This project investigates approaches to multilingual assessment in the secondary educational context in order to address varied teaching and learning needs of bi/multilingual students from immigrant and refugee backgrounds enrolled in Ontario schools. Reflecting the complex, dynamic language practices of bi/multilingual speakers and communities, this approach recognizes the rich linguistic resources of bi/multilingual students, providing them with an opportunity to demonstrate their academic knowledge and literacy skills using the full range of their linguistic repertoire. SSHRC Insight Development Grant.

The study addresses three urgent needs: (a) to help education systems and community groups understand how to support youth refugees to catch up to their same-age peers in school as quickly as possible; (b) to support youth refugees, for whom limited prior schooling, limited first language literacy and challenges of academic language learning (compounded by socio-emotional challenges) often present a barrier to learning, social adjustment and academic success; and (c) to develop innovative policies and pedagogical practices that engage with the digital, multimodal literacy practices of today's youth. SSHRC Insight Grant. Joint project with: Maureen Kendrick, UBC (PI); Margaret Early, UBC; Shelley Taylor, Western University.

Working from a multilingual paradigm, wherein students’ linguistic resources are seen as part of a singular, dynamic and integrated linguistic system, this study examines the reading processes and strategy use of bi/multilingual adolescent readers (ages 17-21 years) at the post-secondary level. Knowledge in this arena is critically important both to support the disciplinary teaching and learning needs of these youth, and to generate theories and models of reading that reflect current understandings of bi/multilingualism as translanguaging/translingual practice. York University LAPS Minor Research Grant.

The BC Ministry of Education has recently developed English Language Learning (ELL) Standards for use in BC Education. This project examines the effectiveness of these standards, identifies language assessment practices among ELL teachers, and promotes effective use of the ELL Standards. Joint project with: Margaret Early, UBC; Valia Spiliotopoulos, UBC.

The study addresses three urgent needs: (a) to help education systems and community groups understand how to support youth refugees to catch up to their same-age peers in school as quickly as possible; (b) to support youth refugees, for whom limited prior schooling, limited first language literacy and challenges of academic language learning (compounded by socio-emotional challenges) often present a barrier to learning, social adjustment and academic success; and (c) to develop innovative policies and pedagogical practices that engage with the digital, multimodal literacy practices of today's youth. SSHRC Insight Grant. Joint project with: Maureen Kendrick, UBC (PI); Margaret Early, UBC; Shelley Taylor, Western University.