Online 21 April 2023
The Summit on the Research & Teaching of Young Adult Literature
In Conversation: The Promise of Young Adult Literature
The Summit is facilitated by members of NCTE's ELATE Commission on the Study of Adolescent Literature
Sponsored by Oklahoma State University and Aquinas College, we are pleased to announce this 6th annual Summit on the Research and Teaching of Young Adult Literature.
The Summit on the Research and Teaching of Young Adult Literature began just after NCTE in 2017 with our first Summit in 2018. Members of English Language Arts Teacher Educators (ELATE) and the Commission of the Study of Adolescent Literature facilitate a Summit welcoming authors, scholars, educators, and librarians into conversation to shape the landscape of literature welcomed in schools and inform the trajectory of YA literature to be intersectional, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of readers.
The virtual format of this conference -- with all presenters also serving as discussants -- strives to nurture a reciprocity of presence and support. We offer a number of concurrent sessions to allow for a substantial audience for each session and time to not only present but discuss and consider implications. In this way, we can bear witness to one another’s work, humanity, and passion for all that young adult literature does for our hearts and minds and learning spaces.
The fee for this one day Summit is $25 for participants and presenters. All funds are used to support technology support and honoraria for plenary speakers.
We hope you will join us. See the registration and program pages for more details.
2023 Summit Sponsors
Oklahoma State University
Aquinas College
2023 Summit Co-Directors
Sarah J. Donovan
Dr. Sarah J. Donovan is a former Chicago junior high ELA teacher & assistant professor at Oklahoma State University. She is the author of the Alone Together , editor of Rhyme and Rhythm: Poems for Student Athletes, & founder of Ethical ELA, an open access site for educators.. Her publications focus on anti-bias reading practices of YAL and writing in teacher professional development using relational poetry pedagogy.
Gretchen Rumohr
Dr. Gretchen Rumohr is a professor of English, department chair, and writing program administrator at Aquinas College, MI. She is the chief curator for YA Wednesday and editor of Contending with Gun Violence in the English Language Classroom. Dr. Rumohr lives in Zeeland, MI with her four daughters and a tiny baby Yorkshire Terrier.
2023 Summit Advisory Board
Michelle Falter is an associate professor of English education at North Carolina State University. She studies critical, affective, and discussion-based approaches to teaching English language arts. Michelle is an avid reader, critical scholar, and empathetic teacher of young adult literature and has been involved in one way or another with the YA Summit since its inception.
Jessica Wiley is an ALE Educator and Dyslexia Interventionist for the South Conway County School District in Morrilton, Arkansas. She serves as a board member for Arkansas Hands & Voices and volunteers as a Parent Mentor with Community Connections, two organizations that help improve the lives of children with disabilities.
Ashley S. Boyd is an associate professor of English education at Washington State University. Her research includes the development of critical literacies and social action projects with students reading young adult literature. Her books include Social Justice Literacies in the English Classroom: Teaching Practice in Action (Teachers College Press).
Chea Parton is a former rural English teacher and current visiting faculty member at Purdue University. Her work focuses on the identity development of rural out-migrant teachers, rural pedagogy, and rural YAL. She founded/manages Literacy In Place and the Reading Rural YAL podcast which offers resources for teaching rural YAL.
Leilya Pitre is an Assistant Professor and English Education Coordinator at Southeastern Louisiana University where she teaches methods courses for preservice teachers, literary analysis, American and Young Adult Literature courses. Her research interests include teacher preparation, secondary school teaching, and teaching and research of YA and multicultural literature.
Dr. Amy Piotrowski is an associate professor of English education at Utah State University. She teaches undergraduate courses in English education and secondary education as well as graduate courses in literacy education. Her scholarly interests focus on digital literacies, young adult literature, and teacher education.
Dr. Melanie Hundley is a Professor in the Practice of English Education at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College; her research examines how digital and multimodal composition informs the development of pre-service teachers’ writing pedagogy. Additionally, she explores the use of digital media, poetry, and canonical texts in young adult literature.
2023 Technology Team from OSU
Elaine Johns
Alysia Ropp
Kushal Jha
Brian Jennings
