The AM session will be an interactive lecture where participants will receive an overview of how to modify ELA/social studies content. The presenters will show how to modify academic content with no/low tech up to medium/high tech approaches. 

The PM session will be a working session in the LRC Production Center where participants apply the concepts they learned in the morning.

This workshop is useful for anyone teaching ELA and social studies content at any grade level.

Meet Our Presenters

Alicia Drelick, EdD, is a Lecturer for the Department of Interdisciplinary and Inclusive Education (IIE) at Rowan University. She is a certified Assistive Technology Professional and former special education teacher. Dr. Drelick's interests are in assessment in special and inclusive education, and leveraging instructional, accessible and assistive technologies to support students with disabilities in the inclusive classroom.

Brent Elder, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Interdisciplinary and Inclusive Education Department at Rowan University. He is also a professor-in-residence at an elementary school where he works with students, families, teachers, administration, and staff to develop proactive and sustainable inclusive supports.

This session will cover how to address science and literacy standards with application of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). This extended session is designed as a hands-on workshop where participants will engage in inquiry-based learning, sensemaking, science talk, and text use through inclusive instructional practices to solve a design question. Educators for all grade levels are welcome. Educators for all grade levels are welcome.

Meet Our Presenters

Michelle Damiani, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Inclusive Education at Rowan University. She is also a professor-in-residence at a local early childhood elementary school. She received her Ph.D. in Special Education from Syracuse University. Formerly, she was a public school elementary special education teacher and a new teacher mentor. In her teaching and research, she uses a disability studies in education framework to support building capacity in schools by expanding the use of inclusive pedagogy and practices.  She is also specifically engaged in research around understanding the experiences of teachers with disability and diversity in the teacher workforce.

Heather Waymouth, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Literacy Education at West Chester University of PA. She received her Ph.D in Literacy Education from Syracuse University. She has also served as a high school literacy specialist. She holds teaching certifications in grades 1-6, and 5-12 general science and biology in addition to literacy. In her research, she examines the roles literacy plays within disciplinary instruction, including how it can be used to promote access and equity.

Latifa Sebti, M.Ed, is a doctoral student at Rowan University’s College of Education with a concentration in special education. She is a licensed early childhood teacher with a master’s degree in education from Bridgewater State University. She has seven years of experience as a science and math teacher in an international American school in Morocco. She is currently an adjunct instructor and a research project coordinator on Understanding the Ecology of Immigrant Families and their Integration into Camden City at Rowan University. Her research interest is focused on questioning educational policies and practices that sustain the reproduction of systems of racism and ableism, as well as advocating for equitable educational opportunities for students with disabilities. More specifically, she is interested in investigating teachers' perceptions and attitudes towards the inclusion of students with disabilities in secondary STEM classrooms as well as collaborative practices used to respond to their individual needs and interests. She is trilingual and identifies as an immigrant.

In this workshop, we will focus on implementing integrated social justice and sustainability projects designed to build positive relationships with art, literacy, and mathematics while simultaneously building skills in these disciplines. The intended audience is educators for grades 6 through 8.

Meet Our Presenters

Jane Graziano, EdD, Professor of Art Education is committed to teaching future educators in the pedagogy and practice of Visual Arts instruction at the secondary level. Her research interests include preservice teacher education, socially engaged art, transformative practices through contemporary art and arts integration. She’s an active presenter at state and national Art Education conferences and a three-time recipient of the New Jersey Governor’s Award for Art Education, Higher Education in recognition for her service to the profession.

Valarie Lee, EdD, is an Associate Professor of Reading in the department of Language, Literacy and Sociocultural Education. Since 2007, she has co-facilitated the Literacy Consortium which has provided professional development in literacy for over 30 school districts. Her research focuses on adolescent disciplinary literacy and lesson study.

Jill Perry, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Mathematics Education committed to collaborating with middle and high school educators to create inclusive learning spaces where students are positioned as capable young mathematicians. Her research focuses on students’ mathematical communications and representations as they negotiate understanding independently and in small and large groups.

In this presentation, we will explore ways that children’s literature can be used to help children make sense of tough topics such as race and racism, gender non-conforming children, class privilege, and identity. We ground our approach in sensemaking theory and storytelling to showcase five children’s books that can be used by teachers in PK-6 classrooms. All the children’s books used in this presentation are available to check out in the LRC-South.

Meet Our Presenters

Dr. Stephanie Abraham, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Language and Literacy Education at Rowan University. She began her career in education as an educational interpreter for the Deaf, then she was an elementary educator of diverse, emergent bilingual children for ten years. From these experiences, she became an advocate and practitioner of critical, translingual pedagogies. Currently, she runs a community engaged ethnographic project, funded by the Spencer Foundation, at the community literacy center, Mighty Writers: El Futuro in Philadelphia, where she documents the community’s translingual repertoire. In turn, she also runs a transnational teacher education project funded by the Fulbright Organization between New Jersey and Oaxaca, Mexico, where she hosts NJ educators in Oaxaca to study Spanish and Zapotec and critical language and literacy pedagogies.

