Professor at NCC Heads to Literacy Summit

Adjunct professor at Northampton Community College (NCC), Dr. Kasey Seiler, was chosen as a speaker for this year’s World Literacy Summit at Oxford University in Oxford, UK from April 2-4. Six hundred attendees are expected at the Summit with over 40,000 people watching online. Eighty-five countries will be represented at this event to advocate and educate attendees on the importance of improving literacy levels globally. “Having a literacy coach is an invaluable resource for both educators and students,” Seiler notes. 

Seiler has experience as a literacy coach from her time at Pleasant Valley School District. She supported teachers in providing effective literacy instruction, which encompasses grammar, listening, oral language skills, reading, speaking, spelling, viewing, and writing.  

“I used tools like professional development, modeling lessons, co-teaching, setting goals and creating a plan as well as supporting any new literacy initiative set forth by the administration,” says Seiler.  

Due to budget cuts, Pleasant Valley had to let go of the literacy coaching role in 2020. With the birth of her child and this news, Seiler decided to stay at home with her son and continue working part-time as an adjunct teaching literacy, reading and writing courses at NCC. Her now almost 3-year-old son can read books at a 1^st to 2^nd grade reading level, a testament to her teaching him these skills at a young age. 

Seiler’s presentation at the summit will cover her research from her published dissertation and experiences as a coach and teacher. She aims to educate attendees on the importance of utilizing stakeholders in schools effectively while implementing a literacy initiative or any educational initiative. Through her research, Seiler found that identifying the best roll out process will pay off in the program’s overall effectiveness.  

“I want to share this information at the Summit in hopes that it will help the many educational leaders and educators at this event,” Seiler says. 
 
According to the World Literacy Summit website, “The Summit is an initiative of the World Literacy Foundation, a global non-profit organization that works to ensure every young individual, regardless of geographic location, can acquire literacy and reading skills to reach their full potential, succeed at school and beyond. It is the world’s largest gathering of international literacy specialists, researchers, educators, publishers, government representatives and more.” Seiler is excited to present at the Summit with hopes of enacting positive change.