ARLE IFTE Conference 2024
Connections and disruptions
Unsettling L1 education: Intersections of place, identity and technology
The 14th ARLE conference, the first in the Southern Hemisphere, will combine with IFTE (the International Federation of the Teaching of English). The conference will be delivered in a hybrid mode, with the face-to-face components held the Faculty of Education, the University of Melbourne, Australia, from 18–22 June 2024. The first day is a PhD pre-conference, while the final day is primarily for schools and teachers (with seperate ticketing).
Located in the heart of the city, on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung and Bunurong peoples, this conference will invite dialogue about the role and concepts of place (and displacement), literatures, storytelling, identity and agency in L1 research and practice. The globally used term ‘L1’ is inclusive of ‘English and the Language Arts’, more commonly used in IFTE countries.
This combined and hybrid international conference will bring together educators from around the world to share celebrations and challenges, connections, and disruptions, in a unique event. Conference Chair Professor Larissa McLean Davies, ARLE Chair Professor Nikolaj Elf and IFTE President Professor Andy Goodwyn look forward to welcoming all ARLE and IFTE members to Melbourne—physically and virtually—and delegates attending in person will be offered an exciting social and cultural programme to enjoy the city!
The Hybrid Format
Our scheduling will accommodate different time zones for virtual participation in hybrid sessions:
- Morning Sessions (Melbourne, 8-11am AEST) will cater to colleagues in North America during your afternoon and early evening hours (e.g. 3-6 pm PDT, 6-9 pm EDT).
- Midday Sessions (Melbourne, 12-3pm AEST) will cater to colleagues in the Asia-Pacific Region and onsite presentations/workshops.
- Afternoon Sessions (Melbourne, 3-6pm AEST) will cater to colleagues in Europe during your morning hours (e.g. 8-11 am BST, 9am-12 pm CEST).
Got a query?
Key dates
- 30 April 2023
- 30 May 2023
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23:59 Melbourne (GMT+12)
First submission round deadline [notifications by 30 June]
- 15 September 2023
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23:59 Melbourne (GMT+12)
Second submission round deadline [notifications by 15 October]
- 01 December 2023
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23:59 Melbourne (GMT+12)
Third submission round deadline [notifications by 31 December]
- 02 January 2024
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23:59 Melbourne (GMT+12)
Final submission round deadline [notifications by 17 January]
Please note in order to submit a proposal, you will need to be an ARLE member - it is free to join
Connections and Disruptions
Post-pandemic, and amidst the increasingly ubiquitous presence of artificial intelligence (AI) in education, the conference will draw attention to access, language, relationality, and technology in L1 Education globally. The Association for the Research on L1 education (ARLE) and the International Federation for the Teaching of English (IFTE) bring different formative names to the conference; L1 is ‘First Language’ and English can be ‘English in Education’ or ‘English Language’. In the current moment, the boundaries, and futures of both ‘L1’ and ‘English’ are being explored and reimagined. As we challenge our semantic and research histories, we are united in our purpose to celebrate the value and significance of our field and its ongoing and emancipatory research purpose. In the following text, we use L1 for simplicity.
In preparing abstracts, participants are asked to consider the following questions:
- What new spaces and relations can be created when new languages, voices and technologies are incorporated into L1 education?
- How can moments of discomfort in L1 education be mobilised in generative ways to expand the identities of learners, teachers, teacher educators, and researchers?
- How might unsettling practices enable the transformation that is linked to sustainability, diversity, and equity as recurring and emerging themes in L1 research and education?
- How might educators and researchers challenge restrictive education practices, censorship, and policy initiatives to create inclusive and compassionate spaces?
- How can tools of critical theory and intersectionality be utilised in teacher education and K–12 teaching to help teachers and students create inclusive and compassionate spaces and dispositions?
- How can teacher educators and primary and secondary classroom teachers disrupt restrictive education policies and practices to include discussion of LGBTQIA+ topics, socioeconomic inequalities, religious persecution, and other topics that might feel “too political” in the current climate?
- How do we sustain the joy, passion and enthusiasm that are the characteristics of the subject, its teachers, and students?
The Connections and Disruptions Conference aspires to bring participants physically together. However, given the challenges we are all still facing due to the Covid-19 pandemic and acknowledging sustainability issues concerning both climate and economy, the conference will run in a hybrid format so that participants who will not be able to travel to Melbourne can still attend virtually.
ARLE IFTE 2024 will offer a hybrid extended program, with virtual and onsite keynotes, special panels, and multiple options for social/enrichment activities.
