Luis Javier Pentón Herrera is a literacy and language educator. His research interests and areas of expertise include Bilingual Education, Spanish, ESOL/ESL, Literacy Education, and Problem-Based Service-Learning (PBSL).
This paper explores the transformative role of Romanian language education in the context of the ... more This paper explores the transformative role of Romanian language education in the context of the recent influx of refugees into Romania. Focusing on the integration of Ukrainian refugees, the study delves into the necessity of adapting Romanian language education to meet the unique needs of this population. It underscores the pivotal role of culturally responsive teaching, trauma-informed pedagogies, and community engagement strategies in facilitating refugee integration. The analysis is segmented into key areas: defining the refugee experience, examining Romania's response to the refugee crisis, and proposing innovative reforms in Romanian language teacher preparation programs. The paper advocates for the incorporation of multicultural education principles and a comprehensive, empathetic approach to language teaching. It highlights the potential long-term societal benefits of effectively integrating refugees through language education, including cultural enrichment and social cohesion. The study concludes by emphasizing the urgent need for educational reforms in Romania and suggests directions for future research to evaluate the impact of these changes.
Social-emotional learning (SEL) initiatives can have a positive effect on students' emotions and ... more Social-emotional learning (SEL) initiatives can have a positive effect on students' emotions and well-being. However, SEL in ESOL classrooms remains underexplored. This article reports on a qualitative study which investigated ESOL learners' perceptions of the effectiveness of SEL strategies in terms of their emotions and well-being. The study generated data using daily classroom observations, recorded classroom discussions, surveys, and artefacts. The analysis suggests students experienced positive emotions, such as happiness and feeling good and safe in the classroom as well as increased emotional awareness. The students highlighted the following strategies as being especially effective: restorative circles, letters to self, writing poetry, and classroom decorations. The findings demonstrate the need to embrace SEL practices as essential elements in ELT as they play a vital role in fostering students' and teachers' well-being, both within and beyond the classroom.
Emotion labor is defined as any conflict between institutional demands and teachers' professional... more Emotion labor is defined as any conflict between institutional demands and teachers' professional beliefs and preferences. Engaging in emotion labor is an inevitable aspect of becoming a language teacher. Scholars agree that language teacher agency and identity are closely tied to emotion labor. This fact particularly looms large for novice language teachers, who tend to perceive contradictions between what they imagine prior to entering the profession and what they actually experience in their teaching contexts. This case study applied activity theory (Engeström, 2015) and Gee's (2000) identity framework to explore how the emotion labor experienced by a novice Iranian female teacher of English as a foreign language (EFL) over a five-year career period at three private language institutes affected her language teacher agency and identity. The findings, obtained from class observations and semi-structured interviews, highlight two major sources of emotion labor: 1) profit-oriented policy, and 2) performance-constraining factors within the institute, which caused the participant to contemplate quitting her job. Implications and further research are discussed in line with the interplay among emotion labor, language teacher identity, and well-being.
This qualitative case study explored the effects of interrupted education—including the linguisti... more This qualitative case study explored the effects of interrupted education—including the linguistics challenges—on 14 (N = 14) Ukrainian higher education refugee students who arrived in Poland after the Russian invasion on 24 February 2022. All participants were refugee students who were enrolled in Ukrainian universities prior to the Russian invasion, and were forced to interrupt their studies and flee to Poland for safety. The two research questions guiding this inquiry are: (1) What effects have interrupted education had on Ukrainian higher education refugee students? and (2) What linguistic challenges have Ukrainian higher education refugee students faced in Poland? For the first research question, data revealed that the abrupt interruption in their education, in addition to the war, migration, and other life occurrences, has destabilized participants’ outlook, emotions, and identity, making them feel uncertain about their personal and professional goals. For the second research question, participants expressed their appreciation toward Poland and the Polish people for the welcoming, supportive environment, and shared challenges associated with participating in the Polish higher education system. The implications of the findings are discussed through the lens of policy and best practices for supporting arriving refugees in Poland and other countries welcoming Ukrainian refugees experiencing interrupted education.
Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, 2023
In this innovative practice article, we introduce nature journaling in the context of English lan... more In this innovative practice article, we introduce nature journaling in the context of English language teaching (ELT) – an approach and conceptualization that remain mostly unexplored in the field. As educators concerned with our environments, the natural world, and students’ social-emotional literacy and well-being, we make a case for the need to reimagine ELT classrooms as places where nature is embraced and centered. To further elaborate on our stance, we divide this article into four main sections. In the first section, we provide a brief overview of nature journaling in environmental education (EE) and ELT contexts. In the second section, we connect nature journaling with the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)’s five SEL competencies, the framework grounding our conversation. In the third section, we reflect on our practices and provide six considerations for practitioners seeking to incorporate nature journaling in diverse ELT spaces and environments. In the fourth section, we share an example of a nature journaling activity ELT practitioners can use with their English learners. We end this article with final thoughts about the positive effects of nature journaling for students and practitioners in ELT. Also, we offer recommendations for further exploration and research.
