Christine Montecillo Leider

Christine Montecillo Leider is an Assistant Professor of Multilingual Learner Education at the School of Education, University of Massachusetts-Lowell, where she is also affiliated with the Center for Asian American Studies (CAAS) within the College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (FAHSS). Her work focuses on teacher beliefs about language diversity and policy and civil rights issues regarding teacher education and racialized multilingual learners' access to education.

Dr. Leider's educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Boston College
• MA in Applied Developmental and Educational Psychology from Boston College
• BA in Spanish and Psychology from the University of Portland

Her research interests center on multilingual learner education, teacher beliefs, and critical collaborative ethnographic methods to unpack the lived experiences of women of color educators and scholars. Dr. Leider frequently employs duoethnography and mixed-methods approaches to examine how language diversity impacts educational experiences and outcomes. Her work examining State Education Agency policies for English learners has been nationally recognized in education media outlets including EdWeek and New America.

Analysis of Dr. Leider's publications reveals a strong focus on equity in multilingual education, teacher preparation for working with diverse learners, and critical perspectives on language policy. Her work spans multiple educational contexts including K-12 schools, teacher education programs, and arts education settings. She frequently employs critical theoretical frameworks including Critical Race Theory and LangCrit to analyze educational policies and practices.

Dr. Leider has received significant recognition for her work:

• Principal Investigator of ROPESS, a federally funded $3.4 million grant to support "grow your own" pathways to bilingual teacher certification
• Elected president of Massachusetts Association of Teachers of Speakers of Other Languages (MATSOL)
• Member of the National Committee for Effective Literacy for Multilingual Learners

As a teacher educator and education researcher, Dr. Leider brings her personal experiences growing up as a Filipina American and second-generation immigrant to inform her research agenda. She is actively involved in multiple research projects examining language policy, teacher beliefs, and equity in education for multilingual learners. Her forthcoming books include "Critical Disciplinary Literacy" and "Preparing Antiracist Teachers," as well as co-editing "Until Every Woman is Free: Equity and Belonging in the Academy through Duoethnography".