Physical literacy and health multiliteracies are inseparable — both are essential for health and well-being.
That’s the starting point for Dr. Sarah Benes’ IPLC 2026 keynote, AWEsome Possibilities: An Ecosystems Approach to Physical Literacy, Health Multiliteracies & Collective Well-Being, on Friday, October 2.
This keynote introduces health multiliteracies and the AWE Framework as a way to situate physical literacy within a humanizing, ecosystems approach to health and well-being. By integrating health multiliteracies and physical literacy practice, we equip people not just to move, but to develop and enact “wellbeing agency” to act in ways that support health and well-being of self, others, and the environment and live lives they value.
Attendees will leave with practical strategies for shifting environments and practice, while advancing equity and justice by ensuring well-being is supported collectively.
Dr. Benes will continue exploring the framework that same afternoon in Better Together: Exploring the AWE Framework to Support Health & Physical Literacy, an interactive session from 3:45 to 4:15 p.m.
About Dr. Sarah Benes
Dr. Sarah Benes is an associate professor and coordinator of School Health Education at Southern Connecticut State University and a past president of SHAPE America. She has a Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from Boston University, a Master of Public Health from UMass Amherst, a Master of Education from Boston University, and a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from UConn.
She has published multiple peer-reviewed articles and three textbooks on health education and has worked with schools and districts at the state, national and international levels to support health and physical education curriculum and programming. Her research interests include skills-based health education, equity and justice in health education, humanizing pedagogy, supporting students with disabilities in health education, and physical activity in schools.
Dr. Benes is also a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) and a National Board Certified Health & Well-Being coach.
Join 300+ Delegates from 30+ Countries in Toulouse
IPLC 2026 brings together researchers, practitioners, educators, and policy-makers from around the world for three days of keynotes, presentations, and exchange across four streams: Physical Literacy for Everyone, Health and Prevention, Research and Innovation, and Quality Environments.
The conference takes place October 1–3, 2026, at the Centre de Congrès Pierre Baudis in Toulouse, France.
Regular registration is €420.
Late registration opens September 19 at €470, subject to space.
Delegates can save 10% on Air France and KLM flights with Event ID GME60771AF for travel between September 24 and October 10.
IPLC 2026 is hosted by Sport for Life in partnership with the Toulouse Université Club and the University of Toulouse.
Questions about registration, programming, or logistics can be directed to shelley@sportforlife.ca.