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CEL Annual Convention & ALAN Workshop 14–15 The Elementary Experience 16–17 The Middle Level Experience 18–19 The Secondary Experience 20–21 The College Experience
CEL Annual Convention November 20–22
Leading Literacy Coalitions: From Classrooms to Communities
While reading and writing may sometimes be private hobbies, literacy is unequivocally a public, political act. We utilize reading, writing, speaking, listening, analysis, and creating to engage with others within and beyond our own communities.
Literacy leadership is tasked with building communities to honor, bolster, develop, and enact literacy practices among students and adults. These communities may be individual gradelevel teams, content-area departments, schools, districts, states, or national or international organizations that seek to empower student agency. Whether we are engaging with conceptualizations and applications of servant leadership; Freire’s critical pedagogy and praxis; Gonzalez, Moll, and Amanti’s funds of knowledge; or emancipatory education, community is at the heart of what literacy leaders do.
The Conference on English Leadership 2022 Annual Convention calls for us to share, connect, and examine how we center or build communities in our educational settings. Learn more and register at
ncte.org/groups/cel/convention/
Don’t Miss Our Keynote Speakers
Sunday, Nov. 20: SHELDON L. EAKINS, founder of the Leading Equity Center and host of the Leading Equity podcast
Monday, Nov. 21: ISAAC HUANG, member of the Conejo Valley Unified School District’s Inaugural Equity Task Force and is the principal and lead learner at Madrona Elementary School
Monday, Nov. 21: LEE ANN JUNG, CEO of Lead Inclusion, clinical professor at San Diego State University, and a consultant to schools worldwide
Tuesday, Nov. 22: SARAH RAFAEL GARCÍA, an arts leader in Orange County and a literary arts advocate nationally, and founder of Barrio Writers, LibroMobile, and Crear Studio arts programs
ALAN Workshop November 21–22
The theme for the 2022 ALAN Workshop is “Come Together: Using YAL to Rise, Overcome, and Forge Ahead Together.” We will feature authors and presenters who focus on and celebrate the power of individuals uniting with a shared love for young adult literature and its potential for transformation. We want participants to think about how they might harness this power to rise against oppressive forces, and in doing so, inspire opportunities for advocacy, support, and deeper connection with and among adolescents.
Your workshop registration includes an amazing box of books, the opportunity to hear from authors you and your students admire, breakout sessions, a reception with authors, and lunch.
Read more about the ALAN Workshop and other ALAN events during the NCTE Annual Convention in this blog post from 2022 ALAN President Dani King-Watkins:
alan-ya.org/2022/08/14/alan-how-to-for-2022workshop/
Register on the NCTE Convention Registration page:
convention.ncte.org/registration/
ELEMENTARY EXPERIENCE
Teachers of our youngest students will find plenty to explore at #NCTE22.
From incredible authors and illustrators to the leading experts and innovators in our field, every hour is packed with sessions designed just for you. And every session will find you sitting next to other teachers who are just as passionate about early literacy as you are.
What Kinds of Sessions Can I Attend?
Over the course of the Convention, there are more than 150 sessions designated at the elementary level, but you might be surprised at the ideas you can glean from sessions at EVERY level. Here are just a few of the topics: ● Enlivening Critical Reader Response Encounters with
Picturebooks in the Early Childhood and Elementary
Classroom ● This Little Light of Mine: Culturally Relevant and Sustaining
Practices in Elementary and Early Childhood Education ● Possibilities of Poetry: Excavating and Exploring Identity in the Elementary Classroom ● They’re Not Too Young! Guiding Early Elementary Students through Difficult Conversations ● We Begin Here: Exploring Literacies and Land in Early
Elementary Classrooms
What If I Work in Early Childhood? Will There Be Something for Me?
Absolutely! The latest and greatest in early literacy education can be found in more than 30 sessions in the Early Childhood Education strand. These sessions (marked with an icon in the full Convention program) are specially curated by the Early Childhood Education Assembly of NCTE and focus specifically on issues and strategies for teaching and advocating for preschool and early elementary-age children.
