Annalena Baumfaste

As a research assistant and incoming PhD student, I am invested in how spoken and written language come together to shape how we read and understand texts. In my current research, I investigate how the relationship between modes can both promote and hinder reading comprehension. Additionally, my research explores how multimodal input should be delivered to best cater to 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, with majors in English as a Foreign Language and History, at the University of Kassel. For my thesis, I examined how gender stereotypes are formed among teaching students 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 intend to give students the best possible opportunities to succeed. 
Alongside my studies, I worked as a student assistant, where I supported the teaching of a course on successful learning strategies for university students. I also mentored incoming foreign exchange students and spent a semester abroad at Boston University (USA).