About Me

I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Bicultural-Bilingual Studies in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Texas, San Antonio. I also serve as the Graduate Advisor of Record for the MA-TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) program.[Contact Information]My research interests include:

Second language teaching and learning; English as a second language (ESL); bilingual education; sheltered English immersion; heritage language programs; equitable educational programs for language minority students; language policy; high-stakes testing and accountability policy; literacy; bilingualism and biliteracy; language shift, maintenance, and loss; Asian American education; Southeast Asian American education; Cambodian American education; Khmer (Cambodian) language and culture.
EDUCATION 

  • PhD – Educational Leadership & Policy Studies, Arizona State University. 2004.
  • MA – Language, Literacy, and Learning. California State University, Long Beach. 1998.
  • BA – Liberal Studies, Concentration in Asian American Studies. California State University, Long Beach. 1992
  • Advanced Khmer (Cambodian) language study, Cornell University. 1991.
  • AA – Liberal Arts. Long Beach City College. 1990

SELECTED RECENT PUBLICATIONS [see Curriculum Vitae for complete list]

  • Wright, W. E. & Li, X. (2008). High-Stakes Math Tests: How No Child Left Behind Leaves Newcomer English Language Learners Behind. Language Policy, [Online First] (DOI 10.1007/s10993-008-9099-2). 

  • Wright, W. E. & Wu, H. (2008). Southeast Asian Refugees, Impact. In J. M. Gonzalez (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Bilingual Education (pp. 761-767). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

  • Wright, W. E. (2008). Proposition 203 (Arizona). In J. M. Gonzalez (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Bilingual Education (pp. 684-688). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc. 
  • Wright, W. E. (2008). Primary Language Support. In J. M. Gonzalez (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Bilingual Education (pp. 666-668). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.  
  • Wright, W. E. (2008). No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Title I. In J. M. Gonzalez (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Bilingual Education (pp. 607-612). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

  • Wright, W. E. (2008). No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Title III. In J. M. Gonzalez (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Bilingual Education (pp. 612-616). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.   

  • Wright, W. E. (2008). Pull-Out ESL Instruction. In J. M. Gonzalez (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Bilingual Education (pp. 704-707). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.  
  • Wright, W. E. (2007). The Situation of the Khmer Language in the United States. In J. T. Tsuchida, J. M. Benitez, & D. S. Toji (Eds.), Education, youth, leadership, labor: Asian Pacific American and Latino Perspectives (pp. 113-150). Long Beach, CA: Center for Asian Pacific American Studies, California State University, Long Beach.

  • Wright, W. E. (2007). Heritage Language Programs in the Era of English-only and No Child Left Behind. Heritage Language Journal, 5(1), 1-26. [click here to view]
  • Ricento, T. R. & Wright, W. E. (2007). Language Policy and Education in the United States. In S. May & N. Hornberger (Eds.) Encyclopedia of Langauge and Education (2nd Ed., pp. 285-300). New York: Springer
  • Wright, W. E. & Li, X. (2006). Catching up in Math: The Case of Newly-Arrived Cambodian Students in Texas. TABE Journal, 9(1), 1-22. [click here to view]
  • Wright, W. E. & Choi, D. (2006). The Impact of Language and High-Stakes Testing Policies on Elementary School English Language Learners in Arizona. Educational Policy Analysis Archives, 14(13), 1-56. [click here to view]
  • Wright, W. E. (2006). A Catch-22 for Language Learners. Educational Leadership, 64(3), 22-27. [click here to view]
  • Wright, W. E. (2006). Meeting the Needs of Newcomer Non-Spanish-Speaking ELLs: A Case of Two Cambodian Students in a Suburban Intermediate School. In M. Cowart & P. Dam (Eds.), Cultural and Linguistic Issues for English Language Learners (pp. 108-141). Arlington, VA & San Marcos, TX: CAHN NAM Publishers, Inc. & Texas Woman’s University.
  • Wright, W. E. (2006). What is the Difference Between English as a Second Language (ESL) and Sheltered Instruction/SDAIE? In E. Hamayan & R. Freeman (Eds.), English Language Learners at School: A guide for Administrators. Philadelphia: Caslon, Inc.
  • Wright, W. E. (2006). What are the State Mandates for Educating English Language Learners? In E. Hamayan & R. Freeman (Eds.), English Language Learners at School: A Guide for Administrators (pp. 10-12). Philadelphia: Caslon, Inc.
  • Wright, W. E., Nguyen-Lam, K., Sak-Humphry, C., Turpin, L, & Knaack, J. (2006). Editor’s Introduction: Fulfilling a Critical Need: The Journal of Southeast Asian American Education & Advancement. Journal of Southeast Asian American Education and Advancement, 1. [click here to read]

