Dr. Drew S. Fagan is Associate Clinical Professor of Applied Linguistics and Language Education, Coordinator of the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Program, and Associate Director of the Multilingual Research Center for the Department of Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership in the College of Education. For more than two decades, Dr. Fagan has worked as an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) teacher, teacher educator, researcher, and advocate in PreK-12, higher education, and adult education settings across the United States, Japan, China, Spain, and Mexico, and was the first English Teaching Assistant (ETA) Fulbright Fellow to the Slovak Republic. He is the recipient of the 2023 Teacher of the Year Award from the TESOL International Association and National Geographic Learning and the 2023 Distinguished Alumni- Early Career Award for Teachers College, Columbia University.
Dr. Fagan's professional philosophy is that for multilingual learners to be successful, all educators ACROSS disciplines must work together. As such, he ensures that all of his work connects with higher education and P-12 academes across disciplines, departments and ministries of education, state- and federal-level policy makers, governmental agencies, and not-for-profit organizations.
He has authored numerous publications in language learning, applied linguistics, and education journals and edited books, and co-authored the Maryland TESOL Handbook for Educators of English Learners (published 2021) and A Guide to School for Families of English Learners (published 2020- English, Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, French, Spanish). He was the 2022-2023 President of the Maryland TESOL Association, where his focus was on the establishment of the new Maryland TESOL Mentorship Program. Prior to being President, he was the Chair of Maryland TESOL's 2021 Conference (theme: Breaking Through, Pushing Forward Together). He also was an external consultant for the Maryland State Department of Education’s (MSDE) Blueprint for Maryland’s Future: Workgroup in English Learners in Public Schools (published November 2022) Maryland American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Education Relief (ARP ESSER) Fund Report (published 2021), Maryland Together: Maryland's Recovery Plan for Education COVID-19 Response and Path Forward (published 2020), and the Maryland Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Consolidated State Plan (published 2018). Dr. Fagan was also part of a collaborative working group with Maryland House Delegate Lorig Charkoudian's Office on the construction of a bill that would enable dual language/bilingual education and bilingual teacher certification to be legal in Maryland state-wide. In addition to constructing the bill, Dr. Fagan testified in support of the bill before the Maryland House of Delegates.
Presently, Dr. Fagan is Co-PI for the new inter-institutional Maryland Initiative for Literacy and Equity (MILE), which brings together specialists from education, speech pathology, library sciences, linguistics and languages, and public policy to ensure that all students regardless of background and lived experiences have equitable opportunities for literacy education at all stages of their lives (early childhood through adult). He is the coordinator of MILE's Multilingual Learner Workshop Series in collaboration with MSDE and The Reading League of Maryland.
(Awards & Honors since being at the University of Maryland; contact me for anything prior)
AWARDS
2023- Distinguished Alumni Early Career Award- Teachers College, Columbia University
(additional University of Maryland Press Release)
2023- Teacher of the Year- TESOL International Association & National Geographic Learning
(additional University of Maryland Press Release, San Diego State University Alum Press Release)
2022- Excellence in Teaching Award- University of Maryland, College of Education
2018- Provost's Excellence Award for Professional Track Faculty- Service to the State of Maryland- University of Maryland, Provost Office
2017- Distinguished Outreach/Partnership Award to local school districts- University of Maryland, College of Education
Maryland TESOL Association
1. Offices Held
Immediate Past-President (2023-2024)
**President (2022-2023)**
First Vice President (2021-2022)
Second Vice President (2020-2021)
Chair, Teacher Education Interest Section (2019-2020)
Chair-Elect, Teacher Education Interest Section (2018-2019)
2. Co-Developer and Inaugural Coordinator (2022-present ): Maryland TESOL Association Mentorship Program
3. Chair- 2021 Maryland TESOL Association Conference- Theme: Breaking Through, Pushing Forward Together
**NOTE: Given the diverse clinical work and stakeholders I collaborate with, this section includes varied forms of selected scholarship production.**
KEYNOTE: Fagan, D.S. (2024, March). Working across the aisle: Cross-disciplinary advocacy for multilingual learners. To be presented at the biannual Montgomery County Coalition or Adult Literacy Conference. Rockville, MD.