Literacies and Languages for All (LLA)
There’s a strand of sessions at #NCTE22 chosen by leaders of LLA, an NCTE Conference of holistic educators who believe that ALL children deserve personally meaningful learning contexts in which their languages and cultures are valued and recognized as assets for learning. LLA members integrate theories and practices of social justice; critical literacies; digital, multimodal, and biliteracies; and inquiry- and project-based learning that embodies the work of 21st-century educators. Learn more about LLA at ncte.org/groups/lla/
All times are Pacific Time.
Elementary Favorites:
ELEMENTARY SECTION GET-TOGETHER: Hear from NCTE’s elected leaders who represent the NCTE Elementary Section and from the winner of the 2022 Outstanding Elementary Educator Award, Detra Price-Dennis (read more about the award at ncte.org/awards/outstanding-educatorelementary/).
Thursday, Nov. 17, 5:45–7:00 P.M.
CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARDS LUNCHEON: The 2022 winners of the Charlotte Huck Award for Outstanding Fiction for Children and the Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children will be honored (read more about the 2022 awards at ncte.org/awards/ncte-childrensbook-awards/). Then the 2023 award winners will be announced live!
Saturday, Nov. 19, 12:30–2:30 P.M.
CHILDREN’S LITERATURE ASSEMBLY
BREAKFAST: Award-winning graphic novelist Jerry Craft is the speaker. Craft will focus on his process of designing and authoring his graphic novel, as well as developing and producing his story into a film. He will address the importance of representation and diversity in children’s literature.
Sunday, Nov. 20, 7:00–8:45 A.M.
NCTE was the therapy I didn’t know I needed. I showed up tired, questioning if traveling and powering through was the best option for me at the time, when I was hit with the energy of thousands of other educators wanting to learn, think, and share in community. — Katie Papesh
My hope is that you leave the Convention, as I am confident that I will, with a renewed sense of purpose and commitment, motivated to improve the lives of students, with our eyes and minds toward the fight for literacy education that is not only equitable but liberatory.
— Wintre Foxworth Johnson
MIDDLE LEVEL EXPERIENCE
There is so much happening in the Middle Level at NCTE.
From Section-specific events to a thoughtfully chosen program, you’ll notice an energized focus on crafting sessions that speak to the complexities of teaching students in the middle grades and bringing leading authors and educators to the podium. Discover new ideas, new tools, and new friends!
What Kinds of Sessions Can I Attend?
Throughout the Convention there are more than 200 sessions designated of interest to middle level educators, but you’ll find plenty of interest at other levels as well. Among the topics are the following: ● Genius in the Middle: Voices from the Middle Explores
Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy in the
ELA Classroom ● Illuminating the Middle: Shining a Light on Mental
Health Literacy ● Illuminating the Middle: Speculative Fiction as
Healing, Joy, and Justice ● Literacies before Technologies: Making Digital Tools
Matter for Middle Level Learners ● Locating the Self in Space and Place: The Politics of
Home in Middle Grade and Young Adult Literature
All times are Pacific Time.
Middle Level Favorites:
MIDDLE LEVEL MEET-UP: Kick off your Convention experience with this gathering of Middle Level attendees that features speakers and the chance to hear from Section leaders.
Thursday, Nov. 17, 5:45–7:00 P.M.
ALAN AT NCTE: Hear from a popular author during this much-loved ALAN Breakfast event on Saturday, Nov. 19, 7:00–9:15 A.M. If you’re looking for even deeper immersion in YA lit, you might enjoy the ALAN Workshop, Monday–Tuesday, Nov. 21–22; every registrant will get a box of books! Both of these events can be added when you register for the Convention.
MIDDLE LEVEL LUNCHEON: This event will feature a keynote speaker, award presentations, and announcements from leaders of the Middle Level Section.
Friday, Nov. 18, 11:30 A.M.–1:30 P.M.
#WhyMiddleMatters is a series of incredible learning experiences on the program. This year’s sessions include:
● Illuminating the Middle: Speculative Fiction as Healing, Joy, and Justice
Friday, Nov. 18, 2:00–3:15 P.M.
