PhD Gloria RamirezProfessor | Faculty of Education & Social Work

Email: Gramirez@tru.ca
Phone: 250 371 5565

Interests

I enjoy reading, learning about different cultures, languages and people, listening to music and the radio, performing outdoor activities, travelling, and dancing. I am fascinated with languages and have an insatiable curiosity for finding out how they work and how they facilitate reading and writing.

Research Interests

Indigenous language revitalization
Bilingual literacy development in children and adolescents
Language and literacy development in culturally and linguistically diverse populations
Language and literacy teaching and assessment for minority groups and disadvantaged populations
Metalinguistic awareness development and cross-linguistic skill transfer
Language and education challenges and opportunities for immigrant populations

RESEARCH AND LANGUAGE REVITALIZATION GRANTS

2023-2024 First Peoples Cultural Council Pathways to Language Vitality grant, ($374,790)(Co-Applicant)

2022-2023 SSHRC Partnership Grant Phase 1 Examining facilitators of and barriers to bilingualism among newcomers to Canada: An interdisciplinary training initiative ($20000)(Co-Applicant)

2020-2025 SSHRC Insight Grant, Intergenerational Secwepemcts??n Learning Model, ($319,617) (Principal Applicant)

2021-2022 First Peoples Cultural Council Pathways to Language Vitality grant, ($175,000)(Co-Applicant)

2020-2021 First Peoples Cultural Council BC Language Initiative (BCLI) grant, ($99,990)(Co-Applicant)

2020-2021 First Peoples Cultural Council BC Aboriginal Language Initiative (BCALI) grant, ($59,953)(Co-Applicant)

2019-2020 TRU Open Education Resources (OER) Development Grant Program, TRU ($6,500) (Principal Applicant)

2019-2020 Come Read with Me, Community Driven Research Fund (CDRF) ($5000)(Principal Investigator)

2018-2019 TRU Open Education Resources (OER) Development Grant Program, TRU ($7000) (Principal Investigator)

2016-2017 Revitalization of Indigenous Languages through Pedagogically and Culturally Sound Curricula. TRU Internal Research Fund (IRF) Grant ($ 5000)
(Principal Investigator)

2015-2016 Creativity, Innovation, and Curriculum Enrichment Grant, Kamloops School District #73 ($9,000) (Co-Investigator)

2014-2015 Learning at Intercultural Intersections:Inaugural TRU International Research Conference TRU International Research Conference Fund ($25,000)
(Co-Applicant)

2014-2016 Revitalizing and Teaching the Secwepemctsin Language Using Gamification on Mobile Tablets Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Aid to Small Universities Grant ($14,760)(Co-Investigator)

2014-2015 Accelerating Language Development Through Culturally Relevant and Pedagogically Sound Curricula Thompson Rivers University, Internal Research Fund
($5,000) (Principal Investigator)

2012-2014 Creativity, Innovation, and Curriculum Enrichment Grant, Kamloops School District #73 ($20,000)(Principal Investigator)

2012-2014 Early Vocabulary and Literacy Enrichment for Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal Children ($74,764) Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Insight Development Grant (Principal Investigator)

2010-2013 Literacy Development of English Language Learners, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Standard Grant ($87,754)
(Co-Investigator)

2010-2013 20 Years Later: Educational and Labor Expectations of Immigrant Youth and those who Have Returned to the NAFTA Region ($38,000), El Colegio de Mexico.
(Co-Investigator)

2011-2012 TRU Research Enhancement Fund (Principal Investigator)($4,000)

2005-2009 SSHRC Doctoral Grants. Examining the development and cross-linguistic transfer of metalinguistic skills, word reading, and vocabulary in Chinese-English and Spanish-English bilingual children and youth. (Principal Investigator)

Education

Ph.D., Developmental Psychology and Education, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto (2009)

M.Ed., Second Language Education, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto (2002)

B.A., Spanish and English Language Teaching, University of Antioquia (1996)

Elementary School Teaching Diploma, Normal Maria Auxiliadora (1988)

Publications

Selected Publications

Ramirez, G. (2024 in press). Disrupting colonial practices through Indigenous language learning and
research. In G. Gottfriedson and V. Handford (Eds.), Dangling in the Glimmer of Hope: Academic Action on Truth and Reconciliation (pp. ). Ottawa University Press.

Howe, E., Ramirez, G., & Walton, P. (2023). Experiences of International Students at a Canadian University:
Barriers and Supports. Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education, 15 (2), 115-133.
https://doi.org/10.32674/jcihe.v15i2.4819

Ram??rez, G. (2021). Who Am I and what Is My Role in Decolonisation, Indigenisation, and Reconciliation?
Journal of Intercultural Studies, 42(3), 346-381.

Porta, M.E., Ramirez, G., & Dickinson, D. (2021). Effects of a Kindergarten phonological awareness
intervention on grade one reading achievement among Spanish-speaking children from low-income families.

Porta, M.E. & Ramirez, G. (2019). The impact of an early
intervention on vocabulary, PA, and letter sound
knowledge among Spanish-speaking kindergarteners.
International Journal of School and Educational
Psychology, 7(1), DOI: 10.1080/21683603.2018.1558137

Ramirez, G. (2017, spring). Morphological awareness and
second language learners. Perspectives on Language
and Literacy, 43(2), 35-41.

