The Importance of Alternative Literacy: What is it and why is it important to implement in our libraries, classrooms and lives

Alternative Literacy is the process of teaching children and young adults literacy skills through non-traditional means. In this presentation, I cover three big examples of this: graphic novels, tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs), and video games. Further, I provide an overview of how educators, librarians, and individuals can implement them into their work or daily life. In this presentation, you can expect to learn:

• What alternative literacy is and the benefits
• Definitions of graphic novels, TTRPGs, and video games
• Why graphic novels, TTRPGs, and video games are effective in teaching literacy
• How to utilize graphic novels, TTRPGs, and video games in libraries and classrooms

The session will be held on Zoom and registration is required.

About the presenter

Sarah Vail is a Colorado native, growing up in the beautiful front range, now living in Glenwood Springs with their lovely cat, Colonel Turtle. They have been working with the Garfield County Library District for over two years, specializing  in teen programming and collections, with a background in programming for a variety of ages. In their work, they tie together their passion for the arts, reading, writing, and all things nerdy into practical programs suitable for the community, such as: coordinating writing spaces during the annual NaNoWriMo event, facilitating guest presenters to run Dungeons and Dragons and Magic the Gathering events, organizing, managing and DMing a monthly Dungeons and Dragons game (one session was attended by Governor Polis!), working collectively with the librarian at our local high school to create a high school book club, among many more programming and outreach accomplishments.