FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 11, 2017

For More Information:
Glenville State College
Public Relations Department
(304) 462-4115

(l-r) Jared Fitzwater, Justin Rader, Michaela Gumm, Holly Wilson, and Chelsea Hicks

GLENVILLE, WV-The 61st Annual West Virginia Reading Association Conference was held on November 18, 2016 at The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. The GSC Education Department had eight student representatives that participated and presented at the conference.

Justin Rader, Jared Fitzwater, Chelsea Hicks, Michaela Gumm, and Holly Wilson all members of GSC’s Early Education Student Group (EESG). presented a workshop on ‘Utilizing Free and Inexpensive Materials to Enhance Reading Language Arts in the Early Education Classroom.’ Their presentation focused on developing activities for preschool and kindergarten classrooms that were created from free and very affordable materials. The activities that were presented by the group were also developmentally appropriate and hands-on for beginning readers.

Glenville State College attendees of the WVRA pause for a photo inside the Greenbrier

Three other students, Kelsey Jett, Jonathan Reid, and Kimberly Smith from Dr. Shara Curry’s Teaching Reading in Content Areas course presented a workshop entitled ‘All Teachers Are Teachers of Reading—How Do We Blur the Boundaries for All Content Areas?’ The group focused on how teachers in every content must find a way to make reluctant readers involved, and how middle and high school teachers must use student success and experiences to help them make connections and activate prior knowledge.

“The group truly enjoyed the opportunity to attend the reading conference and to network with other professionals in the education field, both in their workshops and at the conference in general. The entire education department commends these students for their dedication and commitment to education and were happy they were able to be a part of this experience,” said GSC Director of Teacher Education Field Placement Connie Stout O’Dell

(l-r) Jonathan Reid, Kelsey Jett, Kimberly Smith, and Dr. Shara Curry

Fellow conference goers, classroom teachers, reading specialists, and administrators that attended the workshop presentations gave high praise to the GSC students for their teaching points and strategies that were used.

The West Virginia Reading Association is an affiliate of the International Literacy Association.

For more information about GSC student’s presentations at the WVRA Conference contact the GSC Teacher Education Department at (304) 462-4119.