● Illuminating the Middle: Ethnic Studies and the Middle School Context
Friday, Nov. 18, 3:30–4:45 P.M. ● Illuminating the Middle: Censorship,
Sustainability, and Finding Light in a Climate of Fear
Saturday, Nov. 19, 11:00 A.M.–12:15 P.M. ● Illuminating the Middle: Shining a Light on
Mental Health Literacy
Saturday, Nov. 19, 12:30–1:45 P.M. ● Middle Grade Literature as Dreams and
Possibility—The Middle Level Mosaic
Saturday, Nov. 19, 2:45–4:00 P.M.
I’m so excited for the NCTE Annual Convention. From the first minutes of the Convention, it’s a time to attend sessions, participate in meetings, and visit the Exhibit Hall for all those wonderful books and resources. The opportunity to get discounted and/or not-yet-published books fills me with adrenaline! Meeting so many authors and having them autograph copies of their books is an even greater thrill. — Roxanne Henkin So much to take away that fills your head and heart as you step back into your classroom. Yet, the greatest benefit of the NCTE Convention is making connections and renewing friendships with other educators from around the country and the world. — Linda Rief
SECONDARY EXPERIENCE
NCTE’s Secondary Section has selected a program with the best professional learning you’ll ever find, and a giant network of colleagues whom you’ll want to keep connected to all year long.
Whether you love teaching poetry, the Bard, critical literacy, choice reading, disciplinary writing, or some other specialty of grades 9–12, this Convention has you covered.
What Kinds of Sessions Can I Attend?
More than 200 sessions on the Convention program are designated at the secondary level. Here are just a few of the topics that will be covered:
● High School Matters ● Daring to Dig Out of Darkness: Choosing to
Collectively Pursue Antiracist and Equitable
Teaching in a High School ELA Department ● A Guiding Light: Using Critical Pedagogy to Teach
YA Literature in the Secondary Classroom ● Lights! Camera! Magic! Critical Theory in the
Secondary Classroom through Encanto and Other
Magical Texts ● Strategies as Lampposts: Using Content Area
Literacy Strategies AND Disciplinary Literacy in
Secondary ELA to Support Adolescents’ Literacy
Development
I’m a School Principal—Are There Sessions for Me?
This Convention is rich with learning experiences for everyone who supports literacy learning both in and outside the school, but if you’re an instructional leader searching for the maximum learning experience, you’ll also want to take advantage of the offerings from NCTE’s Conference on English Leadership (CEL). Learn more about “Leading Literacy Coalitions: From Classrooms to Communities,” CEL’s Annual Convention, Sunday–Tuesday, Nov. 20–22, at ncte.org/groups/cel/
convention All times are Pacific Time.
Secondary Level Favorites:
SECONDARY SECTION GET-TOGETHER: It has been three years since we have been able to meet in person. During that time, educators have faced seemingly insurmountable challenges, been the target of political and cultural attacks, and experienced significant trauma. Many have also prioritized self-care and sought community with other teachers. In that spirit, the Secondary Section Steering Committee invites English language arts educators to join us for a “SelfCare in Community Get-Together.” This gathering will offer opportunities to meet other teachers, build community, create, dance, express gratitude, and take care of ourselves. And, of course, refreshments will be served.
Thursday, Nov. 17, 5:45–7:00 P.M.
HIGH SCHOOL MATTERS: Sponsored by the NCTE Secondary Section, this session will feature talks by authors and educators, including Angeline Boulley, Melissa Smith, Susan Barber, Scott Bayer, Joel Garza, Carol Jago, and Matthew Kay.
Friday, Nov. 18, 2:00–4:45 P.M.
SECONDARY SECTION LUNCHEON: This event will feature a keynote speaker, award presentations, and announcements from leaders of the Secondary Section.
Saturday, Nov. 19, 12:30–2:30 P.M.
