Samuel David

Samuel David is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Minnesota. His work focuses on improving instruction for minoritized multilingual students through translanguaging pedagogy, culturally responsive teaching, and literacy-based strategies. He holds a PhD from Vanderbilt University, an MA from Brooklyn College, and a BA from Pomona College.

Education:

• PhD, Vanderbilt University
• MA, Brooklyn College
• BA, Pomona College

David’s research prioritizes leveraging students’ linguistic and cultural strengths to design adaptive instructional strategies. He is particularly interested in translingual pedagogy, collaborative translation methods, and creating classroom ecologies where multilingual students can thrive academically and socially.

His publications include studies on translation pedagogy, translanguaging in teacher education, and critiques of literacy policy. These works are grounded in broad disciplines such as language education, bilingual education, and educational equity, with sub-fields like metalinguistic awareness and rhizomatic critiques of policy frameworks.

Scientific Awards:

• Alan C. Purves Award (2015) for impactful research in literacy education
• CUNY/Americorps Education Awards (2009, 2006)

David leads Project TRANSLATE, funded by the Spencer Foundation, which develops collaborative translation strategies for emergent bilinguals. He also contributed to the SLATE project (2012), exploring language approaches for English learners. These efforts aim to equip teachers with tools for culturally and linguistically responsive practice.

His work involves partnerships with practicing teachers to adapt translanguaging strategies across subject areas and student populations, emphasizing the need for context-specific pedagogies. He collaborates with institutions like the Literacy Research Association and American Association for Applied Linguistics.