Vocabulary Strategies to Build Comprehension in Grades 1-4 - Dr. Kirsten Schulz
Summary: As teachers prepare students for their future, we want to instill strategies for word solving, comprehension, and creativity in all content areas. This presentation will provide researched-based evidence on the importance of vocabulary building as well as reading strategies to assist students with decoding and comprehension. Motivational learning tools will be shared in a hands-on workshop.
Biography: My first teaching position was in a Title One school in Southern California. I taught in two different elementary schools for several years before returning to the Midwest. Those years granted me the opportunity to teach and learn from struggling students. After I returned to the Midwest, I directed a preschool for several years and began my graduate work. I have taught in the education department at Wisconsin Lutheran College for twelve years. The courses I teach include: Content Area Literacy, Emerging Literacy II, Reading Interests for the Pre-Adolescent and Adolescent, Reading Interventions, Student Motivation, and Introduction to Learning Disabilities among others. I enjoy watching my students teach lessons in the surrounding schools and grow as pre-service teachers. Teaching and learning are interwoven together in an intricate pattern. I find great interest in observing both teachers and students and find the strategies that play an integral part in the retention process, especially for struggling readers. Discovering what motivates learners and integrating relevant learning tools in classroom instruction is a key learning component.