Free for Everyone
ILA hosts free events that include conversations around timely topics and provide opportunities for attendees to learn from and engage with one another.
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Caregivers as Coaches: Partnering With Families to Promote Language Growth at Home
Discover how families and caregivers can play a vital role in their children's language growth while honoring their cultural heritage in this ILA Webinar with Mai Zaru. Zaru, the recipient of ILA’s 2023 Jeanne S. Chall Research Fellowship, will explore how the peer-assisted reading strategy can be used to promote multilingual learning experiences and foster stronger family connections. Participants will gain tools and knowledge to help connect with families and support children's language skills while valuing their diverse backgrounds and experiences.
Takeaways:
- Learn routines and practices that families can implement to boost their children's literacy development.
- Become familiar with the relatively new domain of translanguaging practices that take place within the home setting.
- Learn about tools for caregivers and educators to support language growth in students from diverse linguistic backgrounds and nationalities.
Who should register: School-based educators, principals, teacher educators, preservice teachers, and caregivers
Registration: FREE FOR EVERYONE
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Adding Encoding to Phonics Lessons
Incorporating daily spelling practice within phonics lessons enhances students’ understanding of the intricate relationships between sounds and letters—which enriches their phonemic awareness, decoding abilities, vocabulary, writing skills, and overall language proficiency. In this session, Wiley Blevins will lead attendees through multiple ways to add and differentiate spelling during their phonics lessons, including dictation, word building, word sorts, and writing about decodable texts. Participants will learn strategies to help build a comprehensive approach to literacy and language development that will promote deeper understanding and engagement in their classroom.
Who should register: Classroom teachers, literacy/instructional coaches, reading/literacy specialists, literacy supervisors/coordinators, instructional leads, teacher educators, and principals
Registration: FREE FOR EVERYONE
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Sponsored in part by Sadlier School
Dyslexia: What We Know and What We Want to Know
Join us for a free webinar focusing on key questions literacy educators have about dyslexia—and which instructional supports research tells us are most effective. Dana A. Robertson, chair of the ILA Research Committee, will lead a discussion featuring Young-Suk Kim, Dominic Wyse, and Danielle Dennis.
Who should register: School-based educators, principals, teacher educators, and preservice teachers
Registration: FREE FOR EVERYONE
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Thank You to Our Event Supporter
Choosing Your Favorites: New Reader-Selected Books for Your Collections
In 2020, amid the global pandemic, the International Literacy Association (ILA) suspended production of the popular reader-selected Choices book lists. Three years later, the Children’s Book Council (CBC), our longtime Choices cosponsor, gave the project new life—and a new name.
In this webinar, meet some popular authors featured on the CBC’s inaugural Favorites Lists, as well as hear from CBC Executive Director Carl Lennertz on this fresh take on the classic (and beloved) resource.
As an added bonus, the winners of the 2023 ILA Children’s and Young Adult Book Awards will be revealed by project chair Sonja Ezell.
Get ready—your to-be-read pile is about to get a whole lot taller!
Who should register: Classroom teachers, literacy/instructional coaches, librarians, reading/literacy specialists, literacy supervisors/coordinators, and instructional leads
Registration: FREE FOR EVERYONE
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Thank You to Our Event Supporters
New Voices in Children’s and YA Lit: Meet the 2023 ILA Award-Winning Authors
ILA’s Children’s and Young Adult Book Awards shine a spotlight on emerging authors who display unusual promise with their first or second publication. At this webinar, emceed by book awards chair Sonja Ezell, age-level subcommittee leads Miriam Martinez, Margaret Osgood Opatz, and Thu Anh Nguyen will sit down with some of this year’s winners for a robust discussion about their books’ contemporary relevance and universal themes, the importance of authentic and engaging texts, and the power that high-quality, diverse children’s literature holds to open our minds to the past, present, and future.
Who should register: Classroom teachers, literacy/instructional coaches, librarians, reading/literacy specialists, literacy supervisors/coordinators, and instructional leads
Registration: FREE FOR EVERYONE
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Thank You to Our Event Supporters
Using Literature to Promote Understanding, Empathy, and Global Citizenship
Literature has the power to open minds to new worlds, new understandings, and new possibilities. This free ILA Webinar, held in partnership with the United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY), explores ways to leverage high-quality, global literature for powerful learning opportunities. Mónica Montañés (author of Different), Mari Kanstad Johnsen (illustrator of Bedtime for Bo), Paloma Valdivia (illustrator of Book of Questions) and Sara Lissa Paulson (translator of Book of Questions), whose books were named to USBBY’s 2023 Outstanding International Books List, will be on hand to discuss their work and how engaging young readers in world literature can help them become active global citizens.
