At the International Literacy Association 2015 Conference, expect the unexpected. General Session speakers are always champions of literacy, but this year there is an extra flash of celebrity with a legendary athlete and an Academy Award winner. Both will bring entertainment and inspiration to the stage in St. Louis.
First, one of the most successful athletes of all time participates when Shaquille O’Neal takes the stage for the Opening General Session on Saturday, July 18. A professional basketball player for 19 years, O’Neal has diversified from sports to rap music to acting and more.
In 2012, he earned an EdD from Barry University in leadership and education. He’s also written several books, including Little Shaq (Bloomsbury USA Children’s), due for release in October.
He reinforces his commitment to children, community, and education through his support of the Boys and Girls Club of America.
Octavia Spencer will wrap up the conference at the Closing General Session on Monday, July 20. Spencer will share her story of overcoming learning difficulties to succeed in school, and what led to her eventually foray into children’s books with her Randi Rhodes, Ninja Detective series. Spencer is best known for her Oscar-winning turn as Minny Jackson in The Help, but can be seen in theaters now co-starring with Kevin Costner in Black or White.
The March/April issue of Reading Today magazine will feature in-depth looks at the General Session speakers as well as a host of other conference-related highlights. The issue will be available online to nonmembers. To get Reading Today delivered to your home, become a member of ILA.
The ILA 2015 Conference will be July 18-20 in St. Louis, MO, with more than 6,000 educators ready to transform their practice. Key topics affecting literacy featured at the conference include content literacy, children’s literature, classroom engagement, and professional development. In addition to conference favorites, including a revamped Teaching Edge series, there will be plenty of brand new features like the Author Meetups. More than 120 exhibitors will be on hand with new tools and technologies for all manners of literacy education.
Preconference institutes, which take place on July 17, offer an all-day deep dive into topics including culturally responsive instruction and building literacy through project-based learning. You do not need to register for the full Conference & Exhibits to take part in the preconference institutes.
Learn more about the conference programs at ilaconference.org. Register today for the ILA 2015 Conference to take advantage of special Early Bird pricing.
April Hall is editor of Literacy Daily. A journalist for about 20 years, she has written and edited for newspapers, websites, and magazines. She covered a great deal of educational issues including the roll-out of both Race to the Top and Common Core State Standards.