SoMLA Virtual Conference 2023

Program

Message from SoMLA Chair: Kelly Davis

Program Directory Page

Welcome!

We welcome you to SoMLA's 51st annual Conference! This is a perfect learning network to help you accomplish your professional goals. Engage with a variety of speakers, from across the country and around the world, as they bring their "best practices" to you . Select your favorite sessions relating to our theme "Cultivate Literacy Through Multiple Lenses".
Rejuvenate your learning plan to make a difference each day focusing on literacy for all! SoMLA is here to help you grow and reach your goals.

Enjoy the conference!

Conference Schedule at a Glance

Conference 2023 Keynote Speakers

Thursday Sessions

Friday Sessions

Saturday Sessions

SoMLA Executive Board

Conference Sponsors & Exhibitors

MSDE Credit Information

Registration

Zoom Support

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Program Directory Page

Conference Schedule at a Glance

Conference 2023 Keynote Speakers

Thursday Sessions

Friday Sessions

Saturday Sessions

SoMLA Executive Board

Conference Sponsors & Exhibitors

MSDE Credit Information

Registration

Zoom Support

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5

6-10

11-16

18-39

40-41

42-43

44-45

46-47

48-49

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Conference Schedule at a Glance

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Conference Keynote Speakers

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Thursday 5:30pm-9:00pm
*5:30-6:00 Welcome and Orientation
*6:00-6:30 Meet the Exhibitors
*6:00-6:30 Conference Support
*6:30-7:20 Keynote
*7:30-8:20 Exhibitor Sessions:
*8:30-9:00 Special Closing

Friday 5:00pm-9:00pm
*9:00am-5:00 pm Exhibits open ...drop in!
*5:00-5:30 Welcome and Special Remarks
*5:30-6:00 Conference Support
*5:30-6:00 Guest Speaker: Young Author's Celebration...
All Welcome!
*6:00-6:50 Young Author Celebrations: ELEM, MIDDLE,
HIGH
*6:00-6:50 Exhibitor Session: Featured Speaker
*7:00-8:30 Special Workshop with Monica Burns: Book Creator!

Saturday 8:30am-4:30pm
*8:30-9:00 Welcome and Opening Remarks
*8:30-9:00 Conference Support
*Keynote Speakers
*Featured Speakers
*Exhibitor Sessions: Featured Speakers
*4:00-4:30 SoMLA Meet-up with Past President's

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Donalyn Miller
Thursday 6:30-7:20

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Berit Gordon
Saturday 9:00

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Conference Keynote Speakers

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Donalyn Miller
Thursday 6:30-7:20

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Berit Gordon
Saturday 9:00

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Dr. Mary Howard
Saturday 3:00

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View All Featured Speakers
Be Happy! Watch the Video!

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Thursday March 30, 2023
Keynote Speaker
6:30-7:20

Donalyn Miller

Reading Joy

What reading experiences have entertained you, provoked you, taught you, inspired you, helped you to see your own life more clearly, or connected you with others? As teachers, librarians, school administrators, and caregivers who love reading, we know what it feels like to fall into a book and let the world fall away. We have joyous reading memories, and we know how reading can sustain and inspire us.
Now consider: When talking with children about their reading lives at school, are you likely to hear about this transformative reading joy? Or are you more likely to hear about reading logs, book reports, and standardized tests? For too many young readers, reading is joyless. It is something that is required of them, but not something that they choose to do.
Here’s the truth: It is possible to teach children how to read well without killing their love for reading in the process.
Donalyn will share how!

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Donalyn Miller’s work champions self-selected independent reading, providing guidance and resources that foster children’s love of reading and the development of positive reading identities. A national and international consultant and bestselling author, Donalyn’s published works include The Book Whisperer (Jossey-Bass, 2009), Reading in the Wild (Jossey-Bass, 2013), and Game Changer: Book Access for All Kids (co-written with Colby Sharp, Scholastic, 2018) as well as articles in Gifted Child International, Education Week Teacher, The Reading Teacher, Voices From the Middle, Educational Leadership, Horn Book, School Library Journal, and The Washington Post. Recipient of TCTELA’s Elementary Language Arts Teacher of the Year (2011) and TCTELA’s Edmund J. Farrell Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award (2018) (for her contributions to the language arts teaching profession).
Donalyn is also a co-founder of The Nerdy Book Club, an online community which provides inspiration, book recommendations, resources, and advice about raising and teaching young readers. Donalyn and her husband, Don, live in Texas atop a dragon’s hoard of books. You can connect with her on her website BookWhisperer.com, or on Twitter at @DonalynBooks.

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Thursday March 30, 2023
Exhibitor Session:Featured Speaker
7:30-8:20

Thursday March 30, 2023
Exhibitor Session: Featured Speaker
7:30-8:20

Marisa Stuckey

Deepening Literacy Instruction Through the Science of Learning

While we have an amazing foundation of research that tells us what is essential for building a reader, the science of learning tells us the conditions that are necessary for learning to thrive and last. Participants will engage in learning about the evidence base for the Science of Learning and connecting those principles to the components of reading instruction. Professional readings and discussions will ground the session as well as video analysis to connect the research to practice. Come to learn more about how combining the science of learning
with essentials for building a reader, have the potential to meet the needs of the whole child and support the development of independent learners.

IXL representatives Jill and Sharon will explore the platform to show teachers the magic of IXL and how to seamlessly differentiate their lessons for each individual student, align with state standards,  and how to achieve the IXL effect.

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Thursday March 30, 2023
Exhibitor Session: Featured Speaker
7:30-8:20

Sharon Moffat and Jill Schechter

One Platform Endless Possibilities

IXL representatives Jill and Sharon will explore the platform to show teachers the magic of IXL and how to seamlessly differentiate their lessons for each individual student, align with state standards,  and how to achieve the IXL effect.

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Thursday March 30, 2023
Exhibitor Session: Featured Speaker
7:30-8:20

Featured Speaker
Thursday March 30th 8:30-9:00
&
Friday March 31st 5:30-6:00

Joan Macenat Charles

Reading Starts with Your Ears

One of the major skills underlying the successful decoding of printed words is a purely auditory and oral skill. It may not be 'reading with your ears' in the literal sense, but the sounds we hear in words are what allow us to ultimately pull the print off the page with our eyes when we decode. The session will review the importance of phonological and phonemic awareness as young children are preparing to and beginning to read words. The presenter will then connect research to practice, providing participants with a multitude of fun and developmentally appropriate games and activities that can be used to build students' phonological and phonemic awareness throughout the school day.

Thursday Evening Special Closing!

Join us to close the evening with author Katrina Denise as she shares Stories that Touch the Heart and Soul.

Friday Evening Guest Author: Inspirational Speaker for Young Authors

Join Author Katrina Denise as she shares inspirational tips for young authors. Katrina will share her path to writing children’s books along with ways her picture books and coloring book can be used to facilitate lessons related to theme, character and social emotional learning. Young authors and other guests will leave this session inspired to write and read each others publications.

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