El idioma español ha alcanzado un constante aumento de popularidad en Polonia en años recientes. ... more El idioma español ha alcanzado un constante aumento de popularidad en Polonia en años recientes. Sin embargo, la labor científica-investigativa dentro de este campo se ha mantenido rezagada, lo que ha conllevado a un vacío de conocimiento científico-investigativo sobre la enseñanza del español como lengua extranjera (ELE) dentro del país, especialmente en el contexto universitario. Con el propósito de llenar este vacío, conduje un estudio de caso cualitativo explorando la siguiente pregunta: ¿Qué factores afectan la motivación de los estudiantes universitarios polacos para aprender ELE?, utilizando El Sistema Motivacional del Yo L2 como marco teórico (Dörnyei, 2005). Tres instrumentos fueron utilizados para recolectar datos: cuestionarios, apuntes en mi diario sobre las conversaciones semanales realizadas en las clases de ELE, y metáforas producidas por los estudiantes. El análisis temático mostró que (1) la percepción del idioma español y la cultura hispanohablante, (2) la relación personal con el idioma español y los hispanohablantes, y (3) las metas personales y profesionales son los factores más relevantes en la decisión de los participantes de aprender ELE. Además, los datos revelaron que había una fuerte relación entre los diferentes tipos de motivaciones y la identidad de los participantes. -------------------------- The Spanish language has achieved a steady increase in popularity in Poland in recent years. However, research within this field has lagged behind, which has led to a knowledge gap in the teaching of Spanish as a foreign language within the country, especially in the university context. In order to fill this gap, I conducted a qualitative case study exploring the following question: What factors affect the motivation of Polish university students to learn Spanish as a foreign language, using The L2 Self Motivational System as a theoretical framework (Dörnyei, 2005). Three instruments were used to collect data: questionnaires, notes in my diary about the weekly conversations held in ELE classes, and metaphors produced by the students. Thematic analysis showed that (1) the perception of the Spanish language and the Spanish-speaking culture, (2) the personal relationship with the Spanish language and Spanish speakers, and (3) personal and professional goals are the most relevant factors in the decision of participants to learn ELE. In addition, the data revealed that there was a strong relationship between the different types of motivations and the identity of the participants.
Housing insecurity, a problem that crosses ethnic, racial, gender, and religious lines, affects s... more Housing insecurity, a problem that crosses ethnic, racial, gender, and religious lines, affects students across grade levels, including higher education. On average, 45% of students experience some form of housing insecurity each year in the United States (Broton KM J Soc Distress Homeless 29(1): 25-38, 2019). Navigating housing insecurity while enrolled in higher education has become so commonplace that the phrase struggling student is synonymous with attending college. The normalization of the term struggling student to describe the realities of college life has desensitized the larger community from the needs of higher education students (Crutchfield RM, Carpena A, McCloyn TN, Maguire J Fam Soc J Contemp Soc Ser 101(3): 409-421, 2020). Supporting students beyond their academic needs is of paramount importance as it affects attrition and graduation rates. However, publications exploring the well-being of students facing housing insecurity in higher education remain sparse. In this chapter, we urge higher education institutions to approach the well-being of students facing housing insecurity from an ecological lens.
Peace and restoration (henceforth, peacebuilding) have become buzzwords as we continue to wrestle... more Peace and restoration (henceforth, peacebuilding) have become buzzwords as we continue to wrestle with global problems. In this article, the authors focus on storytelling as a form of peacebuilding using wordless books (or picture books without words), with a focus on how peacebuilding may be conceptualized and woven into the fabric of the English language teaching field. Wordless books have been used for decades to help people develop meaning from pictures, comprehend story structures, improve engagement and motivation, support language learning, and develop storytelling skills (Cruzado-Guerrero & Martínez-Alba, 2022). As such, wordless books become part of an open invitation to engage in storytelling. Through this article, peacebuilding via storytelling using wordless books is explained as a social–emotional learning (SEL) classroom practice. Supported by the available literature focusing on storytelling and peacebuilding, the authors share a lesson design providing a clear way to develop capacity for peacebuilding skills using wordless books.
Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 2022
Diasporic Indigenous students include the lived realities of diverse Indigenous students living i... more Diasporic Indigenous students include the lived realities of diverse Indigenous students living in the United States with familial, relational, and transnational ties to Indigenous communities and pueblos of origin in Abya Yala, also known as Latin America. In this article, we advocate for the creation of positive learning communities to best support diasporic Indigenous students in schools and beyond. Recommendations for educators include understanding the effects of anti-Indigenous discrimination within Latinx communities and reflecting on the ways schooling may unintentionally reproduce colonial or damage-centred perspectives about Indigenous Peoples. The successful cultivation of positive learning communities also requires schools to learn from and cultivate partnerships with diasporic Indigenous families and surrounding communities to uplift social-emotional learning that honours Indigenous comunalidad. We hope the information presented in this article contributes to promoting equitable learning outcomes for all students by disrupting colonial stereotypes and misinformation about Indigeneity and uplifting contemporary Indigenous saberes.
Maya America: Journal of Essays, Commentary, and Analysis, 2022
In this article, I explore how vulnerability is imposed on diasporic Indigenous students in U.S. ... more In this article, I explore how vulnerability is imposed on diasporic Indigenous students in U.S. classrooms and how, through the arts, language and literacy educators can remove these vulnerabilities. For this, I weave elements of storytelling to first introduce Mariela and diasporic Indigenous students. Then, I share two examples of how my diasporic Indigenous students used poetry and drawing in our high school English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classroom to overcome vulnerabilities imposed on them by our school system. For clarification, throughout this manuscript, I use the term diasporic Indigenous students to describe Indigenous students who migrated to the United States from territories known today as Latin America. My hope is that the experiences described in this article will urge literacy and language educators to consider vulnerability as a condition imposed on students rather than as a characteristic or deficiency that learners bring with them.
There are many language teacher associations (LTAs) around the world, most of which are managed b... more There are many language teacher associations (LTAs) around the world, most of which are managed by volunteers and board members who make daily decisions that directly affect their LTA. These decisions are sometimes guided by initiatives proposed by members; in other cases, they emerge from pressing issues in the community. LTAs become visible in their community when they engage in actions that are considered valuable for the members they serve. However, at times, leaders might feel unsure of which actions are within the scope of their LTA and whether those actions will hurt or benefit their organization in the long run. In this article, I encourage leaders of LTAs to rethink their actions and efforts through the lens of advocacy. The article provides tools that LTAs can use to reflect on ways to best serve the membership and community while also building capacity for their organization.
Language teacher education is continually evolving to prepare educators for the ever-changing dem... more Language teacher education is continually evolving to prepare educators for the ever-changing demands of the field, which mirror the realities faced around the world. In recent years, the need for professional development on emotions and well-being has become significant, but there is still much work to be done, especially in the field of language teacher education. The purpose of the present qualitative case study is to examine English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers’ reactions and language teacher inquiry development while learning about emotions and well-being in their teacher preparation program. The two research questions guiding this inquiry are (a) What were participants’ responses to emotions and well-being professional development in their teacher preparation program? and (2) How did emotions and well-being professional development affect their identity development as EFL teachers? In answering the first research question, participants responded positively to receiving teacher preparation in emotions and well-being in their language teacher preparation programs and their stories shed light on the centrality of emotions and well-being in language teaching and learning. In answering the second research question, data revealed that delving deeper into the topics of emotions and well-being during language teacher preparation programs resulted in participants engaging in language teacher work, even if unintentionally.