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Keynote Speakers
Joe Lo Bianco
Joseph (Joe) Lo Bianco, AM, FAHA, is Emeritus Professor in language and literacy in the Faculty of Education, The University of Melbourne, where he held the position of Chair Professor of Language and Literacy Education between 2004 to his retirement in June 2020. He was elected President of the Australian Academy of the Humanities in 2012, the first educator to hold this position, and currently serves as AAH vice president and international officer. He is Deputy Director of University’s Initiative for Peacebuilding. Joe’s academic specialisation is language and literacy policy analysis, accompanied by extensive on-the-ground participation in real-world policy writing, advising governments on the education of Indigenous and migrant children, the language and literacy rights of oppressed minorities, bilingualism and social questions connected to citizenship and multilingualism in national development. He has also worked extensively on language teaching methods, Q methodology research, English as a Second Language and English as a Lingua Franca and related areas. Most of his policy advising work has taken place in conflict-afflicted multi-ethnic societies in Asia and, through this, he has developed methods and writings in peacebuilding and conflict mitigation in education. He has also researched and published on revival of Indigenous languages. For some years he has been chief editor of the Language Policy book series for Springer, commissioning, reviewing and publishing original research volumes on language problems all across the world. He has more than 150 publications on language, policy and planning, language education, literacy, culture and identity. Joe was elected President of the Australian Academy of the Humanities in 2012, the first educator to hold this position, and currently serves as AAH vice president and international officer. He is Deputy Director of University’s Initiative for Peace building.
Debra Myhill
Debra Myhill is Emeritus Professor of Education at the University of Exeter, UK, and throughout her career has researched the teaching of writing. In particular, her research has focused particularly on young people’s composing processes and their metacognitive awareness of them; the inter-relationship between metalinguistic understanding and writing; the talk-writing interface; and the teaching of writing. Underpinning this research is the principle that literacy, especially writing, is a pathway to empowerment. She is Past-President of the European Association for Research in Learning and Instruction; and President of the United Kingdom Literacy Association. She is the author/co-author of several books including: "Talking, Listening, Learning: Effective Talk in the Primary Classroom" (Open University Press); "Using Talk to Support Writing" (Sage); "The Handbook of Writing Development" (Sage); "Writing Voices: Creating Communities of Writers" (Routledge); and "Understanding Literacy and Disadvantage" (Sage).
Suzanne Choo
Suzanne Choo is Associate Professor in the English Language and Literature Academic Group at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Her research has been published in various peer-reviewed journals such as Harvard Educational Review, Reading Research Quarterly, Research in the Teaching of English, Critical Studies in Education, among others. Her book, "Reading the world, the globe, and the cosmos: Approaches to teaching literature for the twenty-first century", was awarded the Critics Choice Book Award by the American Educational Studies Association. She is interested in issues related to education for global and cosmopolitan citizenship particularly in relation to literature education. Her most recent book is "Teaching ethics through literature: The significance of Ethical Criticism in a global age". She has twice been awarded the Excellence in Teaching commendation award by her university.
Melitta Hogarth
Melitta Hogarth is a Kamilaroi woman and is the Associate Dean (Indigenous) and Principal Research Fellow in the Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne. Prior to entering academia, Professor Hogarth taught in all three education sectors for almost 20 years in Queensland. She is currently the Project Director of the Signature Project, Ngarrngga, a nation building project seeking to bridge theory and praxis in the education system by showcasing Indigenous knowledge and providing opportunity for all Australian sutdents to learn about the contributions and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to Australian society.
Bob Fecho
Bob Fecho is Professor of English Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. In addition to being widely recognised for his scholarly work on equity and inclusion relating to adolescent literacy, Bob also taught English and reading for over two decades in Philadelphia, and founded the Red Clay Writing Project at the University of Georgia. His recent research interest lies in issues surrounding standardisation and the impetus to teach in dialogical ways.
Notable among his publications are "Novice Teachers Embracing Wobble in Standardised Schools: Using Dialogue and Inquiry for Self-Reflection and Growth" (2021), "Teaching Literature to Adolescents" (3rd and 4th editions) (2016, 2021), and "Dialoguing across Cultures, Identities, and Learning: Crosscurrents and Complexities in Literacy Classrooms" (2017).
Aparna Mishra Tarc
Aparna Mishra Tarc is an Associate Professor of Education at York University, Toronto, and the Director of the Graduate Program. Before her academic career, she was an elementary school teacher in the Philippines, Vietnam, and Canada. Now a leading expert in the literary humanities in education, her work attends closely to marginalised and displaced children in the classroom, exploring how pedagogies, processes and practices intersect with the literary arts to shape subject formation and social difference.
