Joint LitSIG and YLTSIG PCE 2024: Diverse voices: literature and film in the YLT classroom

Join IATEFL Literature and Young Learners and Teenagers (LitSIG and YLTSIG) Special Interest Groups for their in person Joint 2024 Pre-Conference Event on 15 April 2024- Diverse voices: literature and film in the YLT classroom

The event will celebrate diverse voices in children’s and teens’ literature and film by exploring texts from diverse creators, featuring diverse characters, and by sharing the expertise of teachers and materials writers from those communities, offering authentic and relevant insights.

Communities that will be looked at in talks/workshops:

• Neurodiversity
• LGBTQIA+
• Genderqueer, gender-questioning, and non-binary
• Race and ethnicity
• Refugee and displaced peoples

The day will include numerous interactive activities, lots of opportunities for networking, the chance for you to present your favourite book or film to the group, and also finish with a hybrid panel where you can ask a range of experts for their opinions and advice!

This is a perfect day for teachers who wish to promote diversity and inclusion in their classrooms through the vehicle of literature and film to find support, new friends, and inspiration! 

Speaker - Aleksandra Popovski

Aleksandra Popovski is a teacher and teacher trainer with a strong passion for  language education. She holds an MA in Professional Development for Language Education from the University of Chichester, where she deepened her knowledge and skills in the field. Her interests include incorporating visual arts into language teaching, exploring effective reading comprehension strategies, and creating original readers for her students. She is particularly interested in reading as a tool for exploring and discussing issues such as social (in)justice, diversity and inclusion with learners of English. Aleksandra is also passionate about ‘no single stories’, i.e. writing and exploiting stories about countries, cultures, and communities that are usually excluded from published ELT materials.

Speaker - Tyson Seburn

Tyson Seburn (MA EdTech & TESOL, University of Manchester) is a lecturer in and assistant director of an EAP foundation year at the University of Toronto and tutor on Oxford TEFL Barcelona’s Trinity DipTESOL course. He has volunteered on local and international teacher association committees, most recently as IATEFL TDSIG Coordinator. His personal and professional experiences inspired his interest in Queer and racialised ELT experiences, and thus ways to better practices and materials. He discusses critical and inclusive pedagogies via his online spaces (fourc.ca and @seburnt). He is author of Academic Reading Circles (2015) and How to Write Inclusive Materials (2021).

Speaker -Sea (Claire) Steele

Sea (Claire) Steele is one of the co-founders and directors of eltonix, an educational consultancy focused on teacher development and student empowerment. They are particularly interested in developing critical and creative thinking, visual literacy skills, exploring social justice themes in the classroom, and supporting students who are gender diverse.  Sea (they/them) has worked as a teacher and teacher educator in a number of countries and is currently based in Portugal.

Speaker: Ursula Smith

Title: ADHD: What does it mean for us?

Abstract: Brighton frequenter Lewis Carroll and his Sussex-based neighbour Tigger are just two of many well-loved cultural icons who may have had ADHD. In the classroom, however, this so-called “disorder” may have less positive associations. In this session, we will consider what ADHD means for learners, for teachers and how we can work effectively with learners displaying ADHD behaviours. There will also be a focus on characters with ADHD in children’s literature.

Bio: Having taught EFL/ESOL in Russia, Mozambique, Tunisia and the UK, Ursula has worked with learners and teachers from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. With lived experience of ADHD, she has delivered training for the British Council and Pilgrims Teacher Training on catering to the needs of neurodivergent learners. Alongside teaching, Ursula is working towards becoming a BACP accredited counsellor.

Speaker: Keisha Elhegie

Title: Transforming Classrooms and Libraries with Diverse Book Curation

Abstract: Drawing on real-life experiences as the founder of "Imagine Me Stories," this presentation explores the power of diverse children's literature in fostering positive self-esteem, empathy, and a global perspective. By presenting data and research, the session will highlight the current landscape of children's books and the need for greater representation. It will then delve into practical steps educators can take to transform their classrooms and libraries into vibrant hubs of diverse narratives, igniting a love for reading and nurturing future generations of inclusive thinkers.

Bio: Keisha Ehigie, inspired by her daughter, founded Imagine Me Stories to tackle the lack of diversity in children's literature. Offering diverse book packages and subscriptions, they empower families and educators to discover stories that celebrate diverse voices. Keisha's dedication has earned Imagine Me Stories recognition as a leader in diverse children's literature.

More speakers to be announced soon.

You are currently booking to attend this event in person, in Brighton.