This chapter covers three main points. First, we explain what peacemaking circles are and how the... more This chapter covers three main points. First, we explain what peacemaking circles are and how they work to educate students for understanding and engaging in global citizenship and peace. Then, we incorporate English learners (ELs) and the authors' voices and experiences of peacemaking circles, highlighting the potential for teaching global citizenship and peace. Lastly, we emphasize the need for creating opportunities to learn restorative and humane peacemaking in our language and literacy spaces in order to have a more peaceful global society.
International Journal of Literacy, Culture, and Language Education, 2022
In this manuscript, I weave personal and professional stories with available literature to advoca... more In this manuscript, I weave personal and professional stories with available literature to advocate for the necessity of decolonizing language education, taking a primary interest in the English and Spanish languages and in the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas and the Caribbean islands. Thus, I first set the stage by providing a brief historical overview of the effects caused by colonialism on the Indigenous Peoples, languages, and cultures of the Americas and the Caribbean islands. Then, I introduce my journey toward personal and professional decolonization and share practical examples of how I decolonize my teaching with the vision that this information will be helpful to readers. I end this article with final thoughts and an open invitation for further dialogue. My hope is that language (teacher) educators will use this essay as a critical reading for their language teacher pre-and in-service preparation programs and in other academic spaces.
International Journal of Literacy, Culture, and Language Education, 2022
In this article, we introduce the special issue Language Weaponization in Society and Education. ... more In this article, we introduce the special issue Language Weaponization in Society and Education. We begin the manuscript with a preface, sharing an event that transpired during the dissemination of the Call for Proposals. We then situate the special issue in the literature by providing a brief overview of the term language weaponization and by providing a clear definition to frame the special issue. We end the article by introducing all the articles in the special issue.
In this paper, we, as three transnational TESOL practitioners (TTP), engage in a collaborative au... more In this paper, we, as three transnational TESOL practitioners (TTP), engage in a collaborative autoethnography (CAE) to examine our professional identity tensions. Theoretically, we follow the premise that the tensions we experience in our professional life can be productive experiences for identity-oriented reflection and, as we work toward resolving these tensions, we can explore and negotiate new dimensions of our identities. Methodologically, we explore the affordances of CAE in combining internal and community dialogues to make sense of our identities, which are situated at the nexus of the personal and the cultural. Each one of us describes and analyzes one major tension that has been part of our professional identity negotiation as TESOL practitioners in the US. Addressing our research question, we conceptually argued that tensions are inevitable in our identity work and found that border-crossing and in-betweenness predominantly characterized our identities as TTPs. We cross borders and carve out in-between spaces, identities, and voices for ourselves in our professional lives.
This paper explores the transformative role of Romanian language education in the context of the ... more This paper explores the transformative role of Romanian language education in the context of the recent influx of refugees into Romania. Focusing on the integration of Ukrainian refugees, the study delves into the necessity of adapting Romanian language education to meet the unique needs of this population. It underscores the pivotal role of culturally responsive teaching, trauma-informed pedagogies, and community engagement strategies in facilitating refugee integration. The analysis is segmented into key areas: defining the refugee experience, examining Romania's response to the refugee crisis, and proposing innovative reforms in Romanian language teacher preparation programs. The paper advocates for the incorporation of multicultural education principles and a comprehensive, empathetic approach to language teaching. It highlights the potential long-term societal benefits of effectively integrating refugees through language education, including cultural enrichment and social cohesion. The study concludes by emphasizing the urgent need for educational reforms in Romania and suggests directions for future research to evaluate the impact of these changes.
Social-emotional learning (SEL) initiatives can have a positive effect on students' emotions and ... more Social-emotional learning (SEL) initiatives can have a positive effect on students' emotions and well-being. However, SEL in ESOL classrooms remains underexplored. This article reports on a qualitative study which investigated ESOL learners' perceptions of the effectiveness of SEL strategies in terms of their emotions and well-being. The study generated data using daily classroom observations, recorded classroom discussions, surveys, and artefacts. The analysis suggests students experienced positive emotions, such as happiness and feeling good and safe in the classroom as well as increased emotional awareness. The students highlighted the following strategies as being especially effective: restorative circles, letters to self, writing poetry, and classroom decorations. The findings demonstrate the need to embrace SEL practices as essential elements in ELT as they play a vital role in fostering students' and teachers' well-being, both within and beyond the classroom.
Emotion labor is defined as any conflict between institutional demands and teachers' professional... more Emotion labor is defined as any conflict between institutional demands and teachers' professional beliefs and preferences. Engaging in emotion labor is an inevitable aspect of becoming a language teacher. Scholars agree that language teacher agency and identity are closely tied to emotion labor. This fact particularly looms large for novice language teachers, who tend to perceive contradictions between what they imagine prior to entering the profession and what they actually experience in their teaching contexts. This case study applied activity theory (Engeström, 2015) and Gee's (2000) identity framework to explore how the emotion labor experienced by a novice Iranian female teacher of English as a foreign language (EFL) over a five-year career period at three private language institutes affected her language teacher agency and identity. The findings, obtained from class observations and semi-structured interviews, highlight two major sources of emotion labor: 1) profit-oriented policy, and 2) performance-constraining factors within the institute, which caused the participant to contemplate quitting her job. Implications and further research are discussed in line with the interplay among emotion labor, language teacher identity, and well-being.
