International Conference
Conference Speakers Programme Accommodation

The pandemic has highlighted, with alarming clarity, the educational inequalities both across the United Kingdom and internationally – these inequalities have always existed, but have been brought into sharp relief through the closure of schools during Covid lockdowns. Of course, these inequalities also exist on a global level, due to poverty, conflict, racism and political decision-making. We believe in the empowerment that literacy brings and that all young learners should have access to the pleasures and privileges that being literate confers. Literacy is a gateway to the comfort of curling up with a good book, or of writing a poem which crystallises how we feel about ourselves and our world; it is also a gateway to democratic participation, to communicating about those things which matter most to us, to changing the world. It is also, of course, a gatekeeper to educational attainment and future career pathways. In thinking about literacy as enabling advantage for all, we adopt a broad sense of what it means to be literate, not only reading and writing, but also confidence with spoken language and with digital literacies. This conference will invite delegates to explore inequalities in literacy education, the challenges that inequalities cause for learners, and ways of addressing these challenges to enable all children to experience the advantages of literacy. It will also explore teaching approaches which generate empowerment through literacy, both ‘mainstream’ classroom activities and approaches which expand our sense of what is possible, perhaps through collaborative work with arts partners, the community, or industry.
CALL FOR PAPERS AND REGISTRATION NOW CLOSED
Programme
Registration
The registration process is now open – the registration fees are listed below.

The registration fee includes tea/coffees, lunches and dinner on Friday and Saturday.
The Early Bird offer ends on 14th May.
Guidance on how to register:
Registration Process
There are two different ways to pay your registration. Either you are paying for yourself as a delegate, or someone else is paying for you on your behalf (eg your school or university finance officer). Please make sure you select the correct link below. Please also note that if you are a UKLA member, you will need your membership number to hand. It is also important to use the same email on the registration form as you used to sign in to your account.
Paying for Yourself:
https://app.oxfordabstracts.com/events/2529/registrations/new
- When you click on the link above, you will be asked to Sign in or Create an Account.
- If you submitted an abstract, you have already created an account, so you should Sign In and use the same email and password as last time. If you have forgotten your password, you can request a password reset.
- If you are accessing this system for the first time, you will need to Create an Account. This will firstly, ask you to register as an account user, and you need to wait for a verification email, which comes to you in about thirty minutes. Once this is done, you can access the registration system and complete your registration.
- Make sure you select the correct registration fee.
- To pay, click Payment and select your preferred payment option. Please note that once you have paid for your registration, you will be unable to edit it, so please contact the administrator of the event (admin@ukla.org) should you wish to make any changes.
Paying on Someone’s Behalf:
https://app.oxfordabstracts.com/events/2529/registrations/new?behalf=true
- When you click on the link above, you will be asked to Create an Account. This will firstly, ask you to register as an account user, and you need to wait for a verification email, which comes to you in about thirty minutes. Once this is done, you can access the registration system and complete your registration.
- To complete the registration form, the first email requested is your email; thereafter all the information requested is about the person you are paying on behalf of.
- Make sure the email you use for the person you are paying for is the email they used to login and submit to the conference.
- Make sure you select the correct registration fee.
- To pay, click Payment and select your preferred payment option. Please note that once you have paid for your registration, you will be unable to edit it, so please contact the administrator of the event (admin@ukla.org) should you wish to make any changes.
Cancellation.
Whilst we hope that everyone can attend as planned, we recognise that occasionally circumstances change. If you have to withdraw from the conference the following cancellation policy will apply:
Cancellation before June 15th: Full refund
We are unable to offer any refund on cancellations after the 15 June (because numbers have to be confirmed to the venue then).
Registration Deadline: 15 June
ACCOMMODATION INFORMATION
Conference participants are asked to find and book their own accommodation, but we have some options and possibilities below which we hope you will find helpful.
The Conference Hotel
The Macdonald Burlington, has reserved 50 rooms for us at special rates of £89.00 Bed and Breakfast Rate Single occupancy, £99.00 Bed and Breakfast Rate Double occupancy. To book one of these rooms, you need to call or email the hotel and quote this code – UKLA300322 – to get the reduced rate. Rooms must be booked before 30 April 2022.
https://www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk/burlington, or call 0121 643 9191 and press 4 for the reception team
These three hotels are modern, clean and budget hotels, all close to the conference centre.
Premier Inn, Birmingham City Centre.
Holiday Inn Hotel, Birmingham City Centre
https://www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hotels/us/en/birmingham/bhxwm/hoteldetail
Travelodge Central Bull Ring
https://www.travelodge.co.uk/hotels/503/Birmingham-Central-Bull-Ring-hotel
VISITING BIRMINGHAM
While you are in Birmingham, you may want to stay an extra few days and explore the city and near locality. We have created a list of very varied suggestions of places you might like to visit – click here for more information