Kuo, L., Ramirez, G., de Marin, S., Kim, T., & Unal-
Gezer, M. (2017). Bilingualism and morphological
awareness: A study with children from general
education and Spanish-English dual language programs.
Educational Psychology: An International Journal of
Experimental Educational Psychology, 37(2), 94-111.

Geva, E., & Ramirez, G. (2015). Focus on Reading.
Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Garson, K., Ramirez, G., & Pidgeon, M. (Eds.) (2016).
Learning at intercultural intersections [Special
issue]. Journal of Intercultural Education, 27(5),
395-492.

Ramirez, G., Walton, P., & Roberts, W. (2014).
Morphological awareness, vocabulary, and reading
among kindergarteners with different ability levels.
Journal of Learning Disabilities, 47, 54-64.

Ramirez, G., Chen-Bumgardner, X., & Pasquarella, A.
(2013). Cross-linguistic Transfer of morphological
awareness in Spanish-speaking ELLs: The facilitating
effect of cognate knowledge. Topics in language
Disorders, 33(1), 73-92.

Chen, X., Ramirez, G., Luo, Y.C., Geva, E., & Ku, Y.
(2012). Comparing vocabulary development in Spanish-
and Chinese-Speaking ELLs: The effects of
metalinguistic and sociocultural factors. Reading and
Writing, 25(8), 1991-2020.

Chen, X., Ramirez, G., Luo, Y.C., Geva, E., & Ku, Y.
(2012). Comparing vocabulary development in Spanish-
and Chinese-Speaking ELLs: The effects of
metalinguistic and sociocultural factors. Reading and
Writing, 25(8), 1991-2020.

Ramirez, G., Chen-Bumgardner, B., Geva, E., & Luo, Y.
(2011). Morphological awareness and vocabulary in
ELLs. Applied Psycholinguistics, 32, 601-618.

Deacon, H., Chen-Bumgardner, X., Luo, Y.C., Ramirez, G.
(2011). Beyond language borders: Orthographic
processing and word reading in Spanish-English
bilinguals. Journal of Research in Reading, 1-17.

Seung, J., Ramirez, G., & Cumming, A. (2010). Tutoring
adolescents in literacy: A meta-analysis. McGill
Journal of Education, 45(2),2-20.

Ramirez, G., Chen-Bumgardner, B., Geva, E., & Kiefer, H.
(2010). Morphological awareness in Spanish-English
bilingual children: within and cross-language effects
on word reading. Reading and Writing: An
Interdisciplinary Journal, 23, 337-358.

Employment History

CURRENT:
Professor, B.Ed. Elementary Program Coordinator and Committee Chair, School of Education, Faculty of Education and Social Work, Thompson Rivers University

PREVIOUS POSITIONS:
2018-2020 Associate Professor, School of Education, Faculty of human Social, and Educational Development, Thompson Rivers University

2014-2017 Associate Professor, M.Ed. Coordinator and Committee Chair, Faculty of human Social, and Educational Development, Thompson Rivers University

2009-2014 Assistant Professor, Faculty of human Social, and Educational Development, Thompson Rivers University

2008-2009 Teacher Education Program Assistant, Ontario
Institute for Studies in Education

2000-2009 Instructor, School of Continuing Studies (SCS),
University of Toronto, Spanish-Level I to Level V

2004-2006 Teaching Assistant, Human Development and Applied
Psychology, OISE/UT

2002-2004 Secondary School Teacher, The Linden School,
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

1996-1997 University Lecturer, Department of Education,
Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellin, Colombia

1999-2000 Kindergarten Teacher, The Villa, London, England
Home room teacher, Curriculum Advisor

1995-1998 Kindergarten and Elementary School Teacher, The New
School, Medellin, Colombia

1989-1992 Elementary School Teacher, Casa Mama Margarita
(institution for homeless children), Medellin, Colombia

AWARDS, DISTINCTIONS, AND FELLOWSHIPS
2014, 2021, 2022, 2024 Research Training Recognition Award, Thompson Rivers University

2016-2017, 2017-2018 Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Award Program, Thompson Rivers University

2011-2012 Harvard Graduate School of Education, Jeann S. Chall Visiting Researcher Award

2010, 2011, 2013 International Solidarity Award, Federation of Post-secondary Educators

2006-2009 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Doctoral Scholarship

2006-2009 Academic Excellence Award, University of Toronto

2007 Postgraduate Scholarship Supplement, Canadian Language and Literacy Research Network

Courses Taught

UNDERGRADUATE:
Language and Literacy
Elementary Teaching Practicum
Drama
Methods and Interventions for Writing
Foreign Language Teaching Methodology
Introduction to Educational Psychology

GRADUATE:
Research Methods in Education
Literacy for Individuals with Exceptionalities
Diversity: Constructing Social Realities
Education Research Colloquium
Directed Seminar (M.Ed.)

CONTINUING EDUCATION:
Spanish as a Foreign Language
English as a Foreign Language

I have teaching experience in Colombia, England, and Canada.

Professional Affiliations

Society for the Scientific Study of Reading
American Educational Research Association
International Dyslexia Association
International Reading Association