This qualitative case study explored the effects of interrupted education—including the linguisti... more This qualitative case study explored the effects of interrupted education—including the linguistics challenges—on 14 (N = 14) Ukrainian higher education refugee students who arrived in Poland after the Russian invasion on 24 February 2022. All participants were refugee students who were enrolled in Ukrainian universities prior to the Russian invasion, and were forced to interrupt their studies and flee to Poland for safety. The two research questions guiding this inquiry are: (1) What effects have interrupted education had on Ukrainian higher education refugee students? and (2) What linguistic challenges have Ukrainian higher education refugee students faced in Poland? For the first research question, data revealed that the abrupt interruption in their education, in addition to the war, migration, and other life occurrences, has destabilized participants’ outlook, emotions, and identity, making them feel uncertain about their personal and professional goals. For the second research question, participants expressed their appreciation toward Poland and the Polish people for the welcoming, supportive environment, and shared challenges associated with participating in the Polish higher education system. The implications of the findings are discussed through the lens of policy and best practices for supporting arriving refugees in Poland and other countries welcoming Ukrainian refugees experiencing interrupted education.
Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, 2023
In this innovative practice article, we introduce nature journaling in the context of English lan... more In this innovative practice article, we introduce nature journaling in the context of English language teaching (ELT) – an approach and conceptualization that remain mostly unexplored in the field. As educators concerned with our environments, the natural world, and students’ social-emotional literacy and well-being, we make a case for the need to reimagine ELT classrooms as places where nature is embraced and centered. To further elaborate on our stance, we divide this article into four main sections. In the first section, we provide a brief overview of nature journaling in environmental education (EE) and ELT contexts. In the second section, we connect nature journaling with the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)’s five SEL competencies, the framework grounding our conversation. In the third section, we reflect on our practices and provide six considerations for practitioners seeking to incorporate nature journaling in diverse ELT spaces and environments. In the fourth section, we share an example of a nature journaling activity ELT practitioners can use with their English learners. We end this article with final thoughts about the positive effects of nature journaling for students and practitioners in ELT. Also, we offer recommendations for further exploration and research.
El idioma español ha alcanzado un constante aumento de popularidad en Polonia en años recientes. ... more El idioma español ha alcanzado un constante aumento de popularidad en Polonia en años recientes. Sin embargo, la labor científica-investigativa dentro de este campo se ha mantenido rezagada, lo que ha conllevado a un vacío de conocimiento científico-investigativo sobre la enseñanza del español como lengua extranjera (ELE) dentro del país, especialmente en el contexto universitario. Con el propósito de llenar este vacío, conduje un estudio de caso cualitativo explorando la siguiente pregunta: ¿Qué factores afectan la motivación de los estudiantes universitarios polacos para aprender ELE?, utilizando El Sistema Motivacional del Yo L2 como marco teórico (Dörnyei, 2005). Tres instrumentos fueron utilizados para recolectar datos: cuestionarios, apuntes en mi diario sobre las conversaciones semanales realizadas en las clases de ELE, y metáforas producidas por los estudiantes. El análisis temático mostró que (1) la percepción del idioma español y la cultura hispanohablante, (2) la relación personal con el idioma español y los hispanohablantes, y (3) las metas personales y profesionales son los factores más relevantes en la decisión de los participantes de aprender ELE. Además, los datos revelaron que había una fuerte relación entre los diferentes tipos de motivaciones y la identidad de los participantes. -------------------------- The Spanish language has achieved a steady increase in popularity in Poland in recent years. However, research within this field has lagged behind, which has led to a knowledge gap in the teaching of Spanish as a foreign language within the country, especially in the university context. In order to fill this gap, I conducted a qualitative case study exploring the following question: What factors affect the motivation of Polish university students to learn Spanish as a foreign language, using The L2 Self Motivational System as a theoretical framework (Dörnyei, 2005). Three instruments were used to collect data: questionnaires, notes in my diary about the weekly conversations held in ELE classes, and metaphors produced by the students. Thematic analysis showed that (1) the perception of the Spanish language and the Spanish-speaking culture, (2) the personal relationship with the Spanish language and Spanish speakers, and (3) personal and professional goals are the most relevant factors in the decision of participants to learn ELE. In addition, the data revealed that there was a strong relationship between the different types of motivations and the identity of the participants.
Housing insecurity, a problem that crosses ethnic, racial, gender, and religious lines, affects s... more Housing insecurity, a problem that crosses ethnic, racial, gender, and religious lines, affects students across grade levels, including higher education. On average, 45% of students experience some form of housing insecurity each year in the United States (Broton KM J Soc Distress Homeless 29(1): 25-38, 2019). Navigating housing insecurity while enrolled in higher education has become so commonplace that the phrase struggling student is synonymous with attending college. The normalization of the term struggling student to describe the realities of college life has desensitized the larger community from the needs of higher education students (Crutchfield RM, Carpena A, McCloyn TN, Maguire J Fam Soc J Contemp Soc Ser 101(3): 409-421, 2020). Supporting students beyond their academic needs is of paramount importance as it affects attrition and graduation rates. However, publications exploring the well-being of students facing housing insecurity in higher education remain sparse. In this chapter, we urge higher education institutions to approach the well-being of students facing housing insecurity from an ecological lens.
Peace and restoration (henceforth, peacebuilding) have become buzzwords as we continue to wrestle... more Peace and restoration (henceforth, peacebuilding) have become buzzwords as we continue to wrestle with global problems. In this article, the authors focus on storytelling as a form of peacebuilding using wordless books (or picture books without words), with a focus on how peacebuilding may be conceptualized and woven into the fabric of the English language teaching field. Wordless books have been used for decades to help people develop meaning from pictures, comprehend story structures, improve engagement and motivation, support language learning, and develop storytelling skills (Cruzado-Guerrero & Martínez-Alba, 2022). As such, wordless books become part of an open invitation to engage in storytelling. Through this article, peacebuilding via storytelling using wordless books is explained as a social–emotional learning (SEL) classroom practice. Supported by the available literature focusing on storytelling and peacebuilding, the authors share a lesson design providing a clear way to develop capacity for peacebuilding skills using wordless books.
Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 2022
Diasporic Indigenous students include the lived realities of diverse Indigenous students living i... more Diasporic Indigenous students include the lived realities of diverse Indigenous students living in the United States with familial, relational, and transnational ties to Indigenous communities and pueblos of origin in Abya Yala, also known as Latin America. In this article, we advocate for the creation of positive learning communities to best support diasporic Indigenous students in schools and beyond. Recommendations for educators include understanding the effects of anti-Indigenous discrimination within Latinx communities and reflecting on the ways schooling may unintentionally reproduce colonial or damage-centred perspectives about Indigenous Peoples. The successful cultivation of positive learning communities also requires schools to learn from and cultivate partnerships with diasporic Indigenous families and surrounding communities to uplift social-emotional learning that honours Indigenous comunalidad. We hope the information presented in this article contributes to promoting equitable learning outcomes for all students by disrupting colonial stereotypes and misinformation about Indigeneity and uplifting contemporary Indigenous saberes.
Maya America: Journal of Essays, Commentary, and Analysis, 2022
In this article, I explore how vulnerability is imposed on diasporic Indigenous students in U.S. ... more In this article, I explore how vulnerability is imposed on diasporic Indigenous students in U.S. classrooms and how, through the arts, language and literacy educators can remove these vulnerabilities. For this, I weave elements of storytelling to first introduce Mariela and diasporic Indigenous students. Then, I share two examples of how my diasporic Indigenous students used poetry and drawing in our high school English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classroom to overcome vulnerabilities imposed on them by our school system. For clarification, throughout this manuscript, I use the term diasporic Indigenous students to describe Indigenous students who migrated to the United States from territories known today as Latin America. My hope is that the experiences described in this article will urge literacy and language educators to consider vulnerability as a condition imposed on students rather than as a characteristic or deficiency that learners bring with them.
There are many language teacher associations (LTAs) around the world, most of which are managed b... more There are many language teacher associations (LTAs) around the world, most of which are managed by volunteers and board members who make daily decisions that directly affect their LTA. These decisions are sometimes guided by initiatives proposed by members; in other cases, they emerge from pressing issues in the community. LTAs become visible in their community when they engage in actions that are considered valuable for the members they serve. However, at times, leaders might feel unsure of which actions are within the scope of their LTA and whether those actions will hurt or benefit their organization in the long run. In this article, I encourage leaders of LTAs to rethink their actions and efforts through the lens of advocacy. The article provides tools that LTAs can use to reflect on ways to best serve the membership and community while also building capacity for their organization.
Language teacher education is continually evolving to prepare educators for the ever-changing dem... more Language teacher education is continually evolving to prepare educators for the ever-changing demands of the field, which mirror the realities faced around the world. In recent years, the need for professional development on emotions and well-being has become significant, but there is still much work to be done, especially in the field of language teacher education. The purpose of the present qualitative case study is to examine English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers’ reactions and language teacher inquiry development while learning about emotions and well-being in their teacher preparation program. The two research questions guiding this inquiry are (a) What were participants’ responses to emotions and well-being professional development in their teacher preparation program? and (2) How did emotions and well-being professional development affect their identity development as EFL teachers? In answering the first research question, participants responded positively to receiving teacher preparation in emotions and well-being in their language teacher preparation programs and their stories shed light on the centrality of emotions and well-being in language teaching and learning. In answering the second research question, data revealed that delving deeper into the topics of emotions and well-being during language teacher preparation programs resulted in participants engaging in language teacher work, even if unintentionally.
This chapter covers three main points. First, we explain what peacemaking circles are and how the... more This chapter covers three main points. First, we explain what peacemaking circles are and how they work to educate students for understanding and engaging in global citizenship and peace. Then, we incorporate English learners (ELs) and the authors' voices and experiences of peacemaking circles, highlighting the potential for teaching global citizenship and peace. Lastly, we emphasize the need for creating opportunities to learn restorative and humane peacemaking in our language and literacy spaces in order to have a more peaceful global society.
International Journal of Literacy, Culture, and Language Education, 2022
In this manuscript, I weave personal and professional stories with available literature to advoca... more In this manuscript, I weave personal and professional stories with available literature to advocate for the necessity of decolonizing language education, taking a primary interest in the English and Spanish languages and in the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas and the Caribbean islands. Thus, I first set the stage by providing a brief historical overview of the effects caused by colonialism on the Indigenous Peoples, languages, and cultures of the Americas and the Caribbean islands. Then, I introduce my journey toward personal and professional decolonization and share practical examples of how I decolonize my teaching with the vision that this information will be helpful to readers. I end this article with final thoughts and an open invitation for further dialogue. My hope is that language (teacher) educators will use this essay as a critical reading for their language teacher pre-and in-service preparation programs and in other academic spaces.
International Journal of Literacy, Culture, and Language Education, 2022
In this article, we introduce the special issue Language Weaponization in Society and Education. ... more In this article, we introduce the special issue Language Weaponization in Society and Education. We begin the manuscript with a preface, sharing an event that transpired during the dissemination of the Call for Proposals. We then situate the special issue in the literature by providing a brief overview of the term language weaponization and by providing a clear definition to frame the special issue. We end the article by introducing all the articles in the special issue.
In this paper, we, as three transnational TESOL practitioners (TTP), engage in a collaborative au... more In this paper, we, as three transnational TESOL practitioners (TTP), engage in a collaborative autoethnography (CAE) to examine our professional identity tensions. Theoretically, we follow the premise that the tensions we experience in our professional life can be productive experiences for identity-oriented reflection and, as we work toward resolving these tensions, we can explore and negotiate new dimensions of our identities. Methodologically, we explore the affordances of CAE in combining internal and community dialogues to make sense of our identities, which are situated at the nexus of the personal and the cultural. Each one of us describes and analyzes one major tension that has been part of our professional identity negotiation as TESOL practitioners in the US. Addressing our research question, we conceptually argued that tensions are inevitable in our identity work and found that border-crossing and in-betweenness predominantly characterized our identities as TTPs. We cross borders and carve out in-between spaces, identities, and voices for ourselves in our professional lives.
