Through his research and scholarship, Alejandro aims to voice much-needed reforms and to create inclusive spaces in multilingual education. His research focuses on bilingual education, language assessment, biliteracy development, and teacher preparation.

Alejandro Pérez is an Assistant Clinical Professor and the World Language/Dual Language programs Coordinator at the University of Maryland-College Park. A former dual language schoolteacher, Alejandro earned his PhD in Multilingual Education at the University of Iowa. He also has an MA in Applied Linguistics (Universidad de Jaén) and an MA in Hispanic Linguistics (University of Iowa). 

At his pervious institution, Alejandro taught and supervised for the Division of World Languages and the College of Education at the University of Iowa. Alejandro was also responsible for the preparation of professional development workshops designed to improve instruction and support emergent bilinguals in the state of Iowa. 

At the University of Maryland, Alejandro coordinates:

Alejandro is the academic advisor of many of the students enrolled in these programs, and prepares the World Language internship placements in collaboration with Alice Zhang and with school districts’ liaisons and world language coordinators. 

Beyond his responsibilities as the World Languages (WL) program coordinator, this year (23-24) Alejandro has co-led the launching of the Dual Language Post Baccalaureate Certificate (DL PBC) program in collaboration with Dr. Melinda Martin-Beltran. The first cohort of participants, composed of DL and ESOL administrators from three different districts, and DL teachers from three different districts, are completing their second semester in the program. A new cohort is expected to join the program in the Fall 2024. The Sullivan Family Charitable Foundation provides merit-based scholarships for students enrolled in the DL PBC program in the Department of TLPL in the College of Education.

Additionally, in the last two years, Alejandro also had the role of Point person for PreK/MSMS/Secondary Education Coordinators at UMD, leading monthly meetings with them and facilitating pre-service teachers’ orientations in collaboration with the PreK/MSMS/Secondary Education Coordinator, Alison Jovanovic.

Last year, Alejandro presented in the Language Assessment Research Conference (LARC), and the 2023 East Coast Organization of Language Testers (ECOLT) conference. In 2023 he also worked with the Bond Project (a nonprofit that supports Black and Latino male educators) as a panel Moderator in a session titled “The Experiences and Perspectives of Latino Male Educators”.

Alejandro has also worked with some UMD colleagues and law makers in creating the language and the rationale for a bill that aimed to create certification for dual language teachers in public schools, dual language implementation guidelines, and supports dual language teacher preparation programs, all in response to recommendations from the “Blueprint for Maryland’s Future: Workgroup on English Learners,” which are part of Maryland’s larger educational Blueprint, as put forth by the Kirwan Commission.

Alejandro is currently working in the following projects:

  • Making the Case for Bilingual Reading: Curriculum-Based Measures of Spanish Reading in Dual Language Programs
  • Assessment as a policy tool in Dual Language Bilingual Education 
  • Pre-service teachers’ language assessment literacy development: a Multisite Study

Alejandro participated in two recent grant proposals for the betterment of local city communities and our UMD COE community: 1) the Development of Spanish Literacy Skills for Spanish Speaking Parents in Greenbelt Community Schools (Partnership Development Grant) and 2) Enhancing the Alumni Teacher Induction Experience Through Strategic UMD & PGCPS Mentorship (RPP Grant.) 

Fall 2023

  • TLPL 445/695: World Languages Methods I
  • TLPL 450/696: World Languages Methods II
  • TLPL 689: Internship Seminar- World Languages 

Spring 2024

  • TLPL 478K: Internship Seminar for Secondary Undergraduates
  • TLPL 655: Assessment in the Second Language Classroom
  • TLPL 663: Practice and Theory in Teaching Second Language Learners
  • TLPL 689: Internship Seminar- World Languages 

During the fall semester Alejandro teaches two courses to both undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in World Language education programs. These are sequential courses required for achieving competence in teaching World Languages in PreK-12 classrooms. The first method course (TLPL 445/695) requires on-going examination of theories relevant to language acquisition. The main goal of the second method course (TLPL 450/696) is to increase educators’ knowledge and skills to effectively teach multilingual learners (including L2 learners and heritage learners) by teaching advanced best practices for effective second language instruction, including the use of authentic assessment and materials, national standards, multiliteracies in the second language classroom, holistic views of biliteracy, paired literacy instruction, and the integration of literacy in content areas. 

During the spring semester, Alejandro teaches the course TLPL 663, that focuses on issues that arise in classrooms with language learners, with a particular emphasis on encouraging teachers to develop a reflective and inquiry-oriented approach to their teaching, and presenting teachers with opportunities to further develop their theory and practice for working in classrooms. 

Likewise, these instructional courses are complemented with the internship courses: TLPL 479/689 in the fall; TLPL 478/689 in the spring. These are parallel to the year-long internship of student interns. These courses focus on issues that arise in classrooms with language learners, addressing questions that novice teachers frequently have. The courses also make a special effort to help teacher candidates develop parts of the teaching portfolio that is required for graduation and teacher certification. 

In addition to my regular teaching duties, Alejandro teaches TLPL655 in the spring. This course explores the relationship between assessment and instruction, data driven instruction (DDI), consequences of assessments, test score interpretation, state and federal assessment policies, and assessments unique for Multilingual Learners (MLLs). Through a unified theory of construct validity, students identify the purpose, instrument, method, and use of assessments and evaluations most appropriate and valid for MLLs in their educational context: ESOL, Dual Language, or Word Language education.