Aparna has authored over 50 articles and chapters, including the monographs "Literacy of the Other: Renarrating Humanity" (SUNY Press) and "Pedagogy in the Novels of J.M Coetzee: The Affect of Literature" (Routledge).
Bob Yagelski
Robert P. Yagelski, Dorothy G. Griffin Professor of English Education at UAlbany, is a recognised leader in composition theory and education. Affiliated with the Department of Educational Theory and Practice, he teaches courses on writing, pedagogy, and qualitative research. Professor Yagelski has made significant contributions to understanding formal errors in adolescent writing, analytical strategies employed by college students, and the social dimensions of literacy. The author of "Writing as a Way of Being: Writing Instruction, Nonduality, and the Crisis of Sustainability" (Hampton Press, 2011), he is widely published in major journals in the field, and his impact extends to writing textbooks and a children's book. His recent research delves into the ontological dimensions of writing and its transformative capacity, particularly its connection to well-being.
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Special Panels
Presidents' Panel
A special panel event featuring Presidents and Chairpersons from prominent international English and literacy education organisations, including Professor Andy Goodwyn, President of IFTE and Professor Nikolaj Elf, Chair of ARLE and Tonya Perry the incoming NCTE President. These experienced educators, researchers and leaders will come together to discuss contemporary challenges and opportunities in English and literacy education, each providing a unique perspective informed by their local contexts.
Literary education & activism
How might literary education serve as a catalyst for social change? Panelists, including Emeritus Professor Wayne Sawyer and Professor Jacqueline Manuel, will discuss topics ranging from censorship and inclusivity in text lists, to policy objectives and constraints, ultimately exploring how literature can be leveraged as a force for transformation and positive societal impact.
Unsettling the curriculum
Experienced educators, authors and leading academics, including Associate Professor in Indigenous Education Melitta Hogarth, will discuss issues of representation and inclusivity, alternative knowledges, and social justice pedagogies to compare approaches to challenging colonial logics in contemporary language education.
Literacies, AI & emergent tech: Implications for teacher education
At the intersection of emergent technologies and literacy practices, expert panelists, including ARC DECRA Fellow Lucinda McKnight, will discuss the ethical and practical dimensions of machine learning and artificial intelligence as powerful forces shaping the future of what it means to be 'literate' and what it means to study and teach language.
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Geographical Hubs for Virtual Participants
Coming soon.
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Social and Enrichment Activities
On-site in Melbourne
All social activities are built into the program, with varying options to stay on campus or explore further into the city.
School visits
Capped at two groups of 10, delegates will have the opportunity to tour local schools in close proximity to the Faculty of Education, one primary and one secondary. Spots will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis to those who send their requests via email. For more information or to request a spot on this special excursion, please email: arle-ifte2024@unimelb.edu.au
Queen Victoria Market - Winter Night Market
Image credit: Visit Victoria
Wurrdha Marra: National Gallery of Victoria
Image credit: City of Melbourne
Billibellary's Walk: hear the whispers and songs of the Wurundjeri people
Image: © Casamento Photography
City circle tram tour of Melbourne CBD
University of Melbourne Archives and Special Collections presentation
Image credit: Sharon Walker, via the University of Melbourne
ACMI presentation
Conference dinner
Image credit: Jamie Coutts, via the University of Melbourne
& other excursions TBA
Online
Discussion rooms
During break times, virtual participants will have the option to join themed Zoom rooms to re/connect with others and discuss areas of interest.
Hybrid
Special journal editions: discussion tables
Delegates are invited to submit papers covering topics of the conference for special editions of English Teaching: Practice & Critique, L1 Studies in Language and Literature and English in Australia. Representatives from these journals will be available to discuss these special issues in a hybrid format.
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PhD Pre-Conference Day
PhD students will have the opportunity to present work-in-progress that focuses either on the theoretical foundations of their research or on data and data analysis. Sessions will comprise 3 presentations, and each presenter will be given 10-15 minutes to present a particular point to address (e.g., developing theoretical ideas, data excerpts). Experienced researchers with expertise on the topic will engage participants in discussion and provide productive feedback. PhD presentations/presenters are also welcome to present at the main conference.
The PhD day will also include opportunities for networking and socialising.
Further details to come.