Fagan, D.S. (Chair), de Jong, E., Valle, R., Winkle, C., Trinh, E., Gomez Portillo, M., & Hakemian, J. (2024, March) (Invited). Queerness in positions of TESOL leadership; Rights, roles, & responsibilities. Panel to be presented as the LGBT PLN Session at the annual TESOL International Association conference. Tampa, FL.
Kuttig, K.-D. (Chair), Fagan., D.S., Trinh, E., Pawan, F., Rashed, D., & Phung, L. (2024, March). (Invited). REAPing directions in TESOL: Recognition, empowerment, action, and pursuit. Panel to be presented at the annual TESOL International Association conference. Tampa, FL.
Rashed, D. (Chair), Fagan, D.S., Suarez, D. , Bai, Y., Growney, L. (2024, March). Exploring dynamic mentor-mentee growth in a TESOL affiliate mentoring program. Panel to be presented at the annual TESOL International Association conference. Tampa, FL.
Fagan, D.S. (Chair), Sampson, T.L., Key, K., Silva, A., Phillipson, E., & Jones, L. (2023, November) (Invited). Moving literacy forward with Maryland's multilingual learners. Panel presented as the inaugural Multilingual Learner Workshop Series for the Maryland Initiative for Literacy and Equity (MILE) and The Reading League of Maryland. Virtual.
Fagan, D.S. (Chair), Suarez, D., Rashed, D., Bai, Y., Scott, D., Johnson, Z., Haddaway, C., Bienkowski, M.C., & Moser, A. (2023, November) (Invited). Considering professional advancement? Come learn about the Maryland TESOL Mentorship Program! Panel presented as a "SPOTLIGHT SESSION" at the annual Maryland TESOL Association conference. Virtual.
Kulavuz-Onal, D. (Chair), Fagan, D.S., Rojas, C., & Arrentaguí, B. (2023, November). (Invited). Presidential Panel- Teacher burnout in 2023. Panel presented at the annual Maryland TESOL Association Conference. Virtual.
Fagan, D.S., Jones, L., & Kanney, M. (2023, November). Considerations for equity-driven, successful, and enduring TESOL university-school district partnerships. Paper presented at the annual Maryland TESOL Association Conference. Virtual.
Fagan, D.S. (2023, June) (Invited). Conversation analysis: Research methodology and teacher reflection tool all in one. Presented at the TESOL Research Collaboration Network (TERECONET). Virtual.
Fagan, D.S. (2023, May) (Invited). Elevating achievement for English learners with exceptionalities. Presented at the annual Maryland English Language Learner Family Involvement Network (MELLFIN) conference. College Park, MD.
Fagan, D.S. (2023, May) (Invited). Submitting a proposal to the TESOL International Association Conference: A conversation. Workshop facilitator for the Maryland TESOL Association's Professional Development Series. Virtual.
Phillips, C. (Chair), Gentile, D., McGinnis, S., Kirwan, B., Fagan, D.S., Bolger, D.J., & Huang, Y.T. (2023, April) (Invited). What everyone wants: Aligning state, federal, and university interests in language. Presented at the Advancing National Priorities In Language, Culture, and Technology: A University-Government Forum. College Park, MD.
Fagan, D.S. (2023, March) (Invited). Towards embodying the multidimensional role of ESOL teacher in 2023. Presented as the "TEACHER OF THE YEAR/ TESOL IN FOCUS" session at the annual TESOL International Association conference. Portland, OR.
Fagan, D.S., Suarez, D. & Rashed, D. (2023, March). Fostering TESOL mentorship excellence through affiliates. Presented as a "BEST OF AFFILIATES" session at the annual TESOL International Association conference. Portland, OR.
Fagan, D.S., & Kanney, M. (2023, March). Educating K-12 administrators in TESOL: The why's and how's. Presented at the TESOL International Association's annual conference. Portland, OR.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS (as author) (2021-present)
Fagan, D.S. (2023). Words of wisdom. The University Grapevine: For English Language Teachers, 18. https://www.theuniversitygrapevine.com/past-issues.
