Assistant Professor Literacy Program Director Teacher Education Department Loyola University Maryland 4501 North Charles Street Beatty Hall, 121-6 Baltimore, Maryland 21210 410-617-2546 ahersi@loyola.edu
Education Ph.D., Boston College, Curriculum and Instruction: Language, Literacy, and Culture M.Ed., Boston College, Curriculum and Instruction, B.S., Radford University, Social Studies and Secondary Education
Biography Dr. Hersi has her Ph.D in Curriculum and Instruction with concentration in Language, Literacy, and Culture from the Lynch School of Education at Boston College. She is currently an assistant professor of literacy education in the Teacher Education Department in the School of Education at Loyola University Maryland. She teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses in the Literacy and Teacher Education Programs. Dr. Hersi's scholarly interests include the literacy and language development of adolescent English language learners, immigration and social identity development, culturally and linguistically responsive literacy practice, and parent and community engagement in urban schools.
Awards and Grants Kolvenbach Fellow, 2009 Verizon Foundation Grant $15,000, 2010 (Literacy Scholars Program in collaboration with the Development Office and Loyola Clinical Centers). Knott Foundation Grant (Literacy Scholars Program in collaboration with the Development Office and Loyola Clinical Centers). Junior Sabbatical, Awarded Fall 2011
Research Interests Literacy teacher education; language and literacy development of adolescent English language learners; immigration and social identity development; and culturally responsive teacher; urban school reform; parent community engagement
Recent Publications Skerrett, A. & Hersi, A.A. (forthcoming). Culturally responsive literacy instruction. R. M. Bean and A. S. Dagen. Best practices of literacy instruction in schools. Guilford Press.
Hersi, A.A. (2011) Immigration and resiliency: Unpacking the experiences of high school students from Cape Verde and Ethiopia. Journal of intercultural education, 23, 4 Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Horan, D., & Hersi, A.A. (2010). Knowledge of language and the teaching of reading; What should preservice teachers know and be able to do? In S. Elis, J. Bourne, and E. McCartnery (Eds.). Insight and impact: Applied linguistics and the primary school. Cambridge University Press.
Hersi, A.A. & Shirley, D. (2008). From Radical Visions to Messy Realities: Complexities of Urban Education and the Preparation of Teacher Educators. In F. Peterman. Partnering to Prepare Urban Teachers: A Call to Activism. Washington DC: AACTE.
Shirley, D., Hersi, A.A., MacDonald, E., Sanchez, M., Skidmore, C. & Tutwiler, P. (2006). Bringing the Community Back in: Change, Accommodation, and Contestation in a School and University Partnership. Equity & Excellence in Education, Amherst, Massachusetts, February, 2006, pp 27-36.
--Review Essays and Sample Reviews Hersi, A. A. (2010). Review of The flat world and education: How America’s commitment to equity will determine our future. Journal of Educational Change, 11, pp. 291-295.
--Dissertation Hersi, A.A. (2007). Between hope and hostility: Understanding the experiences of African immigrant students in an urban high school
Professional Activities/Society Memberships Hersi, A.A., Skerrett, A., & Deal, D. Co-Teaching Case Study: A Classroom Teacher, Reading Specialist, and ESOL Teacher Collaborate in One Classroom. American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, New Orleans, April, 2011. Hersi, A.A. Immigration and resiliency: Unpacking the experiences of high school students from Cape Verde and Ethiopia. American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, New Orleans, April, 2011.
Watkinson, J.S. & Hersi, A.A. Supporting immigrant adolescent students' success: Power of Teachers. American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, New Orleans, April, 2011.
Hersi, A. A. Gollo-Fox, J. & Lewis, L. Preparing Elementary Classroom Teachers and Reading Specialists: Taking a Closer Look at the Reading Practicum International Reading Association Annual Conference, Orlando, FL, May 2011
Miller, D., Hersi., A.A. & Laster, B. IRA Standards, 2010: Promises and Opportunities (K-12). State of Maryland International Reading Association Annual Conference.
Watkinson, J., Hersi, A.A., and Litcka, P. (April, 2010). Fragile Partners: Catholic School University Partnerships. American Education Research Association Denver CO.
Smith-D’Arezzo, W.M. & Hersi, A. A., Antoinino, C., Felix, K., Costa, Dharmadhikari, V. (May, 2010) Inquiry and teacher research in urban classrooms: Empowering teachers to act. International Reading Association National Convention, Chicago, Illinois.
Hersi, A.A.(December, 2009). Preparing Pre-service Teachers to Engage English Language Learners in Content Area Classrooms. National Reading Conference, Albuquerque NM.
Smith-D’Arezzo, W.M. & Hersi, A.A. (May, 2009). Infusing Action Research in a Reading Specialist Program: Implementing an Innovative Two-Course Sequence. International Reading Association: Minneapolis, MN.
Hersi, A.A. & Riley, J. (November, 2009). The Power of zines: Pedagogical strategies for engaging middle school students in authentic writing. Annual Conference of the National Council of Teachers of English, Philadelphia, PA
Smith-D’Arezzo, W.M. & Hersi, A. A. (December, 2009). Bullying, books, Boys vs girls. 2009 National Reading Conference, Albuquerque NM.
Hersi, A.A. (December, 2009). Preparing Pre-service Teachers to Engage English Language Learners in Content Area Classrooms. National Reading Conference, Albuquerque NM.
Horan, D. & Hersi, A.A. (November, 2008). Pursuing language of power: Pedagogical strategies for unpacking academic language in the content areas”. National Council of Teachers of English Annual Conference, San Antonio Texas
Hersi, A.A. (April, 2008). Between Hope and Hostility: Exploring the Experiences of African Immigrant Students in an Urban High School”. American Education Research Association Annual Conference, New York City, NY.
Hersi, A.A. (2008), “Search for Belonging: African Immigrant High School Students Negotiating Identity” American Association of Applied Linguists (AAAL) Washington DC.
