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Westminster Student and Faculty Member to Give Presentations

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Posted on Wednesday, October 22, 2003

Jessica Henninger, a senior elementary education major, and Dr. Charlene Klassen Endrizzi, associate professor of education at Westminster College, will give presentations at the Lawrence County Reading Council Saturday, Oct. 25, at 9 a.m. at the New Castle Country Club.

Henninger's research, "Visual Literacy: A Project in the Making," won the Keystone State Reading Association Scholarship last year.

"I will be talking about how I used picture books and a number of other activities involving reading to research the importance of visual cues in literacy as a whole," Henninger said. "Currently I am still analyzing the results, but I have seen that the visual aspect of reading involved more than just pictures, just as reading is more than just words on a page."

Endrizzi's research is titled "The Missing Piece: Students, Teachers, and Parents."

"My research focus over the past 10 years has been supporting teachers as they work with parents," Endrizzi said. "Many teachers are hesistant to bring parents into their classrooms, yet we know that learning is enhanced with parental support. Teachers often overlook parents as vital learning partners, since they are overwhelmed with their own teaching load. In my presentation, I suggest several ways for teachers to bridge the home-school gap, and begin to dialogue with parents."

Members of the Keystone State Reading Association (KSRA), who attend this conference will receive Act 48 hours. The Lawrence County Reading Council is part of KSRA.

Henninger is a daughter of Paul and Edna Henninger, Pittsburgh, and a graduate of Brentwood High School.

Endrizzi, who has been with Westminster since 1993, earned her undergraduate and master's degrees from Fresno Pacific College, and her Ph.D. from the University of Arizona.

For more information, contact Endrizzi at (724) 946-7189 or e-mail endrizck@westminter.edu.