Conference | The How to Teach Writing Conference

Price

The price listed is for single person. An additional pricing option is available for this conference for groups of 10+ for just $368.10/person.

Date

Virtual Conference – June 26-27, 2025

Light the fire for Better Writing

Fuel your passion for teaching writing at “Ignite to Write: The How to Teach Writing Conference!”

During this two-day virtual summer event for K-12 educators, you’ll experience over 40 breakout sessions designed to spark fresh ideas and provide practical writing strategies that can be used immediately.

Whether you’re a new teacher or a seasoned pro, this conference will get you fired up to teach writing and ignite success in your students, no matter what language arts program you currently use.

What You Get

A Rejuvenating Mix of Focused & Fun Professional Development

• Option to learn from the comfort of your own home—or register the whole staff and host Ignite to Write at your school
• Ability to engage with presenters and other attendees with the interactive live chat
• Energetic presentations and special surprises designed to rekindle your passion for teaching writing
• Opportunity to get recharged and rejuvenated after a long school year
• A special 15% discount when you buy books and resources from TheLiteracyStore.com
• 40+ relevant session topics to choose from, all on teaching writing skills and practices
• High-energy, engaging presentations that will keep your attention
• Handouts and note-taking resources to support implementation
• Downloadable completion certificates for every session
• Lifetime access to a “Secret Site” packed with digital resources from every session

Session Topics

Learn powerful strategies for teaching writing during Ignite to Write!

Keynote

Be the spark for every writer
Grades K-12, ELL All Levels

Rekindle your enthusiasm for teaching writing during this powerful keynote led by Kristina Smekens. With a focus on whole-class mini-lessons, Kristina will provide instructional techniques to teach essential writing skills explicitly and effectively at all levels.

Kristina will share practical strategies and writing practices that ignite your motivation to teach writing and fuel your students’ confidence in attempting it. Leave feeling equipped, energized, and excited to start a new school year, ready to implement effective writing instruction.

Meet Writer Needs

Kick-start your writing with 6 key lessons
Provide focused & efficient writer feedback
Juggle language foundations & writing standards in PK-2
Introduce the 6 Traits to students
Build a PK-2 rubric that grows with your students
Develop a flexible writing rubric for grades 3-12
Foster perseverance & resilience with writing
Revitalize the writing process

Plan Powerful Units

Teach opinion, informative, & narrative writing skills in PK-2
Propel students from basic persuasives to sophisticated arguments
Target essential skills in informative writing
Elevate narrative writing for test success
Scaffold a yearlong writing curriculum
Align conventions within writing units
Design PK-2 writing units that meet the standards
Factor in 4 principles when planning units in grades 3-12

Write Across Subjects

Blend core knowledge with writing instruction
Deepen math understanding through writing
Target teamwork & communication in collaborative writing projects
Determine note-worthy text details
Blend text evidence & explanations
Demonstrate comprehension via succinct summary writing

Deliver Writing Lessons

Develop ideas for stronger writing
Craft engaging beginnings & powerful endings
Teach convention skills in 3 steps
Improve basic sentence conventions
Make mini-lesson magic
Write with the WOW! factor

Conquer State Assessments

Improve thinking to impact written responses
Target short constructed-response writing
Synthesize ideas before writing
Dissect author moves within literary analyses
Crack the compare-contrast code
Master evidence-based responses
Decode & design writing prompts
Create a reading & writing calendar for test prep

Embrace EdTech

Use AI to strengthen study skills
Modernize classroom collaboration from Post-Its to Padlet
Utilize the perfect pair– Canva & Google
Supercharge your Canva skills with simple hacks
Implement AI in dyslexia interventions
Enhance teaching & learning with AI tools

Coach’s Corner

Take advantage of free, one-on-one, or small-group coaching sessions to exchange ideas, or receive implementation feedback during the conference.

EdTech & AI

Learn practical ways to utilize AI and other edTech tools to improve instruction, student achievement, and even teacher efficiency.

Meet Your Guides

Kristina Smekens, President & Lead Consultant - Smekens Education
Keynote Speaker + Session Presenter

A celebrated educator, author, and literacy consultant, Kristina Smekens has built a reputation for using enthusiasm, humor, and common sense to equip K-12 educators with simple and effective strategies for teaching reading and writing.
As president and lead consultant for Smekens Education, Kristina is constantly developing new strategies to help teachers meet the demands of today’s College and Career-Ready Standards. She shares those strategies with teachers across the United States and beyond through on-site professional development, seminars, and an always-growing pool of print, digital, and video resources.

Session Presenters

Nadine Gilkison
Courtney Gordon
Didi Harris
Shona Lansdell
Bridget Longmeier
Kristi McCullough
Rachel Remenschneider
Holly Sluyter

Who Should Attend?

Ignite to Write is for everyone who teaches writing!

• K-6 General Education Teachers
• Literacy Coaches & Coordinators
• 6-12 Language Arts Teachers
• High-Ability Teachers
• Principals & Assistant Principals
• K-12 Curriculum Directors
• K-12 Special Education Teachers
• ELL Teachers

Conference Schedule

All times listed are Eastern Time

DAY ONE
June 26

9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Opening Keynote

10:45 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.
Breakout sessions

12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Breakout sessions

1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Lunch break

2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Breakout sessions

3:15 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.
Breakout sessions

DAY TWO
June 27

9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Breakout sessions

10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
Breakout sessions

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Breakout sessions

12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch break

1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Breakout sessions

2:45 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.
Closing Keynote

Benefits of Attending Virtually

Accessible
With no travel required, you can attend Ignite to Write from anywhere that has a good internet connection.

Flexible
Whether you attend the live conference or watch the recordings afterward, you can revisit every session for one full year.

Affordable
Attending virtually means no need to pay extra for travel, lodging, or other expenses.