What is a Special Interest Group (SIG)?
UKLA Special Interest Groups are comprised of interested UKLA members who work with named conveners to develop a priority area in Literacy education. Membership of a SIG is open to any UKLA member. The work of each SIG is important to the overall work of UKLA.
SIGs tend to run for one to two years, and work to a set of aims that are proposed by conveners and agreed by UKLA’s Executive Committee. UKLA are keen to support SIGs whose members will have the potential to develop/shape and/or respond to an area of need/common interest in literacy and contribute to the Association’s mission of promoting literacy education.
Why set up a SIG?
Joining or starting up a SIG will provide opportunities to network with UKLA colleagues in all phases of education, and with international perspectives and experiences. SIG members collaborate in self-defined ways to further the group’s aims and interests and, if appropriate, to develop international links in relation to literacy education.
Who can set up a SIG?
Any member of UKLA can apply to set up a SIG using the form below. Full guidance about setting up a SIG can also be found below.
For further advice about setting up a SIG, please contact Ian Cushing at cushingi@edgehill.ac.uk
To join a SIG, please contact the SIG convener(s) whose details can be found on each individual SIG page of the UKLA Website.
English in Initial Teacher Education (ITE) SIG
The English in Initial Teacher Education (ITE) SIG is a forum for those who work in English in ITE to share, develop, and innovate practice, and collaborate with each other in research and development projects.
Storytelling SIG
It is hoped that the Storytelling SIG will provide a forum for creating a nationwide storytelling community, with members sharing research in narrative and teaching, classroom resources, reflections on storytelling, examples of good practice and, perhaps, even some stories.
Participatory Approaches in Literacy Research SIG
Bring together practitioners, teacher educators, researchers and allied professionals, from different disciplinary backgrounds, who have a shared interest in understanding and improving children and young people’s literacy skills and experiences, through participatory research approaches.
Literacy and Multilingualism SIG
The ‘Literacy and Multilingualism’ SIG explores both challenges and opportunities linked to multilingualism and literacy development, including translanguaging and plurilingualism, both within formal and informal education contexts (including heritage language schools), and at family/community level.
Teaching Writing SIG
Teaching writing is an exciting, dynamic and multi-disciplinary affair and our group advocates for a broad, balanced and research-informed view of how children develop as writers.