VERONICA E. VALDEZ portrait
  • Professor, Education, Culture & Society
  • Department Chair, Education, Culture & Society
801-587-7814

Publications

  • Delavan, M. G., Freire, J.A., & Valdez, V. E. (2024). Mass production, mass marketing and mass displacement in DLBE policy: A call for locally crafted programs. In M. G. Delavan, J.A. Freire, & K. Menken (Eds.) Overcoming the gentrification of dual language, bilingual, and immersion education: Solution-oriented research and stakeholder resources (pp. 145-165). Multilingual Matters.. Published, 03/2024.
  • Park, K.^ & Valdez, V. E. (in press). Examining Minnesota schools’ discursive positioning and intended educational opportunities for Refugee background students. Journal of Multilingual Theories and Practices. (Special Issue: Refugee-background students in the context of multilingual policies and practices). (Publication expected in 2024). Accepted, 08/2023.
  • Freire, J. A., Delavan, M. G. & Valdez, V. E. (2022). Grassroots resistance and activism to one-size-fits-all policies by 90:10 dual language schools en communidades Latinas. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 25(6), 2124-2141. (Special Issue: Re-Imagining Dual Language Education?).. Published, 12/01/2022.
    https://doi.org/10.1080/13670050.2021.1874868
  • Valdez, V. E., Delavan, M. G., & Freire, J. A. (2022). Using critical policy analysis in collaborative professional learning communities to enhance dual language bilingual educators’ critical consciousness. In L. Dorner, D. Palmer, E. Crawford-Rossi, C. Cervantes-Soon, & D. Heiman (Eds.) Activating critical consciousness in dual language bilingual education: From policy to pedagogy (pp. 67-74). Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003240594-8. Published, 02/2022.
  • Valdez, V. E. & Park, K.^ (2021). Translanguaging as culturally sustaining pedagogy: Transforming traditional practices in an ESOL classroom for older adults from refugee backgrounds. In D. Warriner Refugee education across the lifespan: Mapping experiences of language learning and use (pp. 327-345). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-79470-5_18. Published, 08/2021.
    https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-79470-5_18
  • Freire, J. A. & Valdez, V. E. (2021). The holistic analysis of multicultural teaching framework: Capturing teachers’ pauses and their hybrid and fluid multicultural practices. International Journal of Multicultural Education, 23(2), 127-144. Published, 08/2021.
    https://doi.org/10.18251/ijme.v23i2.2647
  • Valdez, V. E., Fránquiz, M. E. & Turner, L^. (2021). Young Latinx learners in early childhood education: Shifting trends and future directions. In E. G. Murillo, Jr. et. al. (Eds.) Handbook of Latinos and education: Research, theory, and practice (2nd ed.) (pp. 343-354). Routledge. Published, 07/2021.
    https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/edit/10.4324/9...
  • Delavan, M. G., Freire, J. A., & Valdez, V. E. (2021). The intersectionality of neoliberal classing with raciolinguistic marginalization in state dual language policy: A call for locally crafted programs. In N. Flores, A. Tseng, & N. C. Subtirelu Bilingualism for all? Raciolinguistic perspectives on dual language education (pp. 19-39) . Multilingual Matters. https://doi.org/10.21832/9781800410053-003. Published, 01/2021.
    https://doi.org/10.21832/9781800410053-003
  • Park, K. & Valdez, V. E. (2018). Translanguaging pedagogy in an ESL classroom for older Nepali-Bhutanese adults (Book chapter). In S. Shapiro, R. Farrelly, and M. J. Curry (Eds.) Educating refugee-background students: Critical issues and dynamic contexts. Multilingual Matters. Published, 05/2018.
  • Freire, J. A., Valdez, V. E., & Delavan, G.^ (2017). The (dis)inclusion of Latina/o interests from Utah’s dual language education boom. Journal of Latinos and Education,16(4), 276-289. doi: 10.1080/15348431.2016.1229617. Published, 10/17/2017.
    http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/153484...
  • Delavan, M. G. & Valdez, V. E., & Freire, J. A. (2017). Language as whose resource?: When global economics usurp the local equity potentials of dual language education. International Multilingual Research Journal. Vol. 11(2), 86-100. Published, 05/01/2017.
    http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19313152.2016.1204890
  • Freire, J. A. & Valdez, V. E. (2017). Dual language teachers’ stated barriers to implementation of culturally relevant practices. Bilingual Research Journal, 40(1), 55-69. . Published, 02/2017.
