February 16, 2010

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Education and the Red Mountain Writing Project will present the "21st Century Literacy Conference" from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27 in the School of Education, 901 13th St. South.

The conference will introduce teachers, reading specialists and other professionals to the latest methods and strategies for engaging students, which include the Internet, wikis, blogs and other innovative, classroom-teaching strategies.

"Teachers today are always looking for new ways to engage children in reading," said UAB Assistant Professor of Education Tonya Perry, Ph.D., workshop coordinator and director of the Red Mountain Writing Project. "So in addition to having students read a novel, a teacher also could have students read magazines or graphic novels or encourage them to find their voice by writing wikis and or blogs."

Conference speakers will include Kylene Beers, senior reading adviser to the secondary schools for the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University and past president of the National Council of Teachers of English. She also is co-author of the book When Kids Can't Read, What Teachers Can Do.

Author and reading expert Robert E. Probst will conduct a workshop on adolescent literacy. He is co-author of the book Adolescent Literacy: Turning Promise Into Practice.

About the Red Mountain Writing Project

The Red Mountain Writing Project is an affiliate of the National Writing Project, an organization that promotes and supports exemplary writing instruction across the United States.

About the UAB School of Education

The UAB School of Education offers programs in early childhood, elementary and high school education, as well as urban education, physical and health education, special education, counseling and educational leadership and foundations. The school also offers professional development courses for working teachers and school leaders.