Registration: FREE FOR EVERYONE
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The Impact and Influence of ILA National Recognition
Attracting teacher candidates in this competitive climate requires preparation programs to demonstrate both excellence and value. At this free webinar, learn how earning ILA National Recognition can do both—and help your program stand out from its competitors.
Hosted by J. Helen Perkins, chair of the ILA National Recognition Commission, the event will feature representatives from schools that have been successful in earning this achievement, as well as Diane Kern, cochair of the ILA Standards Revision Committee and a key architect of the ILA National Recognition Program.
Speakers will address
- The benefits of earning ILA National Recognition
- What it’s like to go through the process
- How to determine if ILA National Recognition is right for your school
- Ways to become a program reviewer
Participants interested in becoming a volunteer reviewer for the ILA National Recognition program will be invited to join breakout discussions to ask questions and get more in-depth information.
Who should register: Higher education faculty/coordinators interested in strengthening or expanding their specialized literacy professional or elementary teacher preparation programs; potential volunteer reviewers.
Has your program already earned ILA National Recognition or is it in the process of earning the seal of approval? This event is for you as well. Indicate your level of participation during the registration process, as well as any interest you have in networking with other recipients/current candidates.
Registration: FREE
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Fostering Literate Identities for Struggling Readers
Learn how to boost engagement, bridge foundational skills gaps, and foster confidence in readers who struggle through
- Evidence-based practices that are responsive to the diverse and unique needs of readers
- Literacy experiences that use authentic inquiry, multigenre text sets, and constructive conversations
- Hands-on activities, digital tools, gamification, and easy-to-implement literacy strategies that empower readers
Join Frances L. Gonzalez-Garcia, literacy consultant and former teacher, reading specialist, and district-level ELA coordinator, for classroom-ready resources that create optimal literacy pathways—as well as tools you can use to create similar professional learning experiences in your school or district.
The ILA Resource Collection: Supporting Readers Who Struggle will be used to demonstrate core concepts. Owning the collection is not required, but it may enhance the participant experience.
Using Dungeons & Dragons to Scaffold Writing Instruction
Storytelling is central to the roleplaying game Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), and players who build and navigate in-game “campaigns” are essentially exercising their writing muscle. In this ILA Webinar, you’ll not only learn how D&D can be a powerful motivator for student writing but also leave with practical ideas for incorporating the fantasy world into your scaffolded writing instruction.
Speakers include:
- Earl Aguilera
- Maryanne Cullinan
- Kade C. Wells
- Rebecca West
This event was the third in a sponsored three-part series that ILA hosted in collaboration with Wizards of the Coast, who created a website specifically for educators with additional resources and a free D&D Afterschool Kit that contains everything you need to start a D&D club at your school or library.
You might also be interested in these other free webinars: Building Emotional Literacy Through Dungeons & Dragons and Leveling Up Reluctant Readers With Dungeons & Dragons.
Dungeons & Dragons is intended for ages 12+.
Registration: FREE
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Sponsored by Wizards of the Coast
TM & © 2022 Wizards of the Coast LLC
Leveling Up Reluctant Readers With Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) may require many-sided dice, but it’s the storytelling that fuels the game. Players create characters and work together to navigate fantasy worlds, developing literacy skills alongside of social, emotional, and cooperative ones. In this ILA Webinar, you’ll learn how to leverage the opportunities D&D provides to engage and motivate even the most reluctant reader, building the foundation for a lifelong love of reading.
Speakers include:
- Alex Corbitt
- Emily Rayner
- Kade C. Wells
This event was the second in a sponsored three-part series that ILA hosted in collaboration with Wizards of the Coast, who created a website specifically for educators with additional resources and a free D&D Afterschool Kit that contains everything you need to start a D&D club at your school or library.
You might also be interested in these other free webinars: Building Emotional Literacy Through Dungeons & Dragons and Using Dungeons & Dragons to Scaffold Writing Instruction.
Dungeons & Dragons is intended for ages 12+.
Registration: FREE
VIEW ON DEMAND
Sponsored by Wizards of the Coast
TM & © 2022 Wizards of the Coast LLC
Building Emotional Literacy Through Dungeons & Dragons
Ditch any outdated notions you have about Dungeons & Dragons (D&D). The fantasy roleplaying game’s mix of storytelling, strategy, and teamwork make it a powerful tool for building social-emotional skills. In this ILA Webinar, you’ll learn how school- or library-based communities can enhance D&D’s ability to boost players’ social-emotional and literacy learning and ignite their creativity and imagination. Speakers will also share ideas and tools for establishing a youth-led D&D club.
