Cayman will be represented at the upcoming World Literacy Summit 2018 at the University of Oxford. The IRead For Life Center is proud to announce that its founder and CEO, Vinnette Glidden was selected to make a presentation at the invitation only conference. Mrs. Glidden will speak to delegates from around the globe on the topic of New Approaches to Literacy Learning. The theme for the summit is Closing the Literacy Gap in the 21^st Century.

World Literacy Foundation CEO Andrew Kay invited Mrs. Glidden to the World Literacy Summit, noting in his invitation that, “I acknowledge the impact of I Read For Life to the literacy and education sector and see your contribution at the Summit as valuable.” The three-day conference begins on March 25 at Oxford’s Sheldonian Theatre. The summit provides a platform for debate, discussion, and sharing of knowledge between some of the world’s most ardent literacy and educational leaders, institutions, organizations and pioneers.Mrs. Glidden’s presentation is titled Finding the Window to Reading in the 21^st Century. Her presentation explains the IRead For Life method of teaching reading which she terms “the evolved method of learning phonics.” Her presentation was among the few chosen from more than 300 applicants. She speaks at Oxford’s Trinity College on March 27.

Mrs. Glidden said, “I’m very excited about this opportunity to share my ideas with other literacy experts and hopefully move on to a bigger stage. I look forward to learning as much as possible from interacting with the world’s leading literacy advocates.”

In addition to the presentation, IRead for Life was also selected as one of only 16 exhibitors at the conference. This allows summit delegates to learn more about the IRead For Life reading program and its products such as workbooks, flashcards, wall posters, games and educational videos.

Mrs. Glidden developed the IRead For Life method of teaching reading from a speech and language perspective while working as a speech and language pathologist. The IRead For Life approach emphasizes learning the speech sound that a letter represents rather than learning the name of the letter as the first step in learning to read. “Knowing your ABC’s is for filing, not reading,” she says. Her evolved method also eliminates the need to teach groups of symbols at different ages and grades. It reduces the need to emphasize the names for groups of symbols such as consonants, diphthongs, diagraphs, long-vowels or variants, etc. to be taught at different grade levels.

Mrs. Glidden owns the IRead For Life Center in George Town providing tutoring in not only reading but also writing, math and improving speech. She previously worked as a speech and language pathologist in the school system in Cayman, California and privately. She also served as principal of the Light House School.

Among those addressing the conference is HRH Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands, a passionate advocate of empowerment, inter-generational dialogue and social innovation. She is an expert on literacy and sustainability. In 2004, she founded the Reading & Writing Foundation, which has since developed into a 100-strong team working to prevent and reduce illiteracy in the Netherlands and Europe-wide.

One of the keynote speakers is philanthropist and international model Noella Coursaris Musunka. She is the founder of Malaika, a grassroots nonprofit that works to educate and empower girls and communities in her homeland the Democratic Republic of Congo. Summit panelists include Reading is Fundamental President and CEO Alicia Levi, who has worked to transform the lives of children through smart strategies to improve academic outcomes.