Shifting the narrative: Evidence, equity, and action in bilingual development
Genesis D. Arizmendi, PhD, CCC-SLP
University of Arizona�Bilingual Initiatives Symposium, 2025
Agenda
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Introduction
Parent and teacher reports
Myths
Initiatives
Questions
Objectives
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Recognize and address
Recognize and address the challenges parents face in preserving and passing on their heritage language.
Advocate
Advocate for collaborative practices to dispel deficit-oriented views of bilingualism and provide consistent messaging across disciplines.
Implement
Implement culturally-responsive collaborations to address educational and healthcare disparities driven by myths.
Background
Background
Background
Background
Background
Clinical and Research Training
Clinical Experience - all Latino students + families
• Early Intervention
• Elementary and Middle Schools
• Outpatient Rehabilitation Clinic – Pediatric emphasis
• Home health - Telehealth
Postdoctoral Training – UNM:EdPsych & UT Austin:SpEd
• Cognition, Math, and Academic Achievement in EB Children
• Culturally Responsive Test and Intervention Development
Sample Footer Text
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What I learned
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There is a disconnect in what parents and families share with me
There is a disconnect among school professionals in working with one another and with our students
There is a disconnect in the evidence-based practices that are implemented for our students
As a clinician
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Hard lessons about the realities and gaps in educational and healthcare service due to:
As a clinician
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Hard lessons about the realities and gaps in educational and healthcare service due to:
Impacting the quality of educational and healthcare services that my community receives due to their cultural and linguistic backgrounds and limited training on the professionals’ serving my community.
Parents
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“The pediatrician told me to stick to English only since he appeared to be having trouble learning both languages”
“Me dijo la maestra que nomas le hable en inglés para que no se confunda”
“I wanted my child to learn both Spanish and English but I kept hearing that it could lead to delays”
“No quiero que se atrace en la escuela”
What’s going on?
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At the university and other research-based settings, I knew I had my clinical experience to support what families shared with me.
Anecdotal evidence, not supported by the literature
Disconnect between what is going on in the research world vs. what is going on in the real world.
There is both a research to practice gap and a practice to research gap across disciplines and settings.
My goal after graduation in 2019: Building an interdisciplinary lens and network building among educational and healthcare professionals
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School professionals in training
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Where’s the proof?
Time to collect data
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February-April 2023�Nationwide study for teachers and Spanish-speaking parents and bilingual parents��Funding:�University of Texas at Austin Provost Early Career Fellows Program
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What I learned
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Not surprised
Very disappointed
Participants
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Parent background
Bilingual
Spanish monolingual
Spanish parents
N=525
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In general, I would say my household speaks Spanish...
I am the ___________ of a child under 18 years of age in the household
Bilingual parents
N=525
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In general, I would say my household speaks Spanish...
I am the ___________ of a child under 18 years of age in the household
Parents and language development
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Spanish parents
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I have worried about teaching my children Spanish because of concerns ____________.
que no aprenderían inglés | 11%
|
que no encajarían en la escuela | 11%
|
que no aprenderían en la escuela | 20%
|
que ellos serían discriminados | 17%
|
que no sonarían como un hablante nativo de inglés | 14%
|
de que el inglés es importante para el éxito en este país | 32%
|
nunca me ha preocupado enseñarle español a mi hijo/a | 36%
|
Bilingual parents
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I have worried about teaching my children Spanish because of concerns ____________.
that they would not learn English | 11%
|
that they would not fit in at school | 14%
|
that they would not learn in school | 9%
|
that they would be discriminated against | 18%
|
that they would not sound like a native speaker of English | 11%
|
that English is important for success in this country | 16%
|
I have never been worried about teaching my child Spanish | 57%
|
Spanish parents
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Have you ever heard of language disorder?
Do you know what a speech-language pathologist does?
Bilingual parents
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Have you ever heard of language disorder?
Do you know what a speech-language pathologist does?
Limited accessibility to profession and available resources
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Common myths
Buckle up
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Spanish parents
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I’ve been told that my child should only hear English so that they don’t get confused with learning two languages.
Who has told you that your child should only hear English so they don't get confused?
Bilingual parents
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I’ve been told that my child should only hear English so that they don’t get confused with learning two languages.
Who has told you that your child should only hear English so they don't get confused?
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Is it true that children that are learning two languages are going to be confused with learning their languages?
Spanish parents
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I’ve been told that children that are learning two languages are more likely to have learning disabilities.
Who has told you that children that are learning two languages are more likely to have learning disabilities?
Bilingual parents
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I’ve been told that children that are learning two languages are more likely to have learning disabilities.
Who has told you that children that are learning two languages are more likely to have learning disabilities?
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Is it true that children that are learning two languages are more likely to have learning disabilities?
Spanish parents
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I have been told that my child would be slower to develop their language skills because they would be learning two languages.
I have been told that my child would be slower to develop their language skills because they would be learning two languages.
Bilingual parents
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I have been told that my child would be slower to develop their language skills because they would be learning two languages.
I have been told that my child would be slower to develop their language skills because they would be learning two languages.
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Is it true that my child will be slower to develop their language skills because they are learning two languages?
Our U of A medical students will be prepared to have these conversations.
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Teacher surveys
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Participants
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Teacher background
Educational contexts
N = 1267
Teachers
NABE 2024
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What grade(s) do you currently teach?
What kind of teacher are you?
Are you currently working in a:
Teachers
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My teacher training was:
What is the highest level of education that you have completed?
How many years of teaching experience do you have?
Interprofessional training and cultural competence
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Teachers
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My _______________ prepared me to work with students with speech, language, and communication disorders.
My ____________ prepared me to work with culturally and linguistically diverse students (e.g., "English learners", students who use another dialect, bilinguals, non-White).
My _________ prepared me to work with culturally and linguistically diverse students with speech, language, and communication disorders.
Teachers
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Teachers would be more well prepared to serve students if there was more training in ________.
physical development | 6 | |
fine motor movement | 7 | |
language development | 3 | |
communication disorders | 2 | |
learning disabilities | 1 | |
cultural and linguistic responsiveness | 5 | |
sensory differences | 4 | |
Common myths
Buckle up
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Teachers
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I think that children learning two languages get confused with using their languages.
Strongly �disagree
Strongly �agree
I think that children should only hear one language if it looks like they're confused with more than one.
Teachers
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I think that children learning two languages get confused with using their languages.
Strongly �disagree
Strongly �agree
I think that children should only hear one language if it looks like they're confused with more than one.
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Teachers
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Strongly �disagree
Strongly �agree
I think that children learning two languages are at greater risk of having language delays and/or learning disabilities.
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What to do?
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WE CAN’T DO IT ALL.
More interprofessional collaboration
Work with your network of professionals
Learn from one another
Ask for help!
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Education and collaboration is key!
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Initiatives – Current offerings
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SLHS 435/535 Bilingualism, Multiculturalism, Language Varieties*
CGSC 305 Bilingual Language and Learning
Multicultural Bilingual Certificate*
Research in the BABEL Lab
Vamos A Mejorar Our Spanish in SLHS
SLP-TI Collaboration
PUENTE
Launched this new project
It has been a successl!
Thank you, Melanie for being the PUENTE lead
Kudos, Melissa & Desirae (Upward Bound) and Ashley (Pueblo)
N = 23 students at DVHS
N = 51 students through Upward Bound (1x vi
Over 150 students through Career Fairs
In the community!
�
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Initiatives – Upcoming
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Multicultural Bilingual Certificate rehaul*
Más!!!!!!!! With you? ☺
College of Science Lecture Series – ON YOUTUBE!
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