Speakers include:
- Antero Garcia
- Stefan McNinch
- Lizz Simpson
- Kade C. Wells
This event was the first in a sponsored three-part series that ILA hosted in collaboration with Wizards of the Coast, who created a website specifically for educators with additional resources and a free D&D Afterschool Kit that contains everything you need to start a D&D club at your school or library.
So much information was shared by attendees during this event that ILA created this resource round-up to accompany the video recording so that these helpful tips and recommendations would not be lost.
You might also be interested in these other free webinars: Leveling Up Reluctant Readers With Dungeons & Dragons and Using Dungeons & Dragons to Scaffold Writing Instruction.
Dungeons & Dragons is intended for ages 12+.
Registration: FREE
VIEW ON DEMAND
Sponsored by Wizards of the Coast
TM & © 2022 Wizards of the Coast LLC
Censorship in School Libraries Across the Globe
The current censorship surge in American schools has drawn attention to the role of school librarians. However, efforts to control what materials young learners can consume extend beyond the United States. How are school librarians across the globe addressing challenges to access and intellectual freedom? How can what’s happening in the U.S. inform and be informed by the work happening beyond the country’s borders?
Join ILA and guests for a roundtable discussion on the critical role school librarians everywhere play in ensuring children’s rights to read. After the roundtable, participants can choose a breakout space to connect, share stories, and learn from one another.
Speakers include
- April M. Dawkins, Assistant Professor of Library and Information Science at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro
- Fredrik Ernerot, VP Association Operations at IASL; Master student in LIS at Uppsala University, Sweden
- Valérie Glass, Certified Teacher Librarian, France
- Lucy Santos Green, coeditor of School Libraries Worldwide
- Danielle E. Hartsfield, Associate Professor of Literacy and Elementary Education at the University of North Georgia
- Carol Jago, English teacher, associate director of the California Reading and Literature Project at UCLA, and an ILA board member
- Annette M. Kiberu, Librarian and Literacy Coordinator, Uganda; Member, ILA Board of Directors
- Kenneth Kunz, Vice President of the Board of Directors at ILA; Founder/Director of For the Love of Literacy
- Jennisen Lucas, K–12 District Librarian in Cody, WY; President of the American Association of School Librarians
- Terry McHugh, Instructional Specialist, Edith M. Smith Middle School, Waukegan, IL, past-president Adolescent Literacy Interest Group
- Molly Ness, Vice President of Academic Content, Learning Ally; Member, ILA Board of Directors
- Julia E. Torres, Librarian, Denver Public Schools
Breakout topics include advocacy for families, caregivers, and communities; book access; disinformation; and more.
Registration: FREE
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Tackling Tough Topics Through Middle Grade Literature
In this ILA Webinar, four middle grade authors—Barbara Dee (My Life in the Fish Tank), Supriya Kelkar (That Thing About Bollywood), Hena Khan (Amina’s Song), and Donna Gephart (Abby, Tried and True)—will discuss the importance of using fiction to introduce tough topics to middle grade readers as part of a moderated conversation led by educator Thu Anh Nguyen. This panel will cover social-emotional learning and how to address difficult subjects such as divorce, drug addiction, childhood cancer, and cultural identity in a sensitive way.
Digital Book Catalog
Reading Group Guides
Registration: FREE
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Sponsored by Simon & Schuster
Writing Instruction That Grows Writers Through a Focus on Feedback and Process
Writers grow most when immersed in the messy process of writing. But holding instructional space for that complexity can be challenging. How can we plan intentionally for students to dive into their unique writing processes? How can we cultivate classrooms where students feel safe to struggle? What kind of feedback keeps them engaged in the work? In this ILA Webinar, Sarah M. Zerwin will explore strategies to focus students on the process of writing and their own growth rather than on perfect, polished final drafts.
Access is available on demand.
Registration: FREE
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Sponsored by Heinemann
Disrupting Instructional Paradigms by Embracing Culturally Responsive Pedagogy
As adults, we know how expectations can affect the outcomes of our work. Sometimes we make assumptions about student abilities on the basis of one assessment or one summation from a previous educator. In this ILA Webinar, Glendaliz Martinez Almonte will discuss how teacher expectations directly affect student outcomes and also explore how to increase equity in education, address implicit bias, and have open dialogue about how we can change our outlook on student abilities.
For more information on culturally responsive teaching, click here.
Access is available on demand.
Registration: FREE
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Sponsored by Curriculum Associates
Book Access in the Post-COVID Era
As schools and libraries have closed because of COVID-19, book access is an even more pressing issue for students worldwide. Join host Molly Ness, creator of the End Book Deserts podcast, and Susan B. Neuman, Allister Fa Chang, and Karlos Marshall as they talk book access in homes, schools, and communities as well as impact on students. They will unpack the statistics around book access and explore why access is an issue of equity. Prepare to be inspired by the innovative people and programs who work to get books into the hands of children. At the end of this panel, you'll be ready to join in the fight to end book deserts.
