The Equity in Education Program at the International Literacy Association (ILA) 2019 Conference will offer multiple opportunities to explore literacy’s role in creating equitable learning environments—particularly by examining the intersection of social-emotional learning (SEL), equity, and literacy.

To help us prepare, we will be discussing the topic during our next #ILAchat on Thursday, September 12, at 8:00 p.m. ET: Social-Emotional Learning in the Literacy Classroom.

More and more schools around the globe are prioritizing and promoting SEL, which aims to develop interpersonal skills, self-regulation, and the ability to feel and demonstrate empathy. Many educators turn to SEL-informed literacy instruction to pave a powerful pathway to equity, yet very little has been written about how SEL, equity, and literacy intersect.

This is the driving goal of the Equity in Education Program, which now spans all four days of the conference, October 10–13 in New Orleans, LA.

Our special guests for this Thursday’s chat are three speakers who will be participating in our Equity in Education Program events:

• Shawna Coppola, an educator for almost two decades, working both as a middle school language arts teacher (grades 6-8) and a literacy specialist/coach (K-6). As someone who believes in neurodiversity, she is a fierce advocate for all students, as reflected in her two books on writing as well as her contributions to a variety of educational blogs. Coppola’s work includes designing collaborative, inquiry-based projects that engage children in critical conversations around race, equity, and social justice.
• Gerald Dessus, a middle school cultural studies teacher at The Philadelphia School in Pennsylvania and an ILA 30 Under 30 honoree for 2019. Dessus has dedicated his career to serving historically underrepresented youth in Philadelphia and, in addition to teaching, he serves as regional director for Beta Gamma Chi Fraternity Incorporated, a national inclusive fraternity he cofounded in 2009.
• Kimberly Eckert, 2018 Louisiana State Teacher of the Year. Eckert is a high school English teacher, reading specialist, and innovative programs coordinator. Previously, she served as a special education teacher, a reading interventionist, and an instructional coach. In addition to teaching, she serves as a National Education Association Foundation Global Learning Fellow and a Louisiana Educator Advocacy Development Fellow. She recently received Louisiana’s inaugural Public Interest Fellowship for her work with Educators Rising.

Follow #ILAchat and @ILAToday at 8 p.m. ET this Thursday, September 12, to join the conversation with Coppola, Dessus, Eckert, and ILA as we look at what makes the literacy classroom an ideal environment for social-emotional learning, best practices in SEL, how SEL can boost motivation and engagement, and much more.

Visit our conference website for more information about Equity in Education Program events at ILA 2019.