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2023 Institute
 
•  Overview
​•  Remix in action
•  Summer institute
•  Resources
​•  FAQ

Questions? Contact us at
literacyunbound@tc.edu
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Literacy Unbound seeks to unbind traditional approaches to the teaching of reading and writing, troubling the divide between critical and creative thinking, demonstrating that intellectual rigor ultimately requires both.  
Predicated on a belief in the power of play in the classroom, our approach brings teachers and students together as creative collaborators to reimagine challenging, classic texts through multiple modalities. We reinvigorate classroom communities using arts-infused, project-based, collaborative curricula developed around a shared text, increasing student engagement and building community in the process.

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While many arts-integrated organizations work primarily with students, we believe that by positioning this work as teacher education, we can create enduring practices with sustainable impact.​
 
•  Overview
​•  Remix in action
•  Summer institute
•  Resources
​•  FAQ

Questions? Contact us at
literacyunbound@tc.edu​
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At the Literacy Unbound Institute, students and teachers work together to read a great work of literature. Here, we read a little bit differently, bringing literature into our bodies and onto the screen.
Brian Veprek, lead facilitator of the 2018 Summer Institute, talks through the Literacy Unbound process, where players created an immersive performance based on Upton Sinclair's The Jungle.
Brian Veprek, one of the lead facilitators of the 2017 Summer Institute, helps bring together teachers and students to create an original piece of performance art based on a novel. For the first time this past summer 2017, Literacy Unbound took place in Teachers College's Learning Theater, a versatile learning space where nothing, from the walls to the lighting, is fixed.
Award-winning quintuple threat Lisa Strum shows students unconventional ways to harness their creativity during the Literacy Unbound summer institute at the Smith Learning Theater.
The Literacy Unbound 2017 Summer Institute: remixing Heart of Darkness.
Dr. Adele Bruni Ashley gives an overview of the Literacy Unbound pedagogy and experience during the 2017 Summer Institute.
Christine Slingerland, a longtime teacher in NYC, brought her teaching experience to the 2017 Summer Institute held in the Teachers College Learning Theater, where she led a workshop in music and vocalization.
Jennine Willet takes her experiences as a co-director of Third Rail Projects and leads a workshop on immersive theater experiences at the 2017 Summer Institute.
Donna Costello encourages students to use movement to delve into literature for an entirely new artistic experience during the Literacy Unbound's study of The Heart of Darkness in Teachers College's Smith Learning Theater.
 
•  Overview
​•  Remix in action
•  Summer institute
•  Resources
​•  FAQ

Questions? Contact us at
literacyunbound@tc.edu​
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Our Summer Institute supports high school students and K-12 teachers as they work alongside one another to unpack a shared piece of literature through arts-integrated remix, transmedia storytelling, and literary studies. The institute allows ample opportunity for creative, curious individuals to discover all the ways in which stories can be unpacked and reimagined. 
Preview the 2023 Institute
 
•  Overview
​•  Remix in action
•  Summer institute
•  Resources
​•  FAQ

Questions? Contact us at
literacyunbound@tc.edu​
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  • Show All
  • Participate
  • Implement
  • Learn
[ "Read" ]
crafting invitations
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Crafting Invitations to Create
If a prompt is like a camera lens, pulling your task into focus, an invitation is like a colorful string you can’t resist pulling to see what happens next.
Read
[ "Read" ]
don't just read literature
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Don't Just Read Literature, Experience It
Give students the chance to move — intellectually, physically and emotionally — into the world of a text.
Read
[ "Read" ]
encouraging engagement
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Encouraging Engagement Across Content Areas
Offer your students an opportunity to authentically engage with content, even when learning remotely.
Read
[ "Implement" ]
three highlights
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Three Highlights
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A “during reading” structure designed to invite students to engage with a text three times, each time employing a different modality.
[ "Implement" ]
awakening itc
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Invitations to Create: The Awakening
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Invite students to unpack Kate Chopin's 1899 novel, which explores the complicated world of motherhood and identity at the turn of the century. Recommended for students in grades 9-12.
[ "Implement" ]
everyday use itc
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Invitations to Create: "Everyday Use" 
Invite students to unpack Alice Walker's short story, which considers issues of generational and rural / urban divides within African-American communities and beyond. Recommended for students in grades 9-12.
[ "Read" ]
litu pod
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Reimagining Texts
How can you support students in moving their reading experiences beyond the book, and allow their creativity to flourish?
Listen
[ "Participate" ]
create multimodal projects
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Design Invitations to Create
​Practical, creative ways to engage students in classic, complex, and challenging texts. This course will allow you to create original invitations for a text (or texts!) of your choice.​
Explore
[ "Participate" ]
reimagine reading
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Reimagine Reading
​​Design curricular materials that inspire students to read and respond to challenging texts through multiple modalities.
Explore
 
