Inaugural Literacy Education Conference targets K-12 issues

Cathy Block

NOTE: To access a video clip of UW literacy education professor Jim Baumann talking about this conference click here.

   An intensive opportunity to explore a range of targeted topics awaits K-12 educators who attend the first annual University of Wyoming Literacy Education Conference, scheduled for Sept. 19-20 in Laramie.
   The inaugural conference will provide sessions of interest to K-12 classroom teachers; reading/literacy teachers, specialists, coordinators, and coaches; special educators; administrators and supervisors; instructional paraprofessionals; and teacher education students. The UW Excellence Fund in Literacy Education provided significant financial support for the event.
   Registration before Sept. 5 is $40 per person. Registration after that date is $50.
   Texas Christian University faculty member Cathy Collins Block will lead two keynote presentations addressing general literacy topics.
   Her first session will focus on "Newest Best Comprehension Practices: How We Can Create Success for All Generation Y Students." This presentation will demonstrate several instructional practices show to significantly increase comprehension for struggling, on-grade level, and gifted readers.
   Block's Saturday morning keynote will explore "Powerful Vocabulary Instruction: The Keynote to Literacy Success for All Students." This presentation will explore four major domains of vocabulary instruction that have been shown to help students uncover meanings of words that they encounter.
   Block is the author of more than 250 research articles, books, and chapters covering comprehension development, vocabulary achievement, exemplary teaching practices, and the effects of curricular initiatives on student literacy success.
   Breakout sessions will allow participants to explore specific topics of concern to different grade levels in greater depth, Sessions will cover such literacy topics as "Helping English Language Learners Learn to Read," "The Video Generation Meets Print: Helping All Readers Succeed," and "Writer's Workshop: A Practical Approach."
   For a copy of the conference brochure, visit http://outreach.uwyo.edu/conferences/literacy/2008literacybrochure.pdf. To register for the conference online, visit https://oscse.uwyo.edu/eventmanager/OnlineRegistration.asp?EventCode=VAO.
 

Posted on Tuesday, August 26, 2008