I remember one of my first presentations during the Annual Convention. My middle school classroom was part of a larger research study, and I collaborated on the project. I was thrilled to be asked to present the pedagogical underpinnings of my work. As I shared, I looked into the audience to find Drs. Kenneth and Yetta Goodman in the audience, listening to me. My work as a teacher was valuable, and my insights were as merited as the words of renowned scholars. — Ayanna F. Brown
This year will be my fourth year in a row attending the NCTE Annual Convention. Every year at the conclusion, I leave energized to implement new ideas in my classroom, encouraged by speakers that challenge and inspire their audience, and hopeful for the future of English education.
COLLEGE EXPERIENCE
NCTE’s College Section represents a wide diversity of experiences, and our Convention offerings reflect that variety.
You’ll find sessions presented by leaders from our Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC) that address issues pertinent to teaching first-year writing and assessment in composition courses. You’ll also find hundreds of sessions that are tailored to the needs of those who work in teacher education at the college level; these address teacher preparation across the preK–12 spectrum. If you happen to teach college English, you’ll be intrigued by a range of interesting sessions on literature. There’s truly something for everyone.
What Kinds of Sessions Can I Attend?
Throughout the Convention there are more than 200 sessions designated of interest to college-level educators. Here are a few of the topics: ● Cultivating Compositional Agility: Shining a Light on Learning That Transfers ● Lighting a Pathway to Successful Writing in
College: Tools and Strategies to Successfully
Expand from High School Writing to College
Writing (and Beyond) ● Rekindling the Light: College and Secondary
English Educators Negotiate the Student Teaching
Experience to Support Students as Well as
Themselves. ● Shedding Light on the Transition to College
Writing: An Interactive Panel by the Writing
Program at the University of Southern California ● Utilizing Book Study and a Challenge-Based
Learning Project to Enlighten First-Year College
Students Regarding Race and Equity during the
COVID-19 Pandemic
What about Research?
Each year the Annual Convention features a carefully selected set of sessions devoted entirely to current research in the field, bringing together different perspectives on critical issues. You will be able to search the Research Strand on our online program to explore more than 100 sessions.
All times are Pacific Time.
I’m a Teacher Educator—Are There Sessions for Me?
The English Language Arts Teacher Educators (ELATE) group puts together a special program with hundreds of sessions for those who are engaged in the preparation, support, and continuing education of teachers of English language arts/literacy. Sample session topics include: ● Agents of Change: Raising Student Voice for
Advocating for Marginalized or Oppressed
Groups ● Beyond the Book: Understanding the
Complexities of Digital Literacies and Authorship ● Illuminating Critical Pedagogy and Practice for
Preservice and Early Career Teachers ● In Pursuit of Light: Exploring Writing Methods for Teachers and Teacher Educators ● Letting Language Shine: Linguistic Diversity and
Teacher Education ● Professional Growth for Preservice Teachers,
Teachers, and Literacy Coaches ● Researching Young Adult Literature: Creating
Space to Pursue Light and to Dream ● Shining a Light on Digital Practices in Teacher
Education ● The Future Is Now: Exploring 21st-Century
Teaching Ideas with the Next Generation of
English Teachers ● What Teachers Need to Know about the History of English Teaching
College Favorites:
FEATURED COLLEGE SESSIONS: The College Section has designed special sessions that address current issues in the field that reverberate through our classrooms.
ELATE LUNCHEON: Celebrate the accomplishments of ELATE (English Language Arts Teacher Educators) members and enjoy a keynote address by author Ashley C. Ford.
Friday, Nov. 18, 11:30 A.M.–1:30 P.M.
COLLEGE WORKSHOP: Join us for an immersive learning experience for college teachers.
Saturday, Nov. 19, 2:45–5:30 P.M.
One conversation with an NCTE member during breakfast led me to spaces where I felt like I belonged, where I felt like I could be a scholar, too. A few sessions at this Convention helped me to see that NCTE could be my academic home, the place I want to share my research, my stories. — Stephanie R. Toliver For almost fifty years, the NCTE Annual Convention has been one of my intellectual homes, a place for me to have conversations about books and teaching and big ideas that I sometimes miss in the day-to-day world of my classroom. — Linda Christensen