    http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15235882.2016.1272504
  • Fránquiz, M. E., Escamilla, K. & Valdez, V.E. (2016). Coeditors’ Introduction: Research on Language Planning - 30 Years Plus (Special issue on the legacy of Richard Ruiz), 39(3-4), 1-6. doi: 10.1080/15235882.2016.1246906. Published, 11/2016.
    http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15235882.2016.1246906
  • Fránquiz, M. E., Escamilla, K. & Valdez, V.E. (2016). Special issue: Richard Ruiz and research on language planning – 30 years plus. Bilingual Research Journal, 39(3-4). Published, 11/2016.
    http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15235882.2016.1246906
  • Valdez, V. E., Delavan, G., & Freire, J. A. (2016). The marketing of dual language education policy in Utah print media. Educational Policy, 30(6), 849-883. doi: 10.1177/0895904814556750. Published, 09/2016.
    http://epx.sagepub.com/content/early/2014/11/13/08...
  • Valdez, V. E., Freire, J. A.^, & Delavan, G.^ (2016). The gentrification of dual language education. The Urban Review, 48(4), 601-627. Published, 07/25/2016.
    http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11256-01...
  • Valdez, V. E. (2015). Bilingual educación in the home: Language ideologies within Latin@ family home educational practices. Association of Mexican American Educators Journal, 9(2), 57-68.. Published, 12/2015.
    https://amaejournal.utsa.edu/index.php/AMAE/articl...
  • Valdez, V. E. & Omerbašić, D. (2015). Multimodal self-authoring in bi/multilingual educator and student learning spaces. Bilingual Research Journal, 38(2). doi:10.1080/15235882.2015.1062816. Published, 09/2015.
  • Valdez, V. E. (2014). Latina early childhood teachers negotiating language policies en la frontera. Bilingual Research Journal, 37(3), 223-236. doi: 10.1080/15235882.2014.966924. Published, 12/2014.
    http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15235882.2014.966924
  • Ban, H., Joo, S., & Valdez, V. E. (2013). Bilingual Latina teachers’ language views, abilities, and practices in a U.S. bilingual early childhood program. University of Utah/Incheon International High School Global Internship Journal of Research, 4, 31-41. Published, 10/2013.
  • Gao, Z., Hannan, P., Xiang, P., Stodden, D. F., & Valdez, V. E. (2013). Integrating active video game based exercise to promote urban Latino children’s physical health and academic achievement. The American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 44(3S3), S240-S246.. Published, 03/2013.
    http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2012.11.023
  • Cuero, K. K. & Valdez, V. E. (2012) "Good" Students and "Involved" Mothers: Latin@ Responses to Normalization Pressures in Schools. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 25(3), 317-338. Published, 05/2012.
    http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09518398.2010.529845
  • Hur, J. H., Jeong, K. H., Kang, S. B., & Valdez, V. E. (2011). Korean as a heritage language in the United States. The University of Utah/Incheon International High School Global Internship Journal of Research, 2, 3-10. Published, 10/2011.
  • Valdez, V. E. & Callahan, R. (2010). Who is learning language(s) in our schools? In Diane Lapp & Douglas Fisher (Eds.) Handbook of Research on Teaching the English Language Arts (3rd edition). Mahweh, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. Published, 11/2010.
  • Choi, Y. W., Kim, H. W., Lee, K. J. & Valdez, V. E. (2010). Latin@s early childhood bilingualism and biliteracy project. The University of Utah/Incheon International High School Global Internship Journal of Research, 1, 3-8. Published, 10/2010.
  • Valdez, V. E. & Franquiz, M. E. (2010). Latin@s in early childhood education: Issues, practices, and future directions. In E. G. Murillo, Jr. (ed.) Handbook of Latinos and Education: Research, Theory, and Practice. Routledge. Published, 01/2010.
  • Valdez, V. E. (2009). Mi idioma/My language. In D. Delgado Bernal, J. Flores Carmona, S. M. Alemán, L. Galas, & M. Garza (eds.) Unidas we heal: Testimonios of mind/body/soul (p. 25). Salt Lake City, UT: University of Utah’s Latinas Telling Testimonios. Published, 09/2009.
  • Valdez, V. E. (2009). Conversations with a mirror. In D. Delgado Bernal, J. Flores Carmona, S. M. Alemán, L. Galas, & M. Garza (eds.) Unidas we heal: Testimonios of mind/body/soul (p. 62). Salt Lake City, UT: University of Utah’s Latinas Telling Testimonios. Published, 09/2009.

