This year's preconference seeks to illuminate the potential for Language and Literacy research to promote equity and social justice. We ask:

• How does current literacy and language research support social action, including social critique and policy decision-making?
• How might researchers work with practitioners and activists to address intransigent problems that are "'latent' in the actualities of the experienced world” (Smith, 1987, p. 91).
• How might the processes and products of Language and Literacy research engage communities, and provoke new ways of looking at and acting on issues of equity?
• What are the roles of texts and institutions, including research texts, in “projects of social ordering” (Hamilton, 2009) as well as social action and equity?

Plenary Speaker

Mary Hamilton is Professor of Adult Learning and Literacy in the Department of Educational Research at the University of Lancaster. She is the author of several books and articles elaborating social practice perspectives of literacy in school, community and policy settings. Professor Hamilton's recent research illuminates how “the global is instantiated in the local” (Hamilton, 2009) as learner and educator identities become aligned to the standardizing apparatus of high stakes testing and mandated performance indicators. Incorporating perspectives from New Literacy Studies, actor network theory and ethnography, Professor Hamilton‟s research offers tools to explore how the textually-mediated work of literacy research and practice may unintentionally contribute to the very inequalities it seeks to address.“Exquisite attention”: In-depth conversation about literacy research, equity and social action.

As in previous years, the LLRC preconference aims to provide delegates with an opportunity to present and discuss their recent research. In response to positive feedback from the 2009 delegates, the 2010 LLRC preconference is once again designed as a forum for in-depth dialogue. Delegates will participate in small group conversations about each other‟s work; they will discuss current research in the field and explore questions of mutual concern. In so doing they will give and receive “exquisite attention” (Lather, 2007) as they learn from each other.

Format of the Pre-Conference

Following the proposal review stage, delegates will be placed in small groups with colleagues whose work complements their own and promotes discussion. Careful attention will be made to bring together participants into synergistic groupings. To that end, delegates will be asked to send copies of their papers to members of their group, one month before the pre-conference. Following the plenary discussion led my Professor Mary Hamilton, delegates will have an opportunity to meet in their small groups. At the end of the group sessions they will then bring their topics and discussion back to the larger group for further discussion and
closing remarks.

To foster dialogue, collegiality and community-building, all delegates are asked to commit to participating in the full pre-conference day.

References

Hamilton, M. (2009). Putting words in their mouths: the alignment of identities with system goals through the use of Individual Learning Plans. British Educational Research Journal, 35, 2, 221 – 242.

Lather, P. (2007). Getting lost: Feminist efforts toward a double(d) science. Albany, NY: SUNY.

Smith, D. E. (1987). The everyday world as problematic: A feminist sociology. Boston: Northeastern University Press. .