Come See Us Live in Philly!

Come See Us Live in Philly!

Exciting news: Amsco’s English language arts team has been selected to lead a presentation at the NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English) Annual Convention in Philadelphia next weekend. I wrote and submitted the proposal in January 2009, and I received the official acceptance e-mail in March. (Ours was accepted from over 1,200 proposals!) It’s now two weeks before showtime, so we’re busy ironing out our presentation details and getting ready for the big day.

The theme of this year’s convention is “Once and Future Classics: Reading Between the Lines.” The aim is to inspire a discussion about the value of teaching classic literature and about ways to bring classic texts alive in 21st-century classrooms. Our presentation fits right in with this theme and is titled “Understanding the Language of Literature: Using Context Clues and Hypertexts to Help Students Tackle Tough Language and References in Classic and World Literature.” We’ll be focusing on how to help students get past the difficult references and vocabulary of classic literature so they can get more meaning and enjoyment out of it. Amsco’s English editor Lea Borenstein and Chief Editor Lori O’Dea will lead the session. Lea will show teachers how to do lessons using hypertexts, where students link words and phrases with definitions or resources, merging technology and text to get meaning out of difficult passages. Lea and Lori will also demonstrate how to do lessons on using context clues, so students learn to become independent readers who can figure out some meanings as they read. Teachers will come away from the session with useful, engaging lessons they can bring back to their classrooms.

Here are some details on when and where to find us.

Session: G.37--9:30 am to 10:45 am
11/21/2009

Room: Convention Center, Room 204B, Level 2

Format: Panel

Topic: Adolescent/Young Adult Literacy

Levels: Middle (6–8), Secondary (9–12)

Title: Reading as Discovering: Understanding the Language of Literature In these presentations, participants will learn new strategies for helping students move past issues such as vocabulary and previous expectations to transactional literacy experiences and the engagement of literature from different times and places.

Chair: Wayne Brinda, University of Pittsburgh-Bradford, Pennsylvania

Presenters:
Lea Borenstein, Amsco School Publications, Inc., New York, New York , "Understanding the Language of Literature: Using Context Clues and Hypertexts to Help Students Tackle Tough Language and References in Classic and World Literature"
Wayne Brinda, University of Pittsburgh-Bradford, Pennsylvania , "Reading as Discovering Not Just Decoding"

English educators, we hope to see you there!

Lauren