Annalena Baumfaste

As a research assistant and incoming Ph.D. student, I am interested in how spoken and written language interact to shape the way we read and understand texts. In my current research, I am investigating how the relationship between these modes can both enhance and hinder reading comprehension. Additionally, my research explores how multimodal input should be delivered to best meet students’ needs and for whom it is most beneficial. I am excited to contribute to this growing field of research on multimodality, especially regarding the implications of reading while listening.

This past summer, I completed my teaching degree, majoring in English as a Foreign Language and History, at the University of Kassel. For my thesis, I examined how gender stereotypes are formed among student teachers and how these stereotypes shape the ways they perceive and treat their own students, both consciously and unconsciously. In both my past and current research, I aim to provide students with the best possible opportunities to succeed.
Alongside my studies, I worked as a student assistant, supporting the teaching of a course on successful learning strategies for university students. I also mentored incoming international exchange students and spent a semester abroad at Boston University (USA).