Teacher preparation for working with multilingual learners across contexts
Literacy instruction for multilingual learners
Technology in education

Dr. Loren Jones is Associate Chair of Teacher and Leader Research and Education (TLRE), Associate Clinical Professor and Coordinator for the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Certification Programs in the Department of Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership in the College of Education. Dr. Jones is passionate about working with both pre-service and in-service teachers, supporting their learning and growth as it relates to effective instruction for multilingual learners across contexts. She frequently teaches Foundations of Literacy and Biliteracy Development, Methods of Teaching ESOL, and Internship in Education. Her most recent research can be found in Computers & Education, Journal of English Learner Education, and Journal of Language, Identity, and Education.

2022: Excellence in Scholarship, Professional Track Faculty, College of Education, University of Maryland, College Park

2018: Outstanding Doctoral Student in Teaching and Learning, School of Education and Human Development, University of Miami

Selected recent publications:

Durham, C., Jones, L., & Hall, Wyatt. (2023). Exploring students’ worlds: Leveraging funds of knowledge through virtual community explorations. CATESOL Journal, 34(1), 1-14.

de Oliveira, L. C., & Jones, L. (2023). Teaching young multilingual learners: Key issues and new insights. Cambridge University Press [part of the Elements series].

Jones, L., Smith, S. L., & Durham, C. (2022). Teachers as digital composers: Designing digital jumpstarts to scaffold for multilingual learners. Computers & Education, 189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2022.104592

Selected presentations:

Miller, J., Jones, L., Campbell, A., Riley, S., Peercy, M. M., Clark, L., & Hunter, C. (2023, April). Strategic Boundary Crossing: (Re)Imagining a University Teaching Internship Collaboration with Local School Districts. Poster to be presented at the annual meeting of the American Education Research Association, Chicago, IL. 

Durham, C., & Jones, L. (2023, April). "Mirá, mirá [Look at this]": Teachers and high school emergent bilingual learners multitasking with digital tools. Roundtable session to be presented at the annual meeting of the American Education Research Association, Chicago, IL. 

de Oliveira, L. C., & Jones, L. (2023, March). Culturally Sustaining Teaching Practices for Young Multilingual Learners. Individual paper to be presented at the annual meeting of the TESOL International Association, Portland, OR.

University of Maryland, College Park: Teaching and Learning Grant, Bridging Theory & Practice: Leveraging Technology to Create Immersive and Engaging Learning Opportunities for Preservice Elementary Teachers, $42,000, 2023-2024, CO-PIs: Shannon Kane, Loren Jones, Margaret Peterson (University of Maryland) 

University of Maryland, College Park: Teaching and Learning Grant Making Connections: Engaging Pre-Service Teachers in Meaningful Early Field Experiences, $18,943.50, 2022-2023, Co-PIs: Loren Jones (University of Maryland), Alison Jovanovic (University of Maryland)

University of Maryland, College Park: Teaching Innovation Grant Reimagining the Secondary/K-12 Professional Seminar/Internship Experience, $19,899.52, 2020-2021, Co-PIs: Alison Jovanovic, Loren Jones (University of Maryland)

Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), Maryland PDS 2025 Project, $2,332,138.42, 2019-2024, Yearlong Teacher Internship (YTI) Workgroup Co-Chair. PIs: Lawrence Clark and Megan Peercy (University of Maryland). 

TLPL641: Reading, Cognition, & Instruction: Reading in the Content Areas

This course focuses on learner development, learning differences, learning environments, content knowledge and application of content, assessment, planning, evidence-based multimodal instructional practices, and professional learning and ethical practices.

TLPL 660: Foundations of Literacy & Biliteracy Development

This course presents an overview of the research on literacy and biliteracy development for English learners (ELs). Specifically, the course explores the theoretical models and processes of teaching reading and writing, current literacy/biliteracy issues, assessment, and strategies for developing literacy and biliteracy skills for ELs.

TLPL 665: Methods of Teaching ESOL

This course presents a survey of the historical and current approaches, methods, and techniques of teaching English to speakers of other languages, from grammar to translation to audiolingual and communicative approaches. Additionally, successful classroom practices that address the needs of culturally diverse and language minority students are analyzed.

TLPL 689: Internship in Education

The internship seminar is designed to create an opportunity for 2year and MCERT candidates to apply educational theory learned in their coursework to the practice of daily classroom instruction, to discuss students’ experiences in the internship, as well as to build competence with the assessment requirements of the TESOL Program - the Performance Based Assessment (PBA), Foundational Competencies (FCs), the Maryland Teacher Technology Portfolio (MTTS), and a Teaching Performance Assessment (edTPA).

This internship seminar is a required part of both the 2Year and MCERT programs. As such, the seminar accompanies the internship experience. It is intended to support and extend students’ learning in the full-time teaching internship and to assist with progress toward successful completion of the program.