Josh Prada

Josh Prada serves as an Assistant Professor in Applied Linguistics and Multilingualism within the Faculty of Arts at the University of Groningen. His academic profile reflects a strong commitment to critical applied linguistics with a focus on supporting multilingual communities across educational and societal contexts. As a member of the Research Centre Arts in Society (AiS), Dr. Prada bridges theoretical frameworks with practical applications to address linguistic inequality.

Dr. Prada's research agenda centers on three interconnected strands: (1) understanding multilingual experiences within monolingual institutional frameworks, (2) developing pathways for sustainable, socially just change, and (3) connecting applied language studies with psychology, anthropology, and cognitive science. His work particularly emphasizes translanguaging as both a theoretical framework and practical pedagogy for empowering minoritized language communities.

His recent publications reveal a strong focus on translanguaging in healthcare communication, heritage language education, and multilingual learning environments. The research demonstrates consistent engagement with both theoretical development and practical implementation, particularly in teacher education contexts and healthcare settings where language barriers affect service delivery. His work on 'sensescapes' represents an innovative intersection of spatial anthropology and language education.

• Over $3.5 million in research funding
• International collaborations across United States, Germany, China, Brazil, Australia, Spain, UK, and South Africa
• Partnerships with hundreds of teachers and administrators implementing asset-based language practices

Dr. Prada's approach emphasizes data-driven, translatable research that directly informs policy and practice. His work with healthcare professionals on translanguaging practices demonstrates his commitment to addressing real-world communication challenges, while his heritage language research contributes significantly to understanding identity dynamics in multilingual contexts.