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Becoming B3

Becoming B3: Best Practices for Teaching Bilingual, Spanish, and Culturally Sustaining Courses

Fall 2025 

This series will feature faculty members who highlight insights and innovations on how they teach Bilingual, Spanish, and Culturally Sustaining Courses.

Fall 2025

 

 

Friday September 19,
11:00am-12:00pm

Katherine Christoffersen, PhD

Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics and Associate Vice Provost for Bilingual Integration
Department of Writing & Language Studies, College of Liberal Arts

 katherine christofferson

 

Caleb González, PhD

Associate Professor, 
Writing & Language Studies

 blank image

Andres Amado, PhD

Associate Professor, 
Music

 Andres Amado

 

 

Azucena Herrera, PhD

Clinical Assistant Professor,
Robert C. Vackar College of Business & Entrepreneurship

 Azucena Herrera

Yemin Sánchez, PhD

Senior Lecturer
Associate Professor,
Writing & Language Studies

 blank image

Somos el Futuro: Faculty as Agents of Servingness Panel

In this teaching conversation, we honor HSI Week through a discussion of "servingness” at UTRGV. Dr. Katherine Christoffersen and Dr. Caleb González frame the discussion of servingness and at HSIs, while three faculty describe how they practice 'servingness’ in their B3 courses at UTRGV in music (Dr. Andres Amado), business (Dr. Azucena Herrera), and writing (Yemin Sánchez). After these short practical examples, we encourage you to engage in small group conversations about how you envision servingness in your teaching, research, and/or service. Join us as we engage in important conversations on the topic of servingness at UTRGV!

 

 

Irasema Gonzalez, PhD

Associate Professor,
Department of Human Development and School Services

 irasema gonzalez

 

Joy Esquierdo, PhD

Vice Provost for Bilingual Integration, Division of Academic Affairs

 joy esquierdo

Contextualized Sociolinguistic Practices: Exploring how context, community, and social interactions influence learning

This conversation aims to explore the critical role of contextualized sociolinguistic practices (CSP) in shaping educational experiences, with a focus on understanding how students' individual contexts, communities, and social interactions influence their learning journeys. The discussion will focus on how faculty can leverage sociolinguistic awareness to create responsive and meaningful learning environments that honor and reflect the lived experiences of our students, fostering a deeper connection between context, community, social interactions, and educational experiences.

This session will take place in both campus (Brownsville and Edinburg) on two different days.
They will be in-person only.
Wednesday, September 24  (12:30pm-1:30pm)- Edinburg: EEDUC 1.525
Friday, September 26  (12:30pm-1:30pm)- Brownsville: Esperanza Conference Room

 

Friday October 17
12:00pm-1:00pm

Irasema Gonzalez, PhD

Associate Professor,
Department of Human Development and School Services

 irasema gonzalez

 

Joy Esquierdo, PhD

Vice Provost for Bilingual Integration, Division of Academic Affairs

 joy esquierdo
Contextualized Sociolinguistic Practices

The Office for Bilingual Integration is updating the definition of CSP to “Contextualized Sociolinguistic Practices” to better reflect the role of context, community, and social interaction in shaping educational experiences. This broader term serves as an umbrella for a range of student-centered, culturally responsive approaches, emphasizing the dynamic relationship between learning and its social environment, and cultivating a sense of critical inquiry.
CSP supports the concept that learning is deeply rooted in the context of the communities and environments where it occurs, making it inherently situated and meaningful. It unfolds through social interactions, emphasizing that knowledge construction is a collective, relational process rather than an isolated one. Furthermore, all forms of knowledge—whether academic, home-based, or community-driven—hold equal value, reinforcing the importance of validating diverse perspectives and meanings (heteroglossia) in educational spaces.

Spring 2024

 

February 06, 10:00am - 11:00am  

Christen García, PhD

Assistant Professor, School of Art and Design

 christen garcia

 

Luis Fernández, PhD

Assistant Professor,

School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences

 luis fernandez

 

Alejandra I. Ramírez, PhD

Assistant Professor, Writing & Language Studies

 alejandra ramirez

 

Best Practices in Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy

In this panel, presenters offer culturally sustaining pedagogies through art, literacy, and mathematics. Panelists will address the following: bilingual written and spoken practices, an inclusive learning mathematics environment, and the theory of nepantla (existing in-between worlds) applied to artist practice. Working with university and K-12 students, panelists will provide examples of activities, teaching strategies, curriculum design, and theories that emerge from their pedagogical work.

