Six education majors presented their research at the annual conference of the Keystone State Literacy Association on October 5 in the Poconos. Almost 200 educational professionals from across the state attended the conference.

“Comprehension of Informational Texts: Background Knowledge, Text Features, and E-texts” was presented by Julianna Hatt, Emily Miller, and Samantha Russell. The session focused on strategies used to teach students how to understand what they read through the use of background knowledge, text features, and digital tools. 

Emily Esposito, Jarae Fontaine, and Kailey Woodrow presented “Deeper Understanding: Comprehension Strategies for Students with ASD and Hyperlexia.” Their research presented peer tutoring, discussion group, and questioning strategies as ways to support reading comprehension for those with autism spectrum disorder.

“These students did an amazing job,” says Professor Megan Scranton. “Both of their presentations were highly attended, and they received many compliments from the participants (mostly veteran teachers). They handled themselves as professionals, speaking with confidence and poise, and were able to answer questions posed to them with ease.”

During the conference, the six students were able to network, attend other professionals' presentations, talk to vendors, meet authors, and leave with many free books for their future classroom libraries.