Research Statement

                                             

I am a Latina critical language education scholar committed to equity, diversity, inclusion, and justice that holds an asset-based perspective toward students, families, and communities which recognize their cultural wealth and individual agency. As a bilingual third-generation U.S. born Latina raised in poverty within the U.S. Texas/Mexico geographic borderlands, my interest in language education and issues of inequitable schooling for marginalized culturally and linguistically diverse communities have been inspired mostly by family members' often difficult U.S. schooling experiences and varied Spanish language learning outcomes. They have also been spurred by over twenty years of professional experience working across diverse ethnic communities in multiple cities and states in the U.S. that illustrated to me the shared educational concerns marginalized communities hold. Grounded in these experiences, I undertake interdisciplinary research, teaching and service focused on four interrelated and often overlapping strands highlighted in the figure above: language learning as education examines efforts in school and out-of-school family and community contexts to foster multilingualism/biliteracy; educational language policy and planning examines the macro-level of federal and state government policies that determine language education options as well as the micro-level classroom and family choices that promote or curtail particular language practices;    Latina/o/x and education that explores educational inequities in Latina/o/x schooling and their language learning efforts and outcomes; and the teacher education & practices that promote the values of multilingualism, multiculturalism, and justice (including raising critical consciousness) across educational settings.

The common thread that runs through all of my research is a deep concern for equity and justice and the role of multilingual and multicultural education in achieving these goals for culturally and linguistically diverse students. Overall, I specifically see my research efforts building toward a comprehensive understanding of how and the degree to which sociocultural factors (e.g., race, language, class, ideologies, laws, and policies) intersect within the family, school, and community to contribute toward multilingualism and multilingual literacy development in children and its implications for educational equity and the educational trajectory of students—particularly Latina/o/x students—marginalized on the basis of entering schools speaking a language other than English (EL designation), race/ethnicity, poverty, gender, or citizenship status. I situate myself within a critical sociocultural framework that understands multilingualism as a socially mediated process deeply connected to the broader social-cultural-historical contexts and the dynamics of power in which they occur. This framework allows me to connect a sociocultural perspective with other critical frameworks that offer a more nuanced interrogation of issues of power (e.g., critical race theory, critical language policy and planning, borderland theory, Chicana feminism) in ways that capture a more holistic understanding of the issue of language and its role in the day-to-day lives of students and their families. As such, my research necessarily uses an interdisciplinary approach (linguistic anthropology, sociology, multilingual education, and cultural studies) and a variety of methodological skills.

 

Research Keywords

  • Qualitative and mixed research methods
  • Latinos or Latinas
  • Language policy and planning
  • English as a Second Language
  • Early Childhood or Pre-School Education
  • Dual Language Immersion
  • Bilingualism & Biliteracy
  • Bilingual or Bicultural Education

