Research

My research examines how language, culture, policy, and pedagogy shape multilingual learners’ access to powerful academic knowledge. I investigate how economic, cultural, and linguistic factors constrain—and can also expand—the academic literacy development of culturally and linguistically diverse students in the United States. Guided by poststructural materialism, critical discourse studies, critical pedagogy, Legitimation Code Theory (LCT), and Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), my work seeks to make the relationship between language, knowledge, and equity visible for educators. I focus especially on designing explicit, coherent, and culturally sustaining approaches to literacy and language development for multilingual learners.

1. A central strand of my scholarship involves the creation and study of Genre Translanguaging , a multilingual instructional framework grounded in SFL genre pedagogy and translanguaging theory. My research includes classroom-based studies, teacher learning, community literacy initiatives, and international collaborations in Colombia and Brazil. I aim to support teachers, teacher educators, school leaders, and policymakers in improving multilingual students’ academic achievement through well-designed language-and-content instruction. My work also examines how U.S. educational policies and pedagogical models influence or are recontextualized in Latin American contexts, extending its relevance to global audiences invested in equitable and linguistically responsive schooling.

Opportunities for Doctoral Students

I welcome doctoral students in the Curriculum & Instruction Ph.D. program and similar who are interested in researching multilingual education, Genre Translanguaging, SFL-    informed genre pedagogy, classroom discourse, bilingual education, academic literacy development, or equity-oriented curriculum design. Students working with me will have opportunities to engage in classroom-based research, collaborate with international teacher networks, participate in multidisciplinary projects, and develop innovative approaches to improving multilingual learners’ access to powerful disciplinary knowledge. Prospective students who are passionate about language, literacy, equity, and meaningful pedagogical transformation are encouraged to reach out to discuss potential research directions and mentorship opportunities.