My latest research focuses on the learning processes of newly-arrived immigrant children, speakers of languages other than English, as they develop language and literacy in English-dominant elementary classrooms. My particular interest is to understand how English language learners co-create and express meaning as they come to participate and to interact with native speakers of English in new cultural contexts. I examine these processes through the lens of critical and cultural-historical activity theory approaches.

My interest in second language learning stems from the fact that I am an immigrant from Brazil who learned English and Spanish as an adult. Also, for many years I have taught and worked with families of second language learners in different settings (pre-school, private and public schools, and community centers).

2002 Portrait of Success Award - KLAS, Channel 8: Contributions to the Hispanic Community.

2001 Dissertation of the Year Award, College of Education, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. 1999 Disney Teaching Awards Nomination for best teacher of the year.

1998 National Teacher of the Year Nomination for best teacher.

1996 Junior League of Las Vegas Mini-grant Award for developing a creative approach to education.

The Welcome Center

This project involved the planning, implementation, and the investigation of conditions for sustainability of a "Family Literacies" program involving second language learners (elementary-age)and their parents. In particular, it was concerned with the creation of a Welcome Center in a local school where parents were encouraged to relay their experiences and specialized expertise to the children. The children, in turn, would help their parents to learn English. This project aimed to promote children's academic achievement, respect for the multiplicity of heritages, and greater appreciation for linguistic differences.

Strategies that facilitate second language learning for newly-arrived immigrant Latino/a students.

Co-principal investigators: Ana Christina DaSilva Iddings, Eun-young Jang, and Emily Smith. Research project designed to investigate communicative strategies English Language Learners (ELLs) utilize in order to create and express meaning in the new language and cultural context and to inform teachers on how to best use these strategies to facilitate their instruction of ELLs. Franklin Special School District; Franklin, TN.

Writing Workshop for English Language Learners

Writing Workshop for English Language Learners. Co-principal investigators: Ana Christina DaSilva Iddings, Marilyn McKinney, and Ruth Devlin. Research project designed to investigate the development of writing composition abilities in English and to inform teachers about conducting writing workshop activities for ELLs. Clark County School District; Las Vegas, NV.

I direct the Elementary Education Programs and conduct the Student Teaching Seminar. I teach graduate and undergraduate courses related to literacy, language, and culture in the areas of theory, research, and practice.

Book

McCafferty, S.G., Jacobs, G., and DaSilva Iddings, A. C. (In press). Cooperative Learning and Teaching in the Second Language Classrooms. Language Education Series, J. C. Richards (Ed.). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

Articles in Refereed Journals

DaSilva Iddings, A. C. (in press). Linguistic access and participation: second language learners in an English dominant second grade Classroom. Bilingual Research Journal.

Hyatt, K. & DaSilva Iddings, A. C. (in press). "Inclusion: A catalyst for school reform". Exceptional Children Journal

Chapters in Refereed Volumes

DaSilva Iddings, A. C. & McCafferty, S.G. (2005). Language play and language learning: creating zones of proximal development in a third-grade classroom. In Tyler, A. (Ed.), Georgetown University Round Tables on Language and Linguistics: Language in Use, Washington, D. C.: George Town University Press.

DaSilva Iddings, A. C. (2005). Cooperating in a second language: an afterword. In McCafferty, S. G., Jacobs, G. and A. C. DaSilva Iddings (Eds.), Cooperative Learning and Teaching in Second Language