Multiple Modes of Literacy
Multimodal literacies is a term acknowledging that we read and gain meaning from pictures, videos, diagrams, graphs, and other modes of communication in addition to print. This conference focused on instruction that includes print as well as other modes of communication.
Goals and Objectives for the Conference:
- Bring together pre-K, elementary, and middle level Wyoming teachers and librarians to explore current issues and trends in multimodal literacies for pre-K, elementary, and middle level classrooms.
- Explore current principles and practices related to multimodal literacies as they relate to reading comprehension and learning (Common Core State Standards).
- Introduce Wyoming teachers to resources available at UW’s Literacy Research Center and Clinic.
Interactive Workshops
Sunday Morning and Saturday Afternoon Workshops
Presenter, Jeanne Paratore
In this presentation as an expansion to my keynote, I’ll provide a brief explanation of why integration of digital media in literacy instruction should be a fundamental component of our teaching methods. I’ll provide a few examples of how effective teachers integrate media as part of their routine instruction.
Presenters, Kristi Von Krosigk and Melissa Rasmussen
How do teachers use technology to individualize instruction and meet the demands of the Common Core in the 21st century world? By unlocking the potential of technology, participants will have a greater understanding of the global resources available for today’s classrooms. This session demonstrates authentic technology integration to differentiate instruction for every student, thereby increasing engagement and achievement.
Presenter, Bridget Dalton
Please come with a tablet or laptop so that you can engage in some multimodal composition experiences and access online resources to support the design and enactment of a scaffolded digital composers’ workshop guided by universal design for learning principles.
Presenter, Tonia Dousay
Comic books and graphic novels are not a new medium, but they are finding their way into the K-12 classroom for a variety of reasons. Whether you're an avid comic fan or casual reader of the Sunday funnies, you can use comic books to reinforce visual, media, and/or traditional literacies or provide a creative assessment method in your classroom. In this workshop, we will examine comics created by students and explore standards, lesson plans, software, and other resources available to help you feel comfortable adopting this approach. You'll also be able to create your own comic book, if you choose. Bringing your laptop computer (Mac or PC) will be helpful, but it is not required to participate.
Breakout Sessions
Presenter, Amanda Sanders
Students use social media in their personal lives every day. This session focuses on meaningful ways to engage with this form of literacy in the classroom. We will discuss everything from Twitter to Snapchat, and how you can use social media to gauge your students' learning and engagement.
Presenter, Katy Brock
Teachers looking to teach about social justice don’t need to look far to find something that requires change. Many students are subjected daily to a list of social injustices and they would be more than willing to tell about any of them. We, as teachers, need to be able to teach these students to intelligently, pointedly, and successfully craft social change through awareness, putting pen to paper, and ultimately by taking action.
Presenter, Amy Spiker and Tia Frahm
The University of Wyoming is home to a local site of the National Writing Project. The Wyoming Writing Project serves the teachers of the state by following the core belief that all teachers are writers and teachers of writers. This workshop will begin with an individual writing activity followed by a group conversation about writing in all contents and classrooms. Practical writing ideas and tips will be shared. Most importantly, participants will also learn about the work of the Wyoming Writing Project, including an opportunity to attend the Wyoming Writing Project Invitational Summer Institute in 2016.
Presenter, Allen Trent and Peter Moran
In this breakout, we’ll share an exhibit highlighting an arts-integrated unit we taught to approximately 700 fourth graders around the state of Wyoming during the 2014-2015 school year. The unit was called We Are Wyoming: A Study of Wyoming Counties, Landscapes, People, Artists, and Ways of Life. The exhibit includes students’ work, unit lesson plans, and instructional materials as well as an overview of the themes and findings that resulted from analysis of student work samples and our field notes. Participants will view the exhibit and participate in an informal discussion.
Presenter, Ann Van Wig
Apple is everywhere! Schools invest in iPads in hopes of increasing student engagement and improving student achievement. But, how often do these iPads come out of the cart? This session will bring the iPads out of the cart and highlight apps appropriate for middle school students. iPad will be used to conduct the session and additional content apps will be reviewed. Bring your own device or use an iPad we will provide.
Presenter, Marian Stordahl
The role of this task-based activity is to provide learners with opportunities to use the target language contextually, and to explore the target language through situational activities.
The University of Wyoming has earned its Research Level 1 (R1) status from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, placing Wyoming's only four-year university with the top research universities in the United States.