The ELA Programs Team at the MEQ, in collaboration with the LCEEQ is offering a residential professional development series for evidence-based literacy instruction.
This three-year program consists of immersive, three-day workshops each summer, providing educators with the opportunity to learn, collaborate, and build connections with colleagues from across the province.
The symposium is designed to equip teachers with essential knowledge for effectively teaching students how to read. It also seeks to clarify and expand on areas not explicitly defined in the current ELA curriculum, ensuring educators are empowered with the tools and understanding necessary to bridge gaps and foster stronger literacy foundations. This summer, we continue our deep dive into the Active View of Reading.
Check out who will be joining us to enhance your learning!
Learn more about our featured speakers this summer
Dr. Hélène Deacon is a Full Professor at Dalhousie University, where she directs the Language and Literacy Lab. She completed her PhD as a Rhodes Scholar at the University of Oxford in 2004. Her research investigates how children learn to read, and the ways in which high quality education enable full functioning in society. She publishes widely, with more than 100 peer-reviewed papers to date. Her research has won extensive recognition across fields and Deacon was recently named as a member of the College of the Royal Society of Canada and one of the top 2% most impactful scientists worldwide. Hélène lives in Halifax with her two kids who are 8 and 11 and fabulous. She is a connoisseur of live music and hiking trails.
Karen Filewych has over twenty-five years of educational experience as an elementary teacher, school administrator, and language arts consultant. In 2007, she completed her Master of Education degree in the area of literacy. She is the author of four Pembroke titles including Literacy Leadership Matters written for principals and literacy leads. She is also the senior author of the Pearson resource entitled Bug Club Morphology. Subscribe to her blog or visit her website
Adrienne Gear is a teacher, author, and workshop presenter from British Columbia. She worked as an elementary teacher with the Vancouver School Board for over 25 years, with experience as an ELL teacher, teacher librarian, and district literacy mentor. Adrienne is passionate about literacy and learning and inspiring teachers to provide responsive, explicit literacy instruction to all learners. She is the author of nine professional books on literacy instruction for elementary teachers and is a well sought after speaker across Canada and internationally in the UK, Sweden, Australia, and the US. Adrienne currently lives in Kelowna with her family and dog.
Dr. Sandra Marting-Chang received her bachelor’s in psychology at the University of Toronto, her Master's of Psychology at the University of Aberdeen (Scotland), and her PhD in Psychology from McMaster University. She has studied reading development for over two decades and has shared her research in talks around the world. She studies how reading in context, (especially reading storybooks and novels), influences cognitive development. She is additionally interested in the role of teacher knowledge and parent knowledge in children's learning. In 2020, she was a short-listed author for Wiley’s UKLA Literacy Award in Education. To date, her work has been featured in many news outlets worldwide. Dr. Martin-Chang is currently serving as the Graduate Program Director in the Department of Education at Concordia. Her favourite things include reading juicy novels and cheering on the Toronto Raptors with her children.
Dr. Gene Ouellette (Ph.D) is an internationally recognized researcher in the areas of reading, spelling, and topics exploring the links between oral and written language processes. Prior to completing his PhD in Psychology, Gene worked for over a decade as a Speech Language Pathologist and Special Education Consultant both within the public-school system and in private practice, working with students, parents, and teachers in areas to foster oral and written language development. Gene is currently the Head of the Psychology Department at Mount Allison University, where he teaches courses on child development, educational psychology, language development, and literacy acquisition. Gene resides in Sackville, New Brunswick with his wife Katrina and energetic wiener dog, Bruno.
Larry Swartz has been an educator for almost five decades, working as a classroom teacher, consultant, and university instructor with a focus on implementing literacy and drama curricula. For the past twenty-five years, Larry has taught in the Initial Teacher Education program at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto. He is a popular workshop presenter and has spoken internationally in New Zealand, Beijing, Austria, Jordan, and Sweden. Larry is the author of several publications to support elementary and secondary teachers. Some titles include *Dramathemes*, *Write to Read*, *Better Reading Now*, *Teaching Tough Topics*, and most recently, *Stop the Hate for Goodness Sake* (with Dr. ABC). Larry’s work is centered on using children’s literature to enrich reading, writing, talk, and the arts, with a particular focus on using books to deepen understanding of social justice, diversity, and equity.
Learn more about our local speakers this summer
Elizabeth Ascah is a Pedagogical Consultant at the Eastern Shores School Board, specializing in English Language Arts at both the elementary and secondary levels. With over 25 years of teaching experience, she has taught in multigrade classrooms, adapting to the unique needs of each student. She believes in the power of tailored education to create meaningful learning experiences for all. A lifelong learner, she earned her Master of Education from St. Francis Xavier University in 2021. Elizabeth is the proud mother of two children and lives on the picturesque Magdalen Islands with her two dogs.
