Engaging keynote speeches, stimulating parallel sessions and inspiring award winners came together at the Bristol Mercure Holland House Hotel and Spa for one of the most successful UKLA International Conferences to date.
Delegates from all over the world presented and participated in a wide range of seminars, workshops and symposia on the theme of ‘Literacy, Diversity and Equality: Bringing Voices Together’, sharing knowledge from a variety of cultures and backgrounds.
The Keynote speeches by Brian Street, Daniel Hahn, Jim Cummins, Elizabeth Laird and Gabrielle Cliff-Hodges brought new ideas and challenged delegates’ thinking.
On Friday 8 July we welcomed a wonderful choral recital from a Year 3 group at Horfield C of E School, as well as an outstanding performance by renowned poet, Joe Coehlo. Together, their performances ignited a love of poetry and spoken word in our delegates.
On Saturday 9 July conference participants enjoyed a boat tour of the Bristol docks. The atmosphere and culture of the city was fitting to the feel and theme of the conference, and provided an opportunity for attendees to network away from the conference setting.
A number of Award Winners were announced at the UKLA Conference Book Awards Wine Reception and Gala Dinner. Their poignant speeches and enthusiasm for their work inspired both teachers and academics alike, alighting a renewed motivation for literacy education to carry forward to the start of the new academic year.
We would like to thank all those who attended and took part in the conference. We look forward to the same successes next year at the University of Strathclyde for the UKLA 53rd International Conference 2017 (keep an eye on the conference page for the call for papers which will be issued in the autumn).
Award Winners:
UKLA Book Award
Academic Book Award
Digital Book Award
Our Class Loves This Book: the John Downing Award
Literacy School of the Year
Wiley-Blackwell Award
Student Research Prize
We would also like to congratulate the six winners of the Student Shadowing Award Programme for their passion when shadowing the UKLA Book Awards. The winners were given a place at the UKLA Conference, courtesy of our sponsors, the NUT.