This 60-minute webinar with interactive Q&A is free for everyone. Additional resources about ending book deserts can be found at http://literacyworldwide.org/endbookdeserts.
A recording of this event is available as an on demand webinar through Zoom, on YouTube, and on ILA's Facebook.
Access is available on demand.
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How to Raise and Teach Anti-Racist Kids: A Virtual Town Hall
Join ILA, Kwame Alexander, and a panel of educators, authors, and activists for a discussion on how teachers and families can educate and empower kids to imagine and create a more just world. The panelists for the town hall are Cornelius Minor, Tiffany M. Jewell, Pam Allyn, Noni Thomas López, and Karyn Parsons.
The first half of the 90-minute event will focus on discussion with a live Q&A to follow.
A recording of this event is available on YouTube and on Facebook.
Please note: The event will have an ASL interpreter, provided through the support of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.
Access is available on demand.
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Journey to a Student-Centered Classroom: Equitable Practices That Make a Difference
In this ILA Webinar, Towanda Harris will establish a rationale for determining and evaluating quality resources and practices for learners' varied concerns. Participants will learn how to determine students’ strengths and needs to make equitable instructional decisions that place students at the center of the learning. Ways to establish a path of checkpoints that help students reach their personal goals will be discussed, and strategies and tools that will help to ensure that daily instruction is being driven by the learner and not the resource will be shared.
Registration: FREE
Access is available on demand.
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Sponsored by Heinemann
Literacy Teaching in Turbulent Times
Anti-Black racism and the global COVID-19 pandemic are having an unprecedented impact on our students, our schools, and our profession. Please join us as Stand for Children's Jonah Edelman facilitates a frank conversation with Ernest Morrell and Nell K. Duke about the challenges and opportunities of teaching during an unsettling and uncertain time.
A recording of this event is available as an on demand webinar through Zoom and on ILA's Facebook.
Access is available on demand.
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Responding to Writers, Responding to the World: Instruction That Centers, Celebrates, and Empowers Students
Educators need to be fluid through times of change, which can be challenging given the limits on their time and resources. In this ILA Webinar, Melanie Meehan and Kelsey Sorum share their framework for responsive writing instruction. Participants will learn how to shift agency from themselves to their K–5 learners—and feel empowered to make modifications to curriculum and instruction based on the academic, linguistic, cultural, and social-emotional identities and abilities of students. Guides and tools, applicable to remote and in-person settings, will be provided.
A recording of this event is available as an on demand webinar through Zoom, on YouTube, and on ILA's Facebook.
Access is available on demand.
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Sponsored by Corwin Literacy
Unpacking the Science of Reading:
A Conversation With the Editors of Reading Research Quarterly
What exactly is the science of reading (SOR), and why can't anyone seem to agree on what it encompasses?
These are the questions that led Amanda P. Goodwin and Robert T. Jiménez, editors of Reading Research Quarterly, to create a special digital issue of the journal devoted to SOR, bringing forth research perspectives on the polarizing topic.
Get a sneak peek at the special issue with the editors themselves, who will review key findings and reveal some of the more surprising discoveries they made along the way. Liisa Moilanen Potts, director of English language arts review for EdReports.org, will facilitate.
A recording of this event is available as an on demand webinar through Zoom, on YouTube, and on ILA's Facebook.
Access is available on demand.
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"What Will We Say to Them Tomorrow?": Tackling Tough Conversations in the Classroom
Philadelphia educator Matthew R. Kay's Not Light, But Fire: How to Lead Meaningful Race Conversations in the Classroom provided practical, sustained strategies for talking about tough topics with students. In this interactive webinar, Kay demonstrates how his method can help teachers navigate conversations about current and emerging events as well. Guided prompts and a live Q&A round out the 60-minute session.
Access is available on demand.
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What Should Equitable and Comprehensive Early Literacy Instruction Look Like in 2020 and Beyond?
Cozy up to a warm "fireside chat" hosted by Kenneth Kunz and Diane Lapp and featuring discussions with Susan B. Neuman, Patricia A. Edwards, Douglas Fisher, Sonia Cabell, Kia Brown-Dudley, Lisa Forehand, and Lesley Mandel Morrow. Participants will engage in a Q&A-style exchange facilitated by a team of regarded literacy experts and advocates at center stage who will reflect on the following question: What should equitable and comprehensive early literacy instruction look like in 2020 and beyond?
Access is available on demand.
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