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Sustainability & Impact
At The University of Melbourne, we pride ourselves on our sustainability practices, for example:
- Six-star Green Star Communities rating for the Parkville Campus
- The System Garden: A unique garden showcasing plant diversity while promoting social interaction and learning
- Bees@UniMelb & Biodiversity
- Sustainability tours
- Green Caffeen
Hybrid conference format
Our hybrid format minimises environmental impact by reducing the need for travel, enabling global participation with a smaller carbon footprint.
Accessibility: taking public transport or cycling to the Faculty of Education
The Faculty of Education is a 15 minute walk from Melbourne Central train station, a six minute walk from the Queensberry St/Peel St tram stop, and a four minute walk from the Queensberry St/Swanston St tram stop.
Melbourne is cycle-friendly, with bikes and scooters available for hire across the city, and dedicated bike lanes through major thoroughfares. There are bike racks on the doorsteps of the Faculty of Education building for you to safely lock your bike while you attend the conference or explore the area, and shower/change facilities are available in the Kwong Lee Dow building where most sessions will be held. Bike repair stations are also available across campus.
Reducing paper & waste
We're adopting eco-friendly practices wherever we can, such as electronic programs, signage and communications, along with water stations for refillable bottles, incentivising reusable coffee cups, compostable lanyards and badges, and sustainable catering choices.
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Draft Program
The overview below is indicative only and subject to change.
Times shown are Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST).
Local teachers: please see the Professional Learning Day page for information about the teachers' day and seperate registration via Eventbrite (not the fees below).
Registration for the ARLE IFTE Conference
Register for the conference through the ARLE conference platform.
Early bird | Regular | |||
On-site participation | Online participation | On-site participation | Online participation | |
Academic/Delegate | EUR 420 | EUR 200 | EUR 520 | EUR 260 |
Student | EUR 260 | EUR 130 | EUR 320 | EUR 160 |
The conference fee includes the conference bag, the conference program and digital abstract book, coffees and lunches as well as welcome and farewell reception. The conference dinner is optional and paid for separately, and can be selected when registering.
Daily attendance / keynotes:
For individuals who are unable to attend the entire conference, there is an option to register for online access to keynote addresses or select day/s only.
Fees for keynote access are:
- 1 keynote: EUR 40
- All keynotes: EUR 130
Fees for daily access (available onsite only when the full program has been released) are:
- Student (on site): EUR 107
- Delegate (on site): EUR 173
PhD Pre-Conference
PhD candidates are invited to participate in the PhD pre-conference, which is taking place on the 18th of June, 2024. When registering for the pre-conference, PhD candidates must also register for the conference as a student.
Cancellations
Cancellations before 1 May, 2024 will be entitled to a refund of 50% of the registration fee. No reimbursements can be offered after 1 May, 2024. You can inform the organisers by e-mailing to arle-ifte-2024@unimelb.edu.au, using the subject "Cancellation".
Disrupting and Connecting: Reimagining the Role of the English and Literacy Teacher
June 22nd, 2024
Faculty of Education, The University of Melbourne
How might the role of the English and literacy teacher be reimagined in an era of AI, anticolonial practices and diverse contemporary classrooms? How might educators empower students to navigate these complexities, actively participate in authentic literacy practices and foster a love of reading and writing?
As we seek to move beyond debates that simplify the complexities of English and literacy teaching, this professional learning day will showcase the work of teachers in partnership with researchers through practical and pertinent workshops.
Topics will include:
- Intersections of writing and student wellbeing
- Innovative pedagogical practices
- Teaching language in the context of generative AI
- Anticolonial dispositions and approaches
- Approaching whole-school literacy improvement
- Embedding literacy learning across the curriculum
- The role and purpose of English and literacy teachers in empowering students to be readers and writers
Join us at the ARLE IFTE Professional Learning Day on Saturday the 22nd of June, 2024 at the Faculty of Education, the University of Melbourne, as we work together across contexts and sectors to explore the role of teachers in shaping the future of literacy and English education.
The program will include multiple session options for participants, including practical workshops and panel presentations drawing on teacher knowledge and evidence-based research. Participants will have the opportunity to learn from internationally renowned scholars, local researchers, professional organisations, teachers & authors, such as:
Delegates who have registered for the full ARLE IFTE Conference: your ticket to the PL day is free. Please email arle-ifte2024@unimelb.edu.au with the subject title 'PL Day Ticket' after registering for the conference. If you are just attending the PL Day, tickets are available via Eventbrite.
Follow our social media pages for regular updates:
Venue
ARLE IFTE 2024 will be held at the Faculty of Education, the University of Melbourne.
The Faculty of Education is a comfortable walking distance between the main Parkville campus and the Melbourne CBD, and is adjacent to tram lines that connect the city.
