker: William G. Brozo, Ph.D.
"Closing the Reading Achievement Gap for Boys: Honoring Diversity & Building Capacity"
Morning Keynote Speaker: Fenice Boyd, Ph.D.
"Diversity and the Curriculum: Using Multiple Text Types as Essential"
Morning Breakout Sessions
- Dr. William G. Brozo: "Motivating Boys to Read: Five Evidence-Based Principles"
- Dr. Fenice Boyd: "Diversity in action: Using multiple text types to support & enhance curriculum"
- Dr. Meg Pyterek, NLU Adjunct Faculty: "How to Choose Culturally Authentic Literature"In this session, teachers will learn how to discern culturally authentic, ambiguous, and inauthentic literature for their classrooms. Research will be shown on how to plan units of study by analyzing books for any ethnic group. Native American Literature will be the focus of the presentation. A sample database will be part of a detailed handout.
- Dr. Ann Speltz, NLU Adjunct Faculty: "Principles and Practices for Developing Curriculum Units for Gifted Students (K-8)"
This session will review the principles and practices of the Integrated Curriculum Model (ICM), and then focus on a selection of curriculum units developed by the presenter for use with high-ability students (grades K-8) in language arts and social studies. We will examine curriculum materials, view samples of student work, and discuss approaches for developing similar curricula incorporating ICM and Socratic discussion and questioning.
Lunch Keynote with author/storyteller Patricia Hruby Powell
Afternoon Breakout Session I
- Dr. Shari Frost, NLU Clinical Coach Instructor: "Literary Role Models for African American Boys"
Historically, African American boys have faced challenges in making reading a part of their lives. In this session, you will be introduced to, or become re-acquainted with unforgettable characters -who are African American boys. Your students will see a reflection of their life experiences and feelings as they connect with Elijah, Lonnie, and Nathaniel. - Sandra Conrad, NLU Adjunct Faculty ELL/Bilingual Education: "How To reach English Language Learners"
Becoming aware of how English Language Learners acquire English can set the stage for exciting learning to take place. This session will focus on important aspects which allow teachers to make this happen which include: the differences between basic language and academic language in the classroom, important aspects related to strong learning environments for ELL students, ways to avoid language misconceptions, and use of students' native language(s) to their advantage when acquiring English. - Beth Herrig, Reading Specialist, & Laura Anderson, Special Education Teacher: Expanding your toolbox! Strategies, ideas, and resources to help struggling readers (Tier 1) in your K-5 classroom
Teachers are expected to reach and teach all the children in your room regardless of their levels. When concerns arise about the lack of progress a student is making, teachers are told they need to implement strategies and document the effectiveness of those strategies prior to bringing him/her up for the problem solving process. Join us as we share different tools you can us in order to teach and assess (formative assessment) your struggling readers. - Laura Beltchenko, Associate Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction: "What to Do with the Gifted Few... Profiles in Literacy for the Advanced Reader"
This session will create an awareness of the attributes of advanced and gifted students as readers, writers and thinkers. Through these attributes we will explore their unique characteristics, as learners and consumers of literacy. The topics of critical and creative thinking and conceptual instruction will be discussed and literature that supports their literacy development will be highlighted through a book talk and bibliography.
Afternoon Breakout Session II
- Andrea Schaal, Split/multi-age classroom teacher: "Igniting boys' love for literacy: How to create a literacy program for boys with parent and school community support"
During this presentation, participants will learn how to create a book club for boys that involves parents and the school community. The presenter will share artifacts from past book clubs that will help participants in creating a literacy program that matches the unique needs of individual schools. - Jeanine Buishas, Instructional Specialist, "Differentiating literacy instruction for gifted learners"
This session will provide participants with resources and strategies that can be used to effectively differentiate literacy instruction for gifted and talented learners. Areas of focus include: 1) incorporating choice and challenge into your reading instruction, 2) using questioning strategies to elicit high level responses and 3) encouraging creativity through metaphorical thinking and writing. - Dr. Donna Wakefield, NLU Associate Professor and Dr. Melanie Koss, Assistant Professor Northern Illinois University: "Disability in Children's and Young Adult Literature"
Children's literature often includes characters with special needs. These individuals are part of our schools and communities and viewing such individuals as multi-dimensional and capable can help students learn about diversity and acceptance. Books that depict special needs characters will be discussed and extension activities presented.
Book Signing with author Patricia Hruby Powell