PREVIOUS ACADEMIC AND TEACHING EXPERIENCE

  • Faculty Associate, Arizona State University East [Now, Arizona State Polytechnic]. 2003-2004
  • Adjunct Professor, Arizona State University (Main), Mesa Community College, and Northern Arizona University, 2001-2003.
  • Graduate Research Assistant, Arizona State University, 2000 – 2004.
  • Editorial Assistant, Bilingual Research Journal, 2000 – 2002.
  • Editorial Assistant, Journal of Language, Identity, and Education, 2000-2004.
  • Editorial Associate, Current Issues in Education, 2001-2003.
  • Khmer (Cambodian) Bilingual Teacher (grades K-2). Lincoln Elementary School, Long Beach Unified School District. 1994-2000.
  • Instructor and Business English Department Chair, Institute of Economics (Cambodia). 1994
  • Instructor, Georgetown University Small Business Training Program, Institute of Economics (Cambodia), 1994
  • ESL Program Coordinator and Instructor, Khmer Student Association (Cambodia), 1993-1994
  • Advisor and ESL Program Coordinator/Instructor, The Human Rights and Community Outreach Projects of Cambodia. 1993-1994
  • Volunteer and ESL Instructor. Cambodian American National Development Organization. 1993-1994.

COURSES TAUGHT AT UTSA

Undergraduate

  • BBL 3013 – Language Analysis and Bilingualism
  • ESL 3023 – Second Language Teaching and Learning (EC-4)
  • ESL 3063 – Second Language Acquisition in Early Adolescents

Masters

  • BBL 5053 – Assessment in Bilingual and Second Language Studies
  • ESL 5063 – Approaches to Second Language Instruction
  • ESL 5063 – Language and Content Area Instruction
  • ESL 6063 – Advanced Second Language Literacy
  • ESL 6973 – Language Learning and Technology
  • ESL 6973 – Language and Cultural Engagement in Thailand

Doctoral

  • BBL 6973 – Technology for Research in Language, Literacy, and Culture
  • BBL 7233 – Seminar in Heritage and Community Languages

SELECTED PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

HONORS AND AWARDS

  • Fulbright Scholar - Cambodia, Royal University of Phnom Penh (Spring 2009)

  • Marquis 2007, 2008, 2009 Who’s Who in America

  • Nominated for the 2006 Achievement Award for New Scholars, Conference of Southern Graduate Schools

  • 1st Place Winner, 2005 Outstanding Dissertation Award, National Association for Bilingual Education

  • 2005 Excellence in Teaching Award, Bilingual Education Student Organization (BESO)

SELECTED RECENT SERVICE ACTIVITIES

  • Workshop for Thai public school ESL teachers in Trang, Thailand. 2008 

  • Asian American Youth Cultural Workshop, San Antonio, TX. Planning commitee and presenter. 2007. 

  • UTSA On-Site Coordinator – Fulbright American Studies Institute for Korean Secondary Teachers of English. 2005.

  • School Mentor/Volunteer and Khmer Primary Language Support Tutor, Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City School District (San Antonio, TX). 2004-2005.

  • Cambodian Association of San Antonio, community coordinator. 2004 – present.

  • Judge for English Speech Competition, Royal University of Phnom Penh, June 2005.