•  Overview
​•  Remix in action
•  Summer institute
•  Resources
​•  FAQ

Questions? Contact us at
literacyunbound@tc.edu​
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Can Literacy Unbound partner with me/my school?
Absolutely! There are a variety of options available, depending on your needs/the needs of your school. We can create a custom partnership that includes (but is not limited to!) the following: 
  • Working closely with individual teachers, teachers across the grade, or teachers across the school to design a unit that culminates in a performance (live or virtual)
  • Workshops and planning sessions that allow for observations and critical reflection to support the implementation of Literacy Unbound approaches in your classroom
  • A collaborative model, in which teachers and Literacy Unbound coaches teach alongside one another — planning, creating, designing, and facilitating sessions together
Can a Literacy Unbound project take place virtually?
Yes! In fact, this work has already happening online, including in our 2020 Summer Institute. Through a combination of asynchronous and synchronous sessions, teachers and students from around the world worked together to create a virtual performance based on a shared text — most recently, Jhumpa Lahiri’s Interpreter of Maladies.

For customized support that’s tailored to your classroom, we can design asynchronous and synchronous online professional development based on your specific interests. These sessions can focus on support for curriculum planning, creating Literacy Unbound invitations, implementing remixing strategies, and more. 
Where can I see an example of the Literacy Unbound process?
For a look at our approach to curriculum, check out our free resources, which offers engaging multimedia prompts designed to support students in their reading and understanding of a shared piece of literature. Each invitation offers an opportunity to reflect, analyze, and synthesize the text at hand. 

You can also view past in-person institutes by visiting our video library. 
Which texts do you work with?
We primarily work with texts that are often identified as classic, complex, and challenging. These texts often demand prior knowledge from students, or include topics that may feel distant from student experience and interest. 

No matter which text you’re interested in working with, we can support you and your students in establishing connections, examining hotspots, and finding meaning in the text.
Which grade levels are the best match for Literacy Unbound?
Literacy Unbound’s approach to literature is relevant for all grade levels and is customizable for your students, no matter their age.​
Do I need a background in performing arts in order to partner with Literacy Unbound?
No, though it’s helpful if you have an appreciation for the Arts. We use a multimodal approach for engaging with texts that encompasses reading, writing, visual arts, movement, performance, and more. There are multiple avenues for creation — students (and teachers!) do not need to be experienced in performance in order to engage.  
Where can I find information about your next institute?
Information about our 2023 institute can be found here. 
CPET
The Center for Professional Education of Teachers (CPET) at Teachers College, Columbia University is committed to making excellent and equitable education accessible worldwide. CPET unites theory and practice to promote transformational change. We design innovative projects, cultivate sustainable partnerships, and conduct research through direct and online services to youth and educators. Grounded in adult learning theories, our six core principles structure our customized approach and expand the capacities of educators around the world.

ABOUT US

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New York, NY 10027
​416 Zankel

Ph: (212) 678-3161
cpet@tc.edu

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  • Home
  • ABOUT US
    • Our Team
    • Partnerships
    • Signature Initiatives
    • Coaching Philosophy
    • Career Opportunities
  • Upcoming PD
  • K-12 Resources
  • Work with a coach