2023 Conference on Literacy

29th Annual Conference on Literacy

Celebrating Our Many Languages

Saturday, April 22, 2023 | Hudson Hall, Mount Saint Mary College

Presented by the Collaborative for Equity in Literacy Learning (CELL) at Mount Saint Mary College in collaboration with the Center for Adolescent Research and Development (CARD)

In what ways can we use students’ many languages to support them as learners? What roles do stories (oral and written) play in making meaning? How do we use curriculum to creatively and productively engage young people in making sense of their lived experiences? How do we explore the complexities and nuances of language to help us communicate effectively? We welcome educators from all backgrounds and teaching levels to join us in exploring these questions through a selection of workshops and with our featured speakers, Thanhhà Lại and Sunil Singh.

Conference Schedule 

• 8:30-9:00 am
  Registration, Hudson Hall
  Continental Breakfast
• 9:00-10:10 am
  Introduction/Featured Speaker
• 10:10-10:20 am
  Break/Purchase Books
• 10:20-11:20 am
  Workshops
• 11:20-11:30
  Break/Purchase Books
• 11: 30-12:40 pm
  Featured Speaker/Closing

Featured Speakers

Thanhhà Lại

Thanhhà Lại is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Inside Out & Back Again, her debut novel in verse, which won both a National Book Award and a Newbery Honor. The sequel, When Clouds Touch Us, will be published in May 2023. She also wrote the acclaimed Listen, Slowly, the award-winning YA debut Butterfly Yellow and the picture book Hundred Years of Happiness.  Her talk, Building A Hybrid Voice will feature all of her stories.

Thanhhà was born in Việt Nam and now lives in New York with her family. To learn more about Thanhhà and her charity, Việt Kids Inc., visit www.thanhhalai.com.

Sunil Singh

Sunil Singh is an author, storyteller, and math educator. He taught math, physics, and occasionally English for 19 years, including teaching at an International IB School in Switzerland, before embarking on a new journey of sharing his passion for math history/narrative with people all around the world. He works at Amplify to help build/curate rich storytelling into their K to 12 math platform and at Mathigon as a content writer. He has also given workshops all across North America, including places like The Museum of Mathematics in New York, The Fields Institute at his alma mater, The University of Toronto, and The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. His third book is titled Chasing Rabbits: A Curious Guide to a Lifetime of Mathematical Wellness (foreword written by Jo Boaler). He also is on the Board of Directors for The Human Restoration Project, a non-profit initiative to create more vibrant and human ecosystems of learning and living. His talk, Mathematics is Filled with Romance and Wonder: So Why Don’t We Teach It That Way? will share ideas about his initiatives.