ABOUT
I joined Northern Illinois University as an assistant professor of Spanish Linguistics in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures in 2012, and became associate professor in the Department of World Languages and Cultures (same department, new name) in 2018. I'm also the director of World Language Educator Licensure.
My research focuses on instructed second language acquisition . Specifically, I look at the interaction between learner-internal factors, such as age, and learner-external factors, such as amount of language exposure and type of instruction, as learners acquire second language morphosyntax and phonology.
SKILLS & EXPERTISE
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Teaching: beginning & intermediate Spanish classes; undergraduate/graduate Spanish Linguistics classes; Teaching Methods classes; K-12 Spanish classes
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Program Administration: hiring & collaborating with assistant director & university supervisors; growing enrollment; student advising; curriculum design
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Research: peer-reviewed journal articles; book on TPR Storytelling, many conference presentations, MA thesis supervision, mentoring undergraduate researchers
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Professional development for language teachers: research on Comprehensible Input methods, practical training for pre-service teachers
WORK EXPERIENCE
2012-2023
Assistant/Associate Professor of Spanish Linguistics
Director of Educator Licensure
Department of World Languages & Cultures
Northern Illinois University
2015
Graduate Program Faculty
Southern Oregon University Summer Language Institute
Guanajuato, Mexico
2000-2005, 2021-2022
Spanish teacher
Grades K & 3: Sunrise Spanish program, Williamstown, MA
Grades 5-9: Rippowam Cisqua School, Bedford, NY
Grades 4-8: Blacksburg New School, Blacksburg, VA
EDUCATION
Ph.D. in Linguistics, 2012
Specialization in Psycholinguistics
Certificate in Second Language Acquisition and Teacher Education
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
M.A. in Linguistics, 2009
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
B.A. in Spanish & Psychology, 2002
Williams College
MEDIA COVERAGE
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Speaking of Language podcast
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The Motivated Classroom podcast
- Do children soak up language like sponges? New York Times article
- Do children soak up language like sponges? New York Times Parenting article
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The acquisition/learning distinction. Talkin’ L2 with BVP podcast
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10 reasons to be bilingual: Mastering a second language has hidden perks. NIU Newsroom article