Presentations

  • Xu, N. & Valdez, V. E. (November 2023). Setting aside critical consciousness while leveraging students’ literacy and cultural practices: Chinese dual language bilingual education. Paper presented at the 2023 annual meeting of the Literacy Research Association, Atlanta, GA. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 11/2023.
  • Amoakoh, J. & Valdez, V. E. (April 2024, accepted). Critical reflection: Towards a just and transformed pedagogy with diverse multilingual learners. Paper to be presented at the 2024 annual meeting of AERA, Philadelphia, PA. Conference Paper, Refereed, Accepted, 11/2023.
  • Park, K.^ & Valdez, V. E. (April 2024, accepted). Examining school websites’ equity/heritage focused discursive positioning and educational opportunities for refugee background students. Paper to be presented at the 2024 annual meeting of AERA, Philadelphia, PA. Conference Paper, Refereed, Accepted, 11/2023.
  • Valdez, V. E., Delavan, M. G., & Freire, J. A. (April 2023). Using critical policy analysis in collaborative professional learning communities to enhance dual language bilingual educators’ critical consciousness. Paper presented as part of symposium titled: Enacting critically conscious policies in practice: Four cases from dual language bilingual education contexts at the 2023 annual meeting of the AERA, Chicago, IL. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 04/2023.
  • Xu, N^., Sun, W., & Valdez, V. E. (March 2023). Secondary Chinese dual language bilingual education teachers’ lived experiences, language ideologies, and practices. Paper presented at the 2023 annual meeting of American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL), Portland, OR. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 03/2023.
  • Park, K.^ & Valdez, V. E. (November 2022). Translanguaging as culturally sustaining pedagogy in an ESOL classroom for older adults of refugee backgrounds. Paper presented as part of Roundtable symposium on Refugee education across the life span in unsettling times at the 2022 in-person annual meeting of the American Anthropological Association (AAA), Seattle, WA. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 11/2022.
  • Sun, W., Xu, N^. & Valdez, V. E. (April 2022). Perspectives and rationales on Chinese-English dual language education: Voices from Mandarin heritage language speaking parents. Paper presented at the 2022 annual meeting of the AERA. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 04/2022.
  • Xu, N^. & Valdez, V. E. (April 2022). Chinese teachers’ raciolinguistic ideologies and perspectives on critical consciousness in dual language bilingual education classrooms. Paper presented at the 2022 annual meeting of the AERA. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 04/2022.
  • Xu, N^. & Valdez, V. E. (March 2022). Implementational spaces for developing critical consciousness in Chinese dual language bilingual education secondary classrooms. Paper presented at the 2022 annual meeting of American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL). Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 03/2022.
  • Xu, N.^ & Valdez, V. E. (April, 2021). The importance of developing heritage language literacy in U.S. Chinese families through Chinese language maintenance. Paper presented virtually at the 2021 annual meeting of the National Association of Bilingual Education (NABE). Houston, Texas. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 04/2021.
  • Park, K.^ & Valdez, V. E. (April 2021). Engaging in culturally sustaining practices through translanguaging to reimagine assimilationist and monolingual ESOL classroom practices. Paper presented at the 2021 virtual annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA). Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 04/2021.
  • Xu, N.^ & Valdez, V. E. (November 2019). U.S. Chinese-immigrant families' efforts to decolonize dominant language ideologies through Chinese language maintenance. Paper presented at the 2019 annual meeting of National Association of Multicultural Education (NAME). Phoenix, AZ. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 11/2019.
  • Delavan, M. G., Freire, J. A., & Valdez, V. E. (March 2020, accepted). Intersectionality of neoliberal classing with raciolinguistic marginalization in state dual language policy. Paper to be presented at a session symposium titled, Bilingualism for all?: Raciolinguistic perspectives on dual language education at the 2020 annual meeting of the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL). Denver, CO. Conference Paper, Refereed, Accepted, 10/2019.
  • Freire, J. A., Delavan, M. G. & Valdez, V. E. (April 2020, accepted). Grassroots resistance and activism to one-size-fits-all policies by dual language schools en comunidades Latinas. Paper to be presented at 2020 annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA). San Francisco, CA. Conference Paper, Refereed, Accepted, 10/2019.
  • Amoakoh, J.^ & Valdez, V. E. (April 2020, accepted). “You have better status if you speak English”: Learning English in postcolonial Ghana & U.S. Paper to be presented at 2020 annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA). San Francisco, CA. Conference Paper, Refereed, Accepted, 10/2019.
  • Amoakoh, J. & Valdez, V. E. (April 2019). English literacy with the Kardashians: Adult immigrant women’s literacy practices outside the ESL classroom in Ghana and US. Paper presented at the 2019 annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA). Toronto, Canada. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 04/2019.
  • Park, K. & Valdez, V. E. (April 2019). Older adult English learners from refugee backgrounds challenging the ‘illiteracy’ myth through translanguaging practices. Paper presented at the 2019 annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA). Toronto, Canada. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 04/2019.