 

Register to atttend Best Practices in Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy 

 

March 25, 11:00am - 12:00pm

Dania López García, PhD
Special Advisor, Office for Bilingual Integration                         
Associate Professor, Spanish 

 dania lopez

 

Gabriel González Núñez, PhD

Program Director, Translation and Interpreting Programs 

 gabriel gonzalez

 

Danny Marrero, PhD

Assistant Professor, Philosophy

 danny marrero

 

Azucena Herrera, PhD 

Clinical Assistant Professor,
Robert C. Vackar College of Business & Entrepreneurship
azucena herrera

 

Best Practices for Teaching Spanish Language Courses

In this panel, professors who have taught courses in Spanish will briefly explain their pedagogical approaches and provide examples of best practices for designing Spanish courses and strategies to support students’ biliteracy. They will include specific examples of effective course design, teaching strategies, assignments, activities, and assessments, and observed outcomes in terms of student learning and feedback.

 

Register to attend Best Practices for Teaching Spanisah Language Courses

 

 

April 19, 11:00am-12:00pm

Katherine Christoffersen, PhD

Special Advisor, Office for Bilingual Integration
Associate Professor, Writing & Language Studies

 katherine christofferson

 

Dania López García, PhD

Special Advisor, Office for Bilingual Integration                
Associate Professor, Spanish		 dania lopez

 

Javier Cavazos, PhD

Associate Professor, Counseling
Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Programs
College of Education and P-16 Integration

 javier cavazos

 

Student Perspectives on B3 Teaching

In this panel, professors report the findings from a study assessing bilingual and Spanish language courses at UTRGV. They include an analysis of student GPAs as well as an analysis of student surveys which reveal student perceptions of higher confidence, greater motivation, greater sense of belonging, and more positive experiences in Spanish/bilingual courses.

 

Register to attend Student Perspectives on B3 Teaching

 

September 26, 10:00am-11:00am

Dania López García, PhD

Interim Executive Director, B3 Institute                   
Associate Professor, Spanish

 Dr-Dania-Lopez

 

 

Katherine Christoffersen, PhD

Associate Director, B3 Institute
Associate Professor, Writing & Language Studies

 Katherine-christofferson

 

An Introduction to B3 Course Designations & Endorsements

In this informational session, we will review the various options for B3 course designations and endorsements. We will review the teaching criteria, the application process, and procedures for receiving each designation/endorsement. We will also explain how students in B3 designated courses may receive the B3 Scholar Seal and various other options for getting involved with B3 at UTRGV.

 

Register to attend Introduction to B3 Course Designations & Endorsements

October 13, 10:00am - 11:00am

Alex Stehn, PhD

Associate Director, Center for Bilingual Studies                         
Professor, Philosophy

 alexander-stehn

 

Blanca Robles, M.S.,CRC,LPC-S

Lecturer III, Rehab Services & Counseling  

 bianca-robles

 

Lileana Rios-Ledezma, PhD

Assistant Professor of Practice, Bilingual & Literacy Studies

 rios-ledezma-lileana

 

Best Practices for Teaching Bilingual Courses

In this panel, professors who have taught bilingual designated courses will briefly review the bilingual course designation criteria and highlight best practices for teaching bilingual courses based on their experience. They will include specific examples of effective bilingual course design, bilingual teaching strategies, bilingual assignments, activities, and assessments, and observed outcomes in terms of student learning and feedback.

Register to attend Best Practices for Teaching Bilingual Courses

November 06, 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Alyssa G. Cavazos, PhD
Director, Center for Teaching Excellence            
Associate Professor, Writing & Language Studies   
 Alyssa-Cavazos

 

Hiram Moya, PhD

Associate Professor, Manufacturing & Industrial Engineering

 Hiram-Moya

 

Andres Amado, PhD

Associate Professor, Music

 andres-amado

 

Teresa Feria Arroyo, PhD 

Professor, School of Integrative Biological and Chemical Sciences
Associate Dean for Faculty Success, College of Sciences    

 feria-arroyo

 

Best Practices in Flexible Bilingual Pedagogy

In this panel, professors who have taught courses integrating flexible bilingual pedagogy will briefly explain flexible bilingual pedagogy (translanguaging) and highlight best practices for integrating flexible bilingual pedagogy (translanguaging) in courses based on their experience. They will include specific examples of effective course design, teaching strategies, assignments, activities, and assessments, and observed outcomes in terms of student learning and feedback.

 

Register to attend Best Practices in Flexible Bilingual Pedagogy

Coming soon