Margarita Gomez, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Literacy Education Margarita Gomez
Beatty Hall 121-7
410-617-5323
mgomez@loyola.edu

“Through dialogue, reflecting together on what we know and do not know, we can then act critically to transform reality.” Paolo Freire

Education

Doctor of Philosophy Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA
Curriculum and Instruction: Language, Learning & Literacy.

Master of Science in Education
State University of New York at Binghamton
Reading and Literacy.

California CLAD Teaching Credential California State University, Los Angeles

Bachelor of Arts Political Science and Communications
Boston College, Boston, MA.

Biography

Margarita Gomez is an associate professor of literacy education at Loyola University Maryland, where she teaches courses in assessment and instruction of literacy and second language and literacy development. Her research aims to better understand how classroom contexts play a critical role for culturally and linguistically diverse students’ writing development. Margarita earned her doctoral degree in Language, Learning, and Literacy from Boston College, and was previously a bilingual elementary school teacher in California and an inclusive elementary teacher in New York.

Research Interest

Gomez's research interests have centered on: 1) understanding the writing development of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD)  learners and 2) improving the literacy achievement of CLD students in urban settings. I am particularly interested in developing assessment tools that measure the cultural and linguistic competencies that multilingual and multicultural students bring to schooling. Margarita serves as the mentor at Archbishop Borders K-8 Dual Language Community School in Baltimore, as well as several national editorial review boards for language and literacy journals.

Honors and Awards

2018     Translanguaging Writing Club Grant, supporting the implementation of an after-school translanguaging writing club and the research around efficacy of bilingual writing. Knott Foundation Grant ($2,500)

2018     Faculty Excellence in Engaged Scholarship Award, Loyola University Maryland ($500)

2013     American Education Research Association Language and Social Processes Special Interest Group Emerging Scholar Award ($500)

Recent Publications

Gómez, M. & Collins, K. (2022). Reimagining writing assessment for socio-and racio-linguistic justice: Acknowledging the use of linguistic repertoires for Black and Latinx students. In T. Hodges (Ed.) Handbook of Research on Writing Instruction Practices for Equitable and Effective Teaching (pp. 1-22). DOI: 10.4018/978-1-6684-3745-2.ch001 

Gómez, M. & Lewis, M. (2022). Identifying the Assets of Emergent Bilingual Middle School Students' Writing: Opportunities to Validate Students’ Linguistic Repertoires and Identities. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, DOI: 10.1080/13670050.2022.2079371 

Gómez, M. & Collins, K. (2021). Who Constitutes as Emerging Bilinguals?: Adapting a Holistic Writing Rubric for All. In N. Flores, A. Tseng, N. Subtirelu. (Eds.), Bilingualism for all? Raciolinguistic Perspectives on Dual Language Education. Multilingual Matters (pp. 220-243).

Saal, L. K. & Gómez, M. (2019). Photovoice as multimodal curriculum and method for community change. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 63(4),467-471. 

Gómez Zisselsberger, M. & Ramos González, G. (2019). Building teacher capacity around assessing emergent bilinguals writing in elementary dual language programs. In M. Scanlan, C. Hunter & L. Howard (Eds.), Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Education: Designing Networks that Transform Schools. Harvard University Press.  

Lewis, M. A. & Gómez Zisselsberger, M. (2018). Scaffolding and inequitable participation in linguistically diverse book clubs. Reading Research Quarterly, doi: 10.1002/rrq234, 1-20. 

Avalos, M., Gómez Zisselsberger, M. & Gort, M. (2017). "Hey! Today I will tell you about the water cycle!": Variations of Language Features in Third Grade Science Explanation Writing. Elementary School Journal, 118, 149-176.

Recent Presentations

Gómez, M. & Collins, K. (2022, April). Reimagining Writing Assessment for Sociolinguistic Justice: Acknowledging the Use of Linguistic Repertoires. Paper presented virtually at the American Educational Research Association, San Diego, CA.  

Gómez, M. & Collins, K. (2022, March). Expanding the View of Emerging Bilinguals’ Use of Repertoires: Adapting Writing Assessments for Sociolinguistic Justice. Paper presented at the American Association of Applied Linguistics, Pittsburgh, PA.  

Gómez, M. & Ramos-González, G. (2021, April). Building teacher capacity around assessing emergent bilinguals writing in elementary dual language programs. Paper presented as part of Bilingual Research SIG symposium at American Educational Association, Virtual Conference. 

Gómez, M. & Collins, K. (2020). Bilingualism for All?: Raciolinguistic Perspectives on Dual Language Education. Session planned and prepared for American Educational Research Association, San Francisco, CA.

Gómez, M. (2019, April). Translanguaging With Elementary Students in a Dual Language Setting: Toward Understanding Dynamic Bilingual Writing, Poster Session presented at the American Educational Research Association, Toronto, Canada.

Professional Activities/Society Memberships

Cultivating New Voices (2010-2012) 2010-2012 Cohort
Literacy Research Association Member since 2008
National Council for the Teachers of English Member since 2007
American Educational Research Association Member since 2004
American Association of Applied Linguistics Member since 2006
Mass. Assoc. of Teachers of Speakers of Other Languages Member since 2008