Shannon Collins is a Pedagogical Consultant for Elementary English Language Arts and Preschool Education at the New Frontiers School Board, where she combines her passions for early childhood and literacy education. Previously, she spent 18 years teaching Kindergarten and Cycle One, including four years on loan of service with the Ministry of Education, supporting the Preschool dossier. As a lifelong learner, Shannon holds a master’s degree in Literacy Education and is currently pursuing a PhD in Education, with a focus on literacy and teacher knowledge. In her (limited) free time, she enjoys reading, crafting, spending time with family, and cheering on the Habs.
Stephanie Anna Domes BA, BEd, MA, began her journey in education over 20 years ago. She has taught grades K through 6 and, in the latter years, simultaneously served as Staff Assistant. Currently, Stephanie works as an Education Consultant for the Riverside School Board, spearheading the Teacher Induction and Mentorship initiative, as well as collaborating on Language Proficiency and English Language Arts at the elementary and secondary levels. Committed to being a reflective practitioner, she is interested in literacy leadership, effective accompaniment practices, curriculum alignment, and fostering students’ reading lives. She enjoys architecture, coffee, the beach, and a good book.
Sarah Kingsley serves as the Coordinator of Inclusive Practices and the Learning Enrichment and Development program for kindergarten through grade 12 at Lower Canada College. A certified Orton Gillingham practitioner through the Orton Gillingham Academy, Sarah’s expertise in effective literacy instruction and tiered interventions for emergent readers has been instrumental in her previous roles as the English Language Arts Curriculum Coordinator at LCC and the elementary subject representative for QAIS. She is now dedicated to expanding her knowledge of best practices in literacy development, executive functioning skills, and emotional regulation for upper-grade students.
Sarah Kobia is a Literacy Consultant with the Western Quebec School Board, specializing in English Language Arts for the Secondary level. Since launching her teaching career fourteen years ago as a Secondary Language Arts teacher, Sarah has also enjoyed working as a resource teacher providing specialized support to teen learners. She is passionate about cultivating inclusive classrooms that foster a sense of belonging and radiate with genuine curiosity. In her role as consultant, Sarah has had a particular focus on leveraging impactful talk, assessment and evaluation, and reading across the curriculum. Her teacher training spans all three divisions for ELA—Elementary, Intermediate, and Senior. She resides in Ottawa, Ontario with her husband and three young boys.
Stephanie McCully is a Pedagogical Consultant at the Eastern Townships School Board, specializing in English Language Arts for both Elementary and Secondary levels, as well as Secondary Social Sciences. With over 20 years of experience as a secondary school teacher, she is passionate about curriculum development, student engagement, and effective teaching practices. Stephanie has also worked with and delivered seminars as a guest lecturer at the School of Education at Bishop’s University. As a dedicated educator, she strives to foster critical thinking and creativity in the classroom. She lives in the beautiful Eastern Townships with her husband and four children.
Stephanie McNaughton a consultant at the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board, has over 15 years of teaching experience in public and private sectors, including regular and special education. She has taught in diverse settings, such as China, Nunavik, and aboard the S.S. Sørlandet. Stephanie holds a Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics, where her research on factors influencing language acquisition was published in the *TESL Canada Journal*. She also holds a Bachelor of Education and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Sociology & Social Anthropology. Based in Montreal with her husband and four children, she enjoys travel, podcasts, and visiting family in Nova Scotia.
Larissa Sansom is a Literacy Consultant for Kindergarten to Secondary V at the Western Quebec School Board. Her career includes roles as an elementary and resource teacher, and organizer of WQSB’s New Teacher Induction Program. She has also worked as collaborator on the Ministry Constellations Project. Some would describe her as an enthusiastic lover of language arts while others might say she is wildly obsessed children’s literature. Larissa hails from the bustling metropolis of Ottawa where she lives with her husband and two school-age sons. When she isn’t entertaining the masses, she enjoys moments of silence and embroidery.
Dawn Uniat was a teacher and Literacy Consultant for over 30 years. She spent most of her career at the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board where her passion for children’s and young adult literature developed as she taught students from Kindergarten through to Secondary V. Dawn also worked as the project coordinator and English Language Arts specialist for the Quebec Reading Connection before joining the ELA team at the Ministry of Education. Now retired, Dawn has many hobbies including baking and genealogy research, but reading is her favourite pastime.