2026 Engage Learning Conference

The purpose of the session will be to share ways that classroom teachers have structured their reading blocks and designed experiences to engage reluctant upper elementary readers. Intended to increase a love of reading in students who may typically be hard to reach, this session will showcase proven methods that promote student choice. Participants will learn about how to entice readers to try new genres, encourage peer conversation about texts, develop morphological vocabulary skills, and think deeply about texts and their authors. A variety of culminating projects and their rubrics will be shared with participants.

Master the core strategies for teaching writers at the start of the year to establish a daily writing block that balances instruction, practice, and feedback. Explore ways to increase student engagement, overcome common challenges, and cultivate independent writers through routines that sustain momentum.

This presentation provides Alabama World Language teachers with practical strategies to support World Language Learners on their pathways toward biliteracy and the Alabama Seal of Biliteracy. Participants will explore three key pathways for students in alignment with state guidelines, examine case studies, and engage in reflection and collaborative planning. By the end of the session, teachers will have actionable strategies to integrate into their classrooms and guidance on partnering with EL programs and counselors to ensure equitable access to biliteracy opportunities.

Teaching is both a science and an art.  While the Science of Reading, Literacy act and Numeracy act currently rule the day, let's not forget the art of a truly engaging "hook" to ignite curiosity and a passion for learning!  In this session we will explore integrating content in big and small ways to motivate our youngest learners. Using our science and social studies standards/curriculum is a great jumping off point to plan integrated experiences for our students.  Book clubs, book bundles, curiosity projects, purposeful play, room transformations, and even choice of writing tools will be some of the ideas we will cover.  All of these are easily modified for any K-2 classroom. 

Please note this is a two-hour session.

Step into a one-of-a-kind professional learning experience with The Idea Workshop, led by the team from TED-Ed. Designed for educators, this highly interactive session guides participants through the powerful process behind crafting, refining, and sharing ideas that matter.

Rooted in the storytelling framework used in TED Talks, The Idea Workshop helps you uncover your core message, clarify your thinking, and shape ideas into compelling, meaningful narratives that resonate with others. Along the way, you’ll engage in reflection, collaboration, and practical exercises that build confidence in communicating ideas with purpose and impact.

Participants will also experience student talks and explore how to support students in developing stronger ideas and communicating them effectively. This exclusive ENGAGE experience offers a rare opportunity to learn directly from the TED-Ed team—and to walk away with not just inspiration, but practical strategies to elevate student voice and storytelling in your classroom.

This presentation seeks to give teachers the tools to directly instruct their students on how both in-class and study behaviors impact learning, and to provide evidence based strategies that all students can use to maximize their academic success. Teachers will walk away from the session recognizing the importance of directly instructing students on strategies and behaviors that have traditionally been left up to students to master on their own. Topics include a brief overview of the neuroscience of learning, note taking specifics designed for your class, a stepwise approach to deep processing (supporting working memory and semantic encoding), how brief retrieval practice activities can improve student performance, and practices to reduce distraction and increase engagement.  We plan to give teachers examples of how these strategies can be applied in the classroom immediately. 

How do teachers engage students and build ownership? It begins with building relationships. Find out how through brain-based research that aligns with current best practice in conscious discipline. This session empowers educators to set the tone for their time with students beginning with mindfulness. Walk through the steps of a simple morning routine to identify basic strategies for well-being. Take a look at current brain research to dig deeper into how deep breaths, body movements, and positive affirmations help students move from the feeling state to the thinking state of the brain. Learn to offer choices that encourage rather than threaten, giving students opportunities to be successful. Leave with actionable strategies, go-to routines, and straightforward language that offers behavior-specific feedback and puts students on the path to taking ownership of their behavior and their learning.

This session will equip teachers to assess students' fluency and build in routines that promote reading with expression, automaticity, rhythm, and smoothness in order to support comprehension. The routines and strategies can be used in the whole group setting, in small groups, with pairs of students, and also with individual students.