University at Albany - SUNY - Department of Literacy Teaching and Learning

07/23/2025

Now in her 25th year of teaching elementary school, part-time PhD student Jennifer Lakas brings a wealth of experience to her studies in the Department of Literacy Teaching and Learning. Through University at Albany - School of Education's flexible online program, she’s able to pursue her research interests—including emergent literacy and the intersection of social class—while continuing her work in the classroom.

Jennifer recently presented at the 2024 Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers Annual Conference and continues to explore how research and practice inform one another.

✨ Her advice for prospective students? “Schedule writing time and connect with your professors and classmates—you’ll learn just as much from them as you do in class.”

07/04/2025

It's not too late to join.....

The Department of Literacy Teaching and Learning is launching it's first book club for ELTL alumni this summer!

We are reading: The Commonsense Guide to Your Classroom Library: Building a Collection that Inspires, Engages, and Challenges Readers by Donalyn Miller & Colby Sharp

We'll meet live three times over the course of the summer from 9 - 10am EST on Zoom:

July 9, 2025: 9 - 10am: Kick Off Session
July 23, 2025: 9 - 10 am: Chapters 1 & 2
August 6, 2025: 9 - 10am: Chapters 3 & 4

To join, register through the Google link below.

If requested, CTLE credit can be awarded with a declaration of participation and a $10 fee.

Come read with us!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScB8Fkj4Q6n6zxlosNEJJ6d0Y00PWHENyhk2fOZQWnZxxsXHQ/viewform?usp=header

06/11/2025

The Department of Literacy Teaching and Learning is launching it's first book club for ELTL alumni this summer!

We are reading: The Commonsense Guide to Your Classroom Library: Building a Collection that Inspires, Engages, and Challenges Readers by Donalyn Miller & Colby Sharp

We'll meet live three times over the course of the summer from 9 - 10am EST on Zoom:

July 9, 2025: 9 - 10am: Kick Off Session
July 23, 2025: 9 - 10 am: Chapters 1 & 2
August 6, 2025: 9 - 10am: Chapters 3 & 4

To join, register through the Google link below. The first 9 alumni who request a book will get one for FREE as long as you plan to show up live for all three book club sessions. If you are chosen to receive a free book, you will be contacted for your chosen address within a few days.

If requested, CTLE credit can be awarded with a declaration of participation and a $10 fee.

Come read with us!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScB8Fkj4Q6n6zxlosNEJJ6d0Y00PWHENyhk2fOZQWnZxxsXHQ/viewform?usp=header

08/01/2024

I’m delighted to share a new e-publication co-created by a multigenerational collective of K-12 teachers, teaching artists, university partners, and K-12 students. Within my capacity as Director of the Capital District Writing Project, I had the honor of forming the Freedom Dreaming for Educational Justice collective. In this book, we share our education freedom dreams – our visions of a more free and more equitable educational system and of a more free and more just world. We also share the tools and resources that inspired us and that we hope will inspire others to bring freedom dreaming into their own settings. The e-publication is full of arresting art and beautiful writing by this multigenerational collective (and all proceeds go to support our young writers workshops!).

We Are Dreaming of Freedom: Picturebook + Teaching Guide showcases the art and writing of a multigenerational collective of teachers, students, and future teachers dreaming new educational possibilities into existence.

07/12/2024

We continued our celebration with Capital District Writing Project high school writers dazzling us with their brilliance, poise, and heart. https://sites.google.com/view/discoveringyourvoice23

05/02/2024

Dr. Stephanie Affinito, with the University at Albany's EAP program, is offering a live workshop for educators on the power of growing a restorative reading practice this summer.

It's on May 14 at 12pm EST on Zoom. Sign up here!

04/08/2024

The AERA conference is coming soon and our ELTL department is well-represented. Here's a quick look at one session:

Dr, Kelly Wissman will be co-presenting with two graduate students, Hanum Tyagita (Literacy) and Vanessia Wilkins (ETAP) on April 11.

Their session is titled: Using My Own Face as a Frame: Visions of Racial Justice in the Freedom Dreaming Artwork Created by K-12 Students and Teachers.

Are you heading to AERA?

04/08/2024

Join Dr. Peter Johnston on April 17th at Skidmore College!

Children arrive in school with a range of personalities, competencies and experiences with literacy, language and life. A major challenge is ensuring that the least experienced and those with the greatest challenges, enthusiastically participate in the literate learning community with a sense of competence, belonging and positive literate identities. Solving this problem is easier if we recognize the significance of student engagement, treat literacy and learning as social as much as cognitive practices, recognize that literate learning is closely linked to social and emotional development, and take seriously the fact that the teacher is not the only source of learning in the classroom.

See below!

04/04/2024

Join Stephanie Affinito for a conversation on the power of restorative reading and writing with AATLAS next week!

Click below for more information.

https://albany.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYvfu2qpzsvEtGrhm4-gE_AHywSaVpj0qFN #/registration

01/17/2024

Welcome to the Spring semester! Classes officially begin today both on-campus and online. Here's to a wonderful semester filled with connection and literacy learning!

11/20/2023

Did you follow along with the excitement this past week?

Tim Foran, one of our doctoral students offered a presentation titled:

Finding the Right Space: How Bilingual College Students Construct Space to Engage in Literacy and Language Practices

Be sure to browse the hashtag for more updates!

10/11/2023

Heading to the NYSRA conference in November?

Doctoral student Jennifer Lakas will be presenting on the topic of writing:

Supporting Young Students in Telling and Writing Stories:

This presentation highlights practices that have informed the teaching of young learners in telling their stories through oral means and writing. Guided by salient research, best pedagogical practice and Ways of Knowing, learn how to help young students find and amplify their voices through oral and written literacy.

Learn more and register below:

The Schedule of Presentations for our conference is now available,  click here to view. Registration is still open, click here.Please note: the schedule may be subject to change with or without notification.