  • Valdez, V. E. (March 2018). Multimodality in teaching and research with refugee-background language learners. Invited colloquium discussant at annual meeting of the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL). Chicago, IL. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 03/27/2018.
  • Valdez, V. E., & Omerbašić, D. (April 2016). Multimodal self-authoring in bi/multilingual educator and student learning spaces. Paper presented at a session symposium titled, The figured world of bilingual education: Proyecto Bilingüe as context for teacher self-authoring at the 2016 annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA). Washington, DC. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 04/2016.
  • Freire, J. A., Valdez, V. E., & Delavan, G. (April 2016). "90-10 isn’t a true dual immersion model": Two dual language programs excluded from state recognition". Paper presented at the 2016 annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA). Washington, DC. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 04/2016.
  • Freire, J. A., & Valdez, V. E. (April 2016). Rethinking Banks’ multicultural education approaches for understanding teachers’ culturally relevant practices. Paper to be presented at the 2016 annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA). Washington, DC. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 04/2016.
  • Valdez, V. E., & Omerbašić, D. (December 2015). Fostering resilience: Diverse communities utilizing varied literacies to convey cultural belonging to the next generation. Paper presented at the 2015 annual meeting of the Literacy Research Association (LRA). Carlsbad, CA. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 12/2015.
  • Fránquiz, M. E., Ynostroza, A., Omerbašić, D. & Valdez, V. E. (October 2015). The Bilingual Research Journal. Panel presentation at the annual meeting of the National Association of Multicultural Education (NAME). New Orleans, LA. Presentation, Presented, 10/2015.
  • Freire, J. A., & Valdez, V. E. (July 2015). La inclusión de una pedagogía culturalmente relevante en un programa de educación bilingüe en una escuela de educación primaria en Utah. Paper presented at I International Colloquium on Language and Cultures in School and Society / I Coloquio Internacional sobre Lenguas y Culturas en la Escuela y la Sociedad. Organized by Loyola Marymount University and the Centro Internacional de la Cultura Escolar (CEINCE) in Spain. Berlanga de Duero, Soria, Spain. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 07/2015.
  • Freire, J. A., Valdez, V. E., & Delavan, G. (July 2015). A critical examination of language policies in Utah dual language programs and their impact on Latina/o students. Paper presented at I International Colloquium on Language and Cultures in School and Society / I Coloquio Internacional sobre Lenguas y Culturas en la Escuela y la Sociedad. Organized by Loyola Marymount University and the Centro Internacional de la Cultura Escolar (CEINCE) in Spain. Berlanga de Duero, Soria, Spain. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 07/2015.
  • Freire, J. A., Edward, J., Oland-Wong, M. L., Darden, A., Colovos, G. and Valdez, V. E. (April 2014). Empowering Chicana/o elementary students through culturally relevant pedagogy in a Spanish-English dual language program. Paper to be presented at the 2014 annual meeting of the National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies (NACCS). Salt Lake City, Utah. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 04/2014.
  • Valdez, V. E., Omerbasic, D., Kim, H. (April, 2011). Educators of community heritage language programs: Maintaining children’s Korean and Vietnamese home languages. Paper presented as part of a roundtable on “Culturally Relevant Practices: Teaching, Learning, and Fostering Heritage Languages in Diverse Language communities” at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA). New Orleans, LA. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 04/2011.
  • Valdez, V. E., Freire Mora, J. A., Delavan, G. (April, 2011). The (dis)inclusion of Latinos from Spanish programs in Utahʼs dual immersion boom. Paper presented as part of a roundtable on “Equitable Yet? Desegregation, School Choice, and Dis/Inclusion” at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA). New Orleans, LA. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 04/2011.
  • Valdez, V. E. (December 2010). Maintaining our languages: Teachers’ literacy practices in community heritage language programs. Paper presented as part of a panel on “In Many Languages: Literacy Learning and Practices in Diverse Language Communities” at the annual meeting of the Literacy Research Association (LRA). Fort Worth, TX. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 12/2010.
  • Valdez, V. E. (May 2010). Revealing ideological contradictions en la frontera: Language-in-education policies in a bilingual preschool program. Invited poster session, Excellence in education research: Early career scholars and their work Poster Session at the annual meeting of AERA. Denver, CO. Presentation, Presented, 05/2010.
  • Valdez, V. E. (April, 2010). The dynamic nature of cultural practices in U.S. Latino/a households. Paper presented as part of a roundtable on “Cultural practices, literacy, and biliteracy among young Latinas, Latinos, and Families” at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA). Denver, CO. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 04/2010.

Research/Scholarship Projects

  • Maintaining our languages: Comparative study of three Salt Lake City community heritage language programs. PI: Veronica E. Valdez. 05/2010 - 05/2015.
  • Dual Immersion Programs in Utah and English Language Learners. PI: Veronica E. Valdez. Co-PI(s): Juan Freire, Garrett Delavan. 03/2010 - present.
  • Latina/o Early Childhood Bilingualism & Biliteracy Project. PI: Veronica E. Valdez. 07/2008 - 05/2015.

Languages

  • Spanish, fluent.

Geographical Regions of Interest

  • Mexico
  • Republic of Korea