Oxford, UK – April 8, 2025 – At the World Literacy Summit 2025, held from April 6-9 in Oxford, England, Dr. Lane W. Clarke, Professor and Academic Director of the School of Education at the University of New England, presented insights from her recent publication, Nurturing Primary Readers in Grades K-3: Reading Instruction Centered in Students’ Social Emotional Needs (2https://www.routledge.com/Nurturing-Primary-Readers-in-Grades-K-3-Reading-Instruction-Centered-in-Students-Social-Emotional-Needs/Clarke-Gorrivan/p/book/9781032331454?srsltid=AfmBOoqUcMGvZCmDVMyjh4x_PwTeabqrTrH0p-8NRnV2DCP-H3RUPNsq023). Co-authored with Krysten Gorrivan, Assistant Teaching Professor of Education at the same institution, the book emphasizes integrating reading pedagogy with social-emotional learning (SEL) frameworks to support young readers.
Dr. Clarke’s presentation underscored the importance of addressing students’ emotional well-being alongside their academic development. She highlighted authentic case studies from the book that demonstrate effective, research-based strategies for fostering reading skills in K–3 classrooms. These strategies aim to nurture the whole child by promoting collaborative relationships and data-driven instruction.
The World Literacy Summit 2025 convened over 800 delegates from 85 countries, including educators, policymakers, and literacy advocates, to discuss solutions to the global literacy crisis. The event featured expert speakers, workshops, and panel discussions focused on literacy policy, digital education, and early childhood literacy. At the conference, Dr. Clarke was able to engage with other literacy advocates from across the globe and learned about literacy research and advocacy from participants from countries such as Ghana, Canada, Pakistan, Nairobi, Kenya, Switzerland, Scotland,and Germany to name a few.
Dr. Clarke and Professor Gorrivan have previously shared their work at conferences such as the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and LitCon. Their ongoing research and presentations continue to contribute significantly to the field of literacy education and social emotional learning.