Several famous landmarks are in close proximity, including the Queen Victoria Market, Melbourne Museum, Royal Exhibition Building and the State Library of Victoria.
Royal Exhibition Building & gardens
Destination: Melbourne
Nestled on Australia's southeastern coast, Melbourne is a diverse and exciting city known for its cultural richness, heritage sites, and a vibrant arts scene. Melbourne is also a foodies' paradise, celebrated for its culinary diversity and renowned as the coffee capital of Australia.
St Paul's Cathedral & the Melbourne CBD
Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre at Melbourne Museum
Degraves Street
Offers for delegates
We have partnered with OzAccom to offer delegates special rates for CBD hotels. Click the image below to be redirected to the accomodation portal.
Coming soon
In and around Melbourne
Places to visit
Visitors to campus can download a self-guided walking tour map which provides you with a plotted history of campus architecture and other landscape features. The tour takes about an hour to complete.
The National Gallery of Victoria, popularly known as the NGV, is an art museum in the Melbourne CBD on the bank of the Yarra River. Founded in 1861, it is Australia's oldest, largest, and most visited art museum. With a range of permanent and traveling exhibits, the NGV is a must-see for anybody visiting Melbourne.
Opened in 1846, The Royal Botanic Gardens displays roughly 8,500 different species of plant. Roughly 46 hectares in size, this expansive garden features sprawling lawns, lakes, and an array of native and flora. Bring a picnic lunch and soak up the scenery, take advantage of the BBQs provided or visit one of the gardens cafes.
Luna Park Melbourne is a historic amusement park located on the foreshore of Port Phillip Bay in St Kilda, Melbourne, Victoria. It opened on 13 December 1912, with a formal opening a week later, and has been operating almost continuously ever since.
Visit the largest open-air market in the Southern Hemisphere covering roughly seven hectares. Sample a wide variety of fresh, quality produce, food trucks, and stalls. Open at night on Wednesdays.
The Australian Centre for the Moving Image is Australia’s national museum of film, video games, digital culture, and art situated in the heart of Melbourne at Federation Square.
Sea Life Melbourne offers an interactive ocean adventure, showcasing aquatic life from the Southern Ocean and Arctic Seas. Broken up into 12 different zones with each reflecting a different theme this facility also showcases a variety of talks and presentations.
The Melbourne Zoo is Australia’s oldest zoo opening in 1862. It includes more than 320 species from Australia and around the world and offers a range of interactive experiences and shows for visitors to engage with animals.
Film & Theatre
The Astor Theatre is a single-screen movie theatre showing classic and modern films. Considerd one of Australia’s last remaining art deco theatres, the cinema is heritage listed.
The Melbourne Theatre Company is the oldest professional theatre company in Australia founded in 1953. Producing an annual mainstage season of 12 plays, this theatre features an impressive interior and a wide range of talented performances. Plays run by the Melbourne Theatre Company show in a variety of Theatres around Melbourne. Check locations when you book.
Cinema Nova is an arthouse movie theatre connected to a terrace cocktail bar and offering in-cinema dining. The cinema screens stage productions and offers a range of independent and foreign-language films.
Outside of Melbourne
Places to visit
The Art Gallery of Ballarat is the oldest regional art gallery in Australia. The collection is composed of over 11 200 works from the eighteenth century to the present day. Ballarat is 1.5 hours by train from Melbourne.
Healesville Sanctuary is a zoo specialising in native Australian animals. It is located at Healesville, about 1 hour drive from Melbourne. Here you can experience an exclusive encounter with some of Australia's iconic fauna, including the platypus.
A three-hour drive from Melbourne, Wilsons Prom is the southernmost tip of mainland Australia. Here you can walk remote coastal trails, swim at pristine beaches dominated by granite tors, or camp in Australian bushland. You might also meet some of the local wombats, kangaroos and emus.
The Great Ocean Road is an Australian National Heritage listed 240-kilometre stretch of road along the south-eastern coast of Australia between the Victorian cities of Torquay and Allansford. The start of the Great Ocean Road is a 1.5 hour drive from Melbourne.
Phillip Island is 90 minutes from Melbourne and offers unique wildlife experiences including the penguin parade, beaches, attractions and eateries.
Located in Victoria's spa country about 1.5 hours from Melbourne, Dayelfsord and Hepburn Springs are known as havens of relaxation. In addition to bathing in mineral springs and receiving spa treatments, the area is known for high-quality produce, which you can enjoy at one of Daylesford's top restaurants.