Dr. Brianne (Brie) Morettini, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Interdisciplinary and Inclusive Education at Rowan University. She began her career in education as a kindergarten teacher. As a teacher, she had the privilege of teaching young children from a wide variety of backgrounds. Her students spoke many different languages and presented a wide range of skills, interests, and learning preferences. During her time in the classroom, she became an advocate of inclusive educational settings and humanizing, person-centered pedagogies. After a number of years in the classroom, she continued her own education in graduate school, studying teaching, learning, and curriculum. She attended the University of Pennsylvania for her Master's degree and the University of Maryland for her PhD. At Rowan, you can find her teaching both graduate and undergraduate courses with a critical lens. Her teaching philosophy and research reflect a commitment to better understanding teachers' perceptions and needs in an effort to develop educational settings that embrace children, families, communities, and teachers.

Dr. Zalphia Wilson, EdD, arrived at Rowan University after over 36 years in the public school system as a classroom teacher and as a Professional School Counselor. In her capacity as a Professional School Counselor, she served as the High School Affirmative Action Officer and Sexual Harassment Officer, as well as the Leader of the Crisis Team. Dr. Wilson-Hill has presented Professional Development on Positive Behavioral Intervention Programs to School Psychologist and Counselors(PBiS); How Teacher Perception of Student Ability Affects Achievement; Normal and Abnormal Childhood Behaviors; Adolescent Depression; Adolescent Sexuality; and How to Create a College Culture in Spite of No Child Left Behind. Beyond the school environment, Dr. Wilson-Hill has made numerous national presentations that include: the Hobson Company (Naviance); the 18th Annual School Psychologist Symposium; The New Jersey Association of College Counselors; Gloucester County Teachers Association; Gloucester County Middle School Counselors Association; Newark Teachers Association; Camden City Convocation of School Administrators and the Camden County Juvenile Justice System. She is currently the Program Coordinator in the Counseling in Educational Settings Program and Senior Lecturer. Dr. Wilson-Hill earned her EdD in Educational Leadership from Rowan University; her M.A. from Glassboro State College; and her B.A. from Temple University.

World language has traditionally been seen as an elitist subject tailored toward “high-achieving” students, but all students should have access to and inclusion in language study, particularly at advanced levels, regardless of their (dis)ability, race, SES, gender, home language, or zip code. This presentation focuses on 6 practical shifts in instruction and assessment that educators can make to ensure that WL classrooms are inclusive for all learners, engaging, and aligned with the 2020 NJSLS. Intended audience: K-12 world language educators, special educators who work in language contexts, supervisors, and administrators.

Meet Our Presenters

Beth Wassell, EdD is a Professor in the Department of Language, Literacy and Sociocultural Education Department at Rowan University. She teaches courses in the ESL, Bilingual, World Language, and Secondary Education programs. Her research focuses on language education in inclusive contexts.

This session offers participants a universally designed science education framework that supports a disability studies informed approach to using UDL and the NGSS in inclusive science classrooms. A vignette is used to discuss creating an inclusive community of science learners, planning for big ideas over time, engaging students in sensemaking through model-based inquiry, and engaging in cooperative learning and science talk. Participants will have an opportunity to share ideas and ask questions about implementing universally designed science education practices in their classrooms. Educators for all grade levels are welcome. 

Meet Our Presenters

Michelle Damiani, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Inclusive Education at Rowan University. She is also a professor-in-residence at a local early childhood elementary school. She received her Ph.D. in Special Education from Syracuse University. Formerly, she was a public school elementary special education teacher and a new teacher mentor. In her teaching and research, she uses a disability studies in education framework to support building capacity in schools by expanding the use of inclusive pedagogy and practices. She is also specifically engaged in research around understanding the experiences of teachers with disability and diversity in the teacher workforce.

Latifa Sebti, M.Ed. is a doctoral student at Rowan University’s College of Education with a concentration in special education. She is a licensed early childhood teacher with a master’s degree in education from Bridgewater State University. She has seven years of experience as a science and math teacher in an international American school in Morocco. She is currently an adjunct instructor and a research project coordinator on Understanding the Ecology of Immigrant Families and their Integration into Camden City at Rowan University. Her research interest is focused on questioning educational policies and practices that sustain the reproduction of systems of racism and ableism, as well as advocating for equitable educational opportunities for students with disabilities. More specifically, she is interested in investigating teachers' perceptions and attitudes towards the inclusion of students with disabilities in secondary STEM classrooms as well as collaborative practices used to respond to their individual needs and interests. She is trilingual and identifies as an immigrant.

This session will explore both macro and micro structures that can be built into school and classroom spaces that will foster a greater inclusive culture in schools. Topics like creating a common definition of inclusion, language usage (i.e. "boys and girls" vs. "young scholars," my students vs your students), and taking a strengths-based approach will all be addressed. Educators will leave with concrete action steps that they can begin implementing in their schools. The intended audience are P-12 classroom educators.

Meet Our Presenters

Kerry Cormier, M.A., is an instructor in the Interdisciplinary and Inclusive Education at Rowan University, as well as a doctoral candidate working to complete a Ph.D. in Special Education. She is a former high school English special education teacher. Her work focuses on understanding the experiences of students and teachers in building more inclusive spaces.

Johari Sykes-Ratliff, M.A., has over 15 years of experience in the Early Childhood field, having served in an urban school district in a variety of teaching, coaching, and administrative roles. She currently serves as a Lecturer and Supervisor in the BA in Education, specialization in Early Childhood program at Rowan University, and is a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership candidate. Johari currently serves in several Early Childhood organizations and committees dedicated to supporting teachers in developing inclusive practices.