A team of Morse Unified Literacy students presented at the Maine Department of Education (D.O.E.) Inclusive Education Conference, Reimaging Education: Empowering All Learners, Embracing All Abilities, Thursday, April 10, at the Augusta Civic Center. Our student presenters included: Jacob Cellier; Lili Chandler; Sadie Cosgrove; Avery Doak; Hunter Johnson; Riley Johnston; Lucas Leathers; Emma McCue; John Partridge; Keira Richardson; Isla Smith; Noah Thayer; Eli Ware.
Over 450 educators attended the conference, and our Unified Literacy students shared their presentation, Unified Literacy: Building an Inclusive Community for Readers, Learners, and Leaders. Their workshop demonstrated how a Unified Literacy class fosters inclusion for all students and builds a community of learners, who are seen, heard, recognized, and understood. Unified Literacy is a collaboratively taught integrated humanities class that applies the learning partner model, with general education and functional life skills students, to build a community of readers, learners, and leaders. The class uses reading, art, writing, performing arts, field trips, and board games to facilitate learning opportunities for students. Unified Literacy students form lasting friendships through shared experiences in the classroom.