Fagan, D.S. (2023, June). Expanding my community of "learning collaborators" at the TESOL Convention. TEIS: The Newsletter for the TESOL International Association Teacher Education Interest Section. http://newsmanager.commpartners.com/tesolteis/issues/2023-06-09/3.html
Fagan, D.S. (2023, Spring). President's Letter- Maryland TESOL: At the precipice for moving the field into tomorrow. Maryland TESOL Quarterly. https://marylandtesol.com
Fagan, D.S. (2023, Spring). Maryland TESOL: A success at the TESOL International Conference! Maryland TESOL Quarterly. https://marylandtesol.com
Fagan, D.S. (2023, Winter). President's Letter: Let Maryland TESOL help get you into your rhythm for 2023! Maryland TESOL Quarterly. https://marylandtesol.com
Fagan, D.S. (2022, Fall). President's Letter: "Fall" into advocacy. Maryland TESOL Quarterly. https://marylandtesol.com
Fagan, D.S. (2022, Summer). President's Letter: An exciting new year ahead! Maryland TESOL Quarterly. https://marylandtesol.com
Fagan, D.S., & Pentón Herrera, L.J. (2022). Supporting English learners with disabilities. The State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 22(1), 26-31. https://www.nasbe.org/supporting-english-learners-with-disabilities/
Fagan, D.S. (2022, Spring). A state of change: The future for Maryland’s English learners. Maryland TESOL Quarterly. https://marylandtesol.com
Fagan, D.S. (2022, Winter). “Breaking Through, Pushing Forward Together”: Celebrating Maryland TESOL’s 41st Annual Fall Conference. Maryland TESOL Quarterly. https://marylandtesol.com
Pentón Herrera, L.J., Fagan, D.S., & Lyons, S. (2021). Maryland TESOL handbook for educators of English learners. Maryland TESOL Association
In collaboration with the office of Maryland House Delegate Lorig Charkoudian (with S. Gutierrez, M. Martin-Beltrán, A. Perez Belda, A. Taboada Barber) (2023). Maryland House Bill 56: Public Schools- Dual Language Education- Teacher Certification, Program Implementation, and Study.
Maryland State Department of Education. (2022). Blueprint for Maryland's Future: Workgroup on English learners in public schools final report.
Maryland State Department of Education. (2021). Maryland American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Education Relief (ARP ESSER) Fund Application Stakeholder Engagement Report.
"Spotlight on the TESOL Teacher of the Year: Drew S. Fagan." (Luan T. Nguyen, Interviewer). TESOL Connections: The E-Newsletter for the TESOL International Association, April 2023.
"TESOL Program Coordinator to Receive Top Teaching Honor for English Language Educators." (Emily Schuster, Interviewer). University of Maryland, College of Education News, February 2023.
"More Connected than Ever: Taking Advantage of Global ELT Associations' Online Offerings." (Sheilynn Riel, Interviewer). BridgeUniverse E-Magazine, February 2023.
"College of Education Experts Testify to bring Bilingual Teacher Certification to Maryland." (Natifia Mullings, Interviewer). University of Maryland, College of Education News, February 2023.
"The College of Education: A Major Player in the Blueprint for Maryland's Future." Endeavors Magazine, Fall 2022.
Current Grants:
University of Maryland Grand Challenges Institutional Grant
Title: The Maryland Initiative for Literacy and Equity (MILE)
PIs: DJ Bolger
Amount Awarded: $3,000,00.00
Period of Grant: March 1, 2023- February 28, 2026
My Role: Co-PI
National Science Foundation 20-539: Computer Science for All
Title: C-STEM for Sustainability: Leveraging a Research-Practice Partnership to Design a High-quality Professional Learning Model for Integrating Computer Science into K-8 STEM Classrooms
PIs: Jennifer Radoff & Amy Green
Amount Awarded: $721,534.00
Period of Grant: September 1, 2022- August 31, 2025
My Role: Advisory Board Member- English Learner Education
Current Projects:
1. Collaborator- UMD faculty and doctoral student working group with House Delegate Lorig Charkoudian's Office to draft House Bill 0056- Public Schools- Dual Language Education- Teacher Certification, Program Implementation, and Study- goal is to legalize dual language/bilingual education and teacher certification in Maryland state-wide.
2. Developer (final approval 2021) and Director- Doctorate of Education Program in School Systems Leadership- Specialization in TESOL and Dual Language Education (cohort 1 begins Fall 2022): Focuses on school- and district-level administrators to address and make school system change for multilingual learners from the "top-down".
3. Developer (final approval 2015) and Director- TESOL Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Program (Prince George's County Public School Teachers 2017-2024; Anne Arundel County Public School Teachers 2018-2023): Introduces non-ESOL PreK-12 teachers to working with English learners across disciplines in their classrooms from the "bottom-up".