Carolina Serna

Carolina Serna serves as Associate Professor and Director of Bilingual Authorization (BILA) at Biola University's School of Education. With over 30 years of classroom experience beginning in 1991 as a third-grade bilingual teacher in Culver City Unified School District, she integrates practical K-12 insights with university-level instruction across rural, urban, and suburban settings.

Education

• Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley
• M.Ed., University of California, Los Angeles
• B.A., University of California, Los Angeles
• Multiple Subject Credential with Bilingual Cross-cultural Language Development Credential (BCLAD), UCLA

Research Focus: Dr. Serna's work centers on literacy development and biliteracy acquisition within bilingual education frameworks, specifically addressing the needs of linguistically diverse students. Her Christ-centered approach emphasizes preparing educators to make spiritual impacts while developing culturally responsive teaching practices for indigenous language communities like Triqui and Mixteco speakers.

Scholarly Trends: Publications from 2009-2020 reveal consistent focus on teacher preparation challenges in demographic transitions, with recent work examining indigenous language literacy and dual-identity narratives. Her research bridges theoretical frameworks with practical classroom strategies, particularly evident in CABE conference presentations addressing emergent literacy development.

Professional Engagement: Active in California Association for Bilingual Education (1991-present) and International Literacy Association (2017-present), she frequently presents on indigenous language education and teacher training. Current teaching includes English Language Arts/Reading (SEED520/LEDU420), Children's Literature (SEED549/LEDU380), and Methods for Linguistically Diverse Classrooms (SEED541/LEDU341).