Melizabeth Santos

Melizabeth Santos is an Assistant Professor at Dominican University, specializing in bilingual education with extensive PK-12 teaching and teacher coaching experience. Her work centers on critical pedagogies that validate language as central to identity, preparing educators to serve linguistically diverse communities through socially just frameworks.

Her core research areas include:

• Dual Language Bilingual Education
• Language Ideologies in Education
• Culturally Responsive Teaching
• Bilingual Teacher Education
• Professional Development

Dr. Santos' scholarship examines intersections of social justice and bilingual education, evidenced by her 2022 publication on AAPI environmentalists and climate justice alongside multiple conference presentations at AERA and Bilingualism Matters. Her work consistently addresses identity validation in dual language program development and teacher preparation.