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Building a Community of Readers and Writers

 

Building a Community of Readers and Writers:
An Identity-Based Framework for Literacy Instruction
Tuesday, September 15 | 7:00 p.m. ET

 

REGISTER HERE

This event is free for NCTE members. Not a member? Join today!

Registration will close 90 minutes prior to the event start time.

 

NCTE’s Elementary Section invites members to engage in learning and conversation with Christopher J. Wagner, author of Identity-Based Literacy Instruction for Early Childhood and Elementary Classrooms: Learning to Be Readers and Writers (2025). The book offers a framework that supports educators in building authentic classroom communities through identity-based literacy instruction centering student voice, belonging, and critical literacy. Dr. Wagner’s work provides educators with concrete practices that challenge restrictive mandates and foster more equitable and humanizing instruction. Learn more about the framework in Language Arts.

 

Members will:

  • Develop an understanding of the Four Strands of Identity-Based Literacy Instruction framework and its role in fostering belonging, community, and engagement in K–5 classrooms.
  • Analyze and reflect on instructional practices that support identity, student voice, and equitable participation in literacy learning.
  • Design or revise a literacy lesson with intentional strategies and leave with tangible next steps for building classroom community and supporting a strong start to the school year.

 

Certificates of attendance are available upon request.

Please contact profdev@ncte.org with questions.

 

 

FEATURED GUEST

 

Christopher J. Wagner, PhD, is an associate professor in the Department of Education at Santa Clara University. Christopher is a researcher and preparer of early childhood and elementary grade teachers. He researches reading, writing, identities, and multilingualism in children in the early childhood and elementary years. He is the author or editor of three books, including Identity-Based Literacy Instruction for Early Childhood and Elementary Classrooms: Learning to Be Readers and Writers. Christopher teaches courses on the reading process, language arts methods, and language development and multilingualism. He has worked in the classroom as a teacher and instructional coach, and has run after-school family literacy programs for young multilingual children and their families. He was previously on the faculty of the City University of New York. Christopher received a BA from the University of Virginia, an EdM from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and a PhD from Boston College.

 

FACILITATORS

 

Laura Ascenzi-Moreno, professor and chairperson and bilingual program coordinator, Brooklyn College, New York

Islah Tauheed, teacher coach, Newark, New Jersey