Housing insecurity, a problem that crosses ethnic, racial, gender, and religious lines, affects s... more Housing insecurity, a problem that crosses ethnic, racial, gender, and religious lines, affects students across grade levels, including higher education. On average, 45% of students experience some form of housing insecurity each year in the United States (Broton KM J Soc Distress Homeless 29(1): 25-38, 2019). Navigating housing insecurity while enrolled in higher education has become so commonplace that the phrase struggling student is synonymous with attending college. The normalization of the term struggling student to describe the realities of college life has desensitized the larger community from the needs of higher education students (Crutchfield RM, Carpena A, McCloyn TN, Maguire J Fam Soc J Contemp Soc Ser 101(3): 409-421, 2020). Supporting students beyond their academic needs is of paramount importance as it affects attrition and graduation rates. However, publications exploring the well-being of students facing housing insecurity in higher education remain sparse. In this chapter, we urge higher education institutions to approach the well-being of students facing housing insecurity from an ecological lens.
Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development
Diasporic Indigenous students include the lived realities of diverse Indigenous students living i... more Diasporic Indigenous students include the lived realities of diverse Indigenous students living in the United States with familial, relational, and transnational ties to Indigenous communities and pueblos of origin in Abya Yala, also known as Latin America. In this article, we advocate for the creation of positive learning communities to best support diasporic Indigenous students in schools and beyond. Recommendations for educators include understanding the effects of anti-Indigenous discrimination within Latinx communities and reflecting on the ways schooling may unintentionally reproduce colonial or damage-centred perspectives about Indigenous Peoples. The successful cultivation of positive learning communities also requires schools to learn from and cultivate partnerships with diasporic Indigenous families and surrounding communities to uplift social-emotional learning that honours Indigenous comunalidad. We hope the information presented in this article contributes to promoting equitable learning outcomes for all students by disrupting colonial stereotypes and misinformation about Indigeneity and uplifting contemporary Indigenous saberes.
Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language Journal--TESL-EJ
Recent trends of migration have contributed to the growing number of Students with Limited or Int... more Recent trends of migration have contributed to the growing number of Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education (SLIFE) in our K-12 classrooms in the United States and worldwide. Simultaneously, the visibility of SLIFE in academic publications from around the world (i.e., Custodio & O’Loughlin, 2017; DeCapua et al., 2020; Pentón Herrera, 2022) contributes to a general understanding of best practices on what this population needs and how teachers can best help them. In this article, we rely on recent and relevant available publications, as well as personal experiences, to recommend essential social-emotional and academic considerations that teachers and stakeholders should know to support SLIFE effectively. The social-emotional considerations shared include social and emotional needs, cultural dissonance, connections to programming and services, and interpersonal relationships. The academic considerations shared are programming, first language (L1) literacy instruction, ap...
Peace and restoration (henceforth, peacebuilding) have become buzzwords as we continue to wrestle... more Peace and restoration (henceforth, peacebuilding) have become buzzwords as we continue to wrestle with global problems. In this article, the authors focus on storytelling as a form of peacebuilding using wordless books (or picture books without words), with a focus on how peacebuilding may be conceptualized and woven into the fabric of the English language teaching field. Wordless books have been used for decades to help people develop meaning from pictures, comprehend story structures, improve engagement and motivation, support language learning, and develop storytelling skills (Cruzado‐Guerrero & Martínez‐Alba, 2022). As such, wordless books become part of an open invitation to engage in storytelling. Through this article, peacebuilding via storytelling using wordless books is explained as a social–emotional learning (SEL) classroom practice. Supported by the available literature focusing on storytelling and peacebuilding, the authors share a lesson design providing a clear way to develop capacity for peacebuilding skills using wordless books.
Bridging human and machine: future education with intelligence, 2020
Prevalent in the literature are the components of smart education, learning, and literacies; smar... more Prevalent in the literature are the components of smart education, learning, and literacies; smart pedagogies are encouraged, but practical examples are scant. A gap between education and the workplace has been acknowledged; how can smart pedagogy fill the void? This chapter provides an example of an innovative educational process bridging the interval utilizing an online problem-based service learning (PBSL) instructional approach and a pedagogic collaborative cloud, a smart pedagogic collaborative cloud (PCC). Educators collaborating together are a crucial component of the changing praxis. In a university course using a PBSL approach, students collaboratively identified a problem—lack of time. A literacy pedagogic collaborative cloud was identified as the solution to the problem. A pilot study was performed (n = 12) to ascertain interest in the idea and warrant conducting a study. A triangulated qualitative study (n = 45) was implemented; a broad constructive theoretical framework provided support for smart education, PBSL, and the pedagogic collaborative cloud. The research questions were: (1) Does the interest or need exist to create a literacy collaborative cloud for graduate students and alumnae? (2) What was the best format to encourage participation? Four types of data were collected and quality checks instituted. The findings revealed 80% of the participants agreed with the creation of a literacy pedagogic collaborative cloud (LPCC); 100% of the participants preferred to collaborate with a group of professionals in their field, and 100% agreed collaboration improved teaching practice. A private literacy PCC was created on Facebook; the implications are clear—smart pedagogy can fill the university/workplace void.
In this paper, we, as three transnational TESOL practitioners (TTP), engage in a collaborative au... more In this paper, we, as three transnational TESOL practitioners (TTP), engage in a collaborative autoethnography (CAE) to examine our professional identity tensions. Theoretically, we follow the premise that the tensions we experience in our professional life can be productive experiences for identity‐oriented reflection and, as we work toward resolving these tensions, we can explore and negotiate new dimensions of our identities. Methodologically, we explore the affordances of CAE in combining internal and community dialogues to make sense of our identities, which are situated at the nexus of the personal and the cultural. Each one of us describes and analyzes one major tension that has been part of our professional identity negotiation as TESOL practitioners in the US. Addressing our research question, we conceptually argued that tensions are inevitable in our identity work and found that border‐crossing and in‐betweenness predominantly characterized our identities as TTPs. We cross borders and carve out in‐between spaces, identities, and voices for ourselves in our professional lives.
Peace and restoration (henceforth, peacebuilding) have become buzzwords as we continue to wrestle... more Peace and restoration (henceforth, peacebuilding) have become buzzwords as we continue to wrestle with global problems. In this article, the authors focus on storytelling as a form of peacebuilding using wordless books (or picture books without words), with a focus on how peacebuilding may be conceptualized and woven into the fabric of the English language teaching field. Wordless books have been used for decades to help people develop meaning from pictures, comprehend story structures, improve engagement and motivation, support language learning, and develop storytelling skills (Cruzado‐Guerrero & Martínez‐Alba, 2022). As such, wordless books become part of an open invitation to engage in storytelling. Through this article, peacebuilding via storytelling using wordless books is explained as a social–emotional learning (SEL) classroom practice. Supported by the available literature focusing on storytelling and peacebuilding, the authors share a lesson design providing a clear way to...
This edited volume comprises an insightful collection of international autoethnographies from doc... more This edited volume comprises an insightful collection of international autoethnographies from doctoral candidates in the field of applied linguistics, narrating and analyzing their student experiences to problematize and challenge the dominant and oppressive cultures of academia. Through 12 select contributions, the book examines the intersection of identity work and emotional labor in the doctoral student journey, sharing insights into the potential of autoethnography for self-reflection, community building, and healing in doctoral studies. Contributors examine their doctoral journeys through personal narratives and testimonials to understand their own experiences, agency, identity, and emotions, encouraging current or former doctoral students to engage in the critical reflection of their own experiences. Chapters are divided into four themes: interrelating multiple identities, navigating and negotiating in-betweenness, engaging emotions and wellbeing, and establishing support systems. Offering unique perspectives from a global spread of Ph.D. candidates, this book will be highly relevant reading for researchers and prospective or current doctoral students of applied linguistics, language education, TESOL, and LOTE. It will also be of interest to those interested in higher education, dissertation research, and autoethnography as a method.
Maya America: Journal of Essays, Commentary, and Analysis
In this article, I explore how vulnerability is imposed on diasporic Indigenous students in U.S. ... more In this article, I explore how vulnerability is imposed on diasporic Indigenous students in U.S. classrooms and how, through the arts, language and literacy educators can remove these vulnerabilities. For this, I weave elements of storytelling to first introduce Mariela and diasporic Indigenous students. Then, I share two examples of how my diasporic Indigenous students used poetry and drawing in our high school English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classroom to overcome vulnerabilities imposed on them by our school system. For clarification, throughout this manuscript, I use the term diasporic Indigenous students to describe Indigenous students who migrated to the United States from territories known today as Latin America. My hope is that the experiences described in this article will urge literacy and language educators to consider vulnerability as a condition imposed on students rather than as a characteristic or deficiency that learners bring with them.
This special issue is being prepared for the International Journal of Literacy, Culture, and Lang... more This special issue is being prepared for the International Journal of Literacy, Culture, and Language Education with the support and guidance of its Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Serafín M. Coronel-Molina.
Call for Proposals:
Book 1: Autoethnographies of Doctoral Students in the United States
Book 2: ... more Call for Proposals: Book 1: Autoethnographies of Doctoral Students in the United States Book 2: Autoethnographies of International Doctoral Students in the United States
This is a call for proposal titled for a special volume of Camino Real titled "Diversifying the R... more This is a call for proposal titled for a special volume of Camino Real titled "Diversifying the Representation of Latina Women in the United States: Stories, Identities, Languages, and Cultures".
Esta es una convocatoria de propuestas para un número especial de la revista Camino Real titulada "Diversificando la representación de la mujer latina en los Estados Unidos: Historias, identidades, idiomas y culturas".
In this opening chapter, we establish the groundwork for the edited volume by delving into the in... more In this opening chapter, we establish the groundwork for the edited volume by delving into the intricate interplay between language, discourse, and societal change. Here, we underscore the dual nature of language, recognizing its potential both as a force for positive transformation and as a vehicle for harm and marginalization in the classroom and beyond. Utilizing linguistic theories and discourse analysis as our lens, we illustrate how the choices made in the process of communication possess the power to shape perceptions and foster dialogues, impacting social interactions while also potentially perpetuating harm against marginalized individuals and groups. Moreover, we provide a clear definition of language weaponization, or the weaponizing of language, framing our discussions within the parameters of applied linguistics and social sciences. We end the chapter by recording the origins of this edited volume, which provides a backdrop for introducing the subsequent chapters.
This book examines students with limited or interrupted education (SLIFE) in the context of Engli... more This book examines students with limited or interrupted education (SLIFE) in the context of English learners and teacher preparation courses from a cultural and social lens. The book is divided into five parts. Part I frames the conversation and contributions in this edited volume; Part II provides an overview of SLIFE, Part III focuses on teacher preparation programs, Part IV discusses the challenges faced by SLIFE in K-12 learning environments and Part V examines SLIFE in adult learning environments.
This book is unique in that it offers practical instructional tools to educators, thus helping to bridge theory and practice. Moreover, it retains a special focus on K-12 and adult SLIFE and has an inclusive and international perspective, which includes a novel theoretical framework to support the mental, emotional, and instructional needs of LGBTQ+ refugee students.
The book is of interest to teacher educators, in-service and pre-service teachers, English literacy educators, graduate students, tutors, facilitators, instructors, and administrators working in organizations serving SLIFE in K-12 and adult learning environments.
The practice of social-emotional learning (SEL) has been growing in the United States and around ... more The practice of social-emotional learning (SEL) has been growing in the United States and around the world for some years. Presently, many public and private educational systems, community organizations, and higher education institutions embrace SEL practices in various forms, such as wellness conversations, mindfulness interventions, trauma-informed instruction, restorative circles, and yoga. The incorporation of SEL practices is undoubtedly experiencing a momentum, as Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL; 2013) calls it, and its popularity is expected to become increasingly necessary in our schools, learning spaces, and society.
The goal of this Handbook is to serve as a helpful resource for current practicing teachers, teac... more The goal of this Handbook is to serve as a helpful resource for current practicing teachers, teachers-in-training, teacher leaders, prospective teachers, paraprofessionals/teaching assistants, teacher educators, administrators, and other stakeholders who support English learners in the state of Maryland.
Aker, M., & Herrera, L. J. P. (2020). Smart Literacy Learning in the Twenty-First Century: Facilitating PBSL Pedagogic Collaborative Clouds. In Emerging Technologies and Pedagogies in the Curriculum (pp. 429-445). Springer, Singapore.
Prevalent in the literature are the components of smart education, learning , and literacies; sma... more Prevalent in the literature are the components of smart education, learning , and literacies; smart pedagogies are encouraged, but practical examples are scant. A gap between education and the workplace has been acknowledged; how can smart pedagogy fill the void? This chapter provides an example of an innovative educational process bridging the interval utilizing an online problem-based service learning (PBSL) instructional approach and a pedagogic collaborative cloud, a smart pedagogic collaborative cloud (PCC). Educators collaborating together are a crucial component of the changing praxis. In a university course using a PBSL approach, students collaboratively identified a problem-lack of time. A literacy pedagogic collaborative cloud was identified as the solution to the problem. A pilot study was performed (n = 12) to ascertain interest in the idea and warrant conducting a study. A triangulated qualitative study (n = 45) was implemented; a broad constructive theoretical framework provided support for smart education, PBSL, and the peda-gogic collaborative cloud. The research questions were: (1) Does the interest or need exist to create a literacy collaborative cloud for graduate students and alumnae? (2) What was the best format to encourage participation? Four types of data were collected and quality checks instituted. The findings revealed 80% of the participants agreed with the creation of a literacy pedagogic collaborative cloud (LPCC); 100% of the participants preferred to collaborate with a group of professionals in their field, and 100% agreed collaboration improved teaching practice. A private literacy PCC was created on Facebook; the implications are clear-smart pedagogy can fill the university/workplace void.
This edited book is a beautiful and powerful collection of poems and personal and visual narrativ... more This edited book is a beautiful and powerful collection of poems and personal and visual narratives of multilingual immigrants in the United States. The purpose of this book is to create a space where immigrant stories can be told from their personal perspectives. The contributors are immigrants from all walks of life who represent a diverse picture of languages, professions, and beliefs from the immigrant diasporas within the United States. Inspired by the use of autoethnography, authors examine their own lives through poems and personal and visual narratives to share with others who might have similar experiences.
Kappa Delta Pi Webinar Series
Incorporating Problem-Based Service Learning in Your
21st-Century C... more Kappa Delta Pi Webinar Series Incorporating Problem-Based Service Learning in Your 21st-Century Classroom
In N. Pettitt, R. Farrelly, & A. Elson (Eds.), Literacy education and second language learning for adults (LESLLA): Bridging theory and practice (pp. 62-85). LESLLA., 2020
Non-profit organizations are frequently safe havens in the community where immigrants can find su... more Non-profit organizations are frequently safe havens in the community where immigrants can find support during their transitional period of adaptation and adjustment to their new environment in the United States (Hung, 2007; Wilson, 2013). Many of these organizations have educational programs that focus on teaching English as a second language and on preparing immigrants to take the citizenship exam. However, offering literacy classes in the adult learners’ native languages occurs with less frequency (Tamassia, Lennon, Yamamoto, & Kirsch, 2007). This qualitative case study explored the effectiveness of a U.S.-based pilot Spanish literacy program from the participants’ experiences while developing first language (Spanish) literacy and learning some English, their second language. In addition, the implications for this program’s continuance are shared and analyzed. Findings shed light on potential challenges and opportunities associated with incorporating first language literacy programs at non-profit organizations for adult learners who have experienced interruptions in formal school-based learning.
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The Spanish language has achieved a steady increase in popularity in Poland in recent years. However, research within this field has lagged behind, which has led to a knowledge gap in the teaching of Spanish as a foreign language within the country, especially in the university context. In order to fill this gap, I conducted a qualitative case study exploring the following question: What factors affect the motivation of Polish university students to learn Spanish as a foreign language, using The L2 Self Motivational System as a theoretical framework (Dörnyei, 2005). Three instruments were used to collect data: questionnaires, notes in my diary about the weekly conversations held in ELE classes, and metaphors produced by the students. Thematic analysis showed that (1) the perception of the Spanish language and the Spanish-speaking culture, (2) the personal relationship with the Spanish language and Spanish speakers, and (3) personal and professional goals are the most relevant factors in the decision of participants to learn ELE. In addition, the data revealed that there was a strong relationship between the different types of motivations and the identity of the participants.
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The Spanish language has achieved a steady increase in popularity in Poland in recent years. However, research within this field has lagged behind, which has led to a knowledge gap in the teaching of Spanish as a foreign language within the country, especially in the university context. In order to fill this gap, I conducted a qualitative case study exploring the following question: What factors affect the motivation of Polish university students to learn Spanish as a foreign language, using The L2 Self Motivational System as a theoretical framework (Dörnyei, 2005). Three instruments were used to collect data: questionnaires, notes in my diary about the weekly conversations held in ELE classes, and metaphors produced by the students. Thematic analysis showed that (1) the perception of the Spanish language and the Spanish-speaking culture, (2) the personal relationship with the Spanish language and Spanish speakers, and (3) personal and professional goals are the most relevant factors in the decision of participants to learn ELE. In addition, the data revealed that there was a strong relationship between the different types of motivations and the identity of the participants.
Book 1: Autoethnographies of Doctoral Students in the United States
Book 2: Autoethnographies of International Doctoral Students in the United States
Esta es una convocatoria de propuestas para un número especial de la revista Camino Real titulada "Diversificando la representación de la mujer latina en los Estados Unidos: Historias, identidades, idiomas y culturas".
This book is unique in that it offers practical instructional tools to educators, thus helping to bridge theory and practice. Moreover, it retains a special focus on K-12 and adult SLIFE and has an inclusive and international perspective, which includes a novel theoretical framework to support the mental, emotional, and instructional needs of LGBTQ+ refugee students.
The book is of interest to teacher educators, in-service and pre-service teachers, English literacy educators, graduate students, tutors, facilitators, instructors, and administrators working in organizations serving SLIFE in K-12 and adult learning environments.
Incorporating Problem-Based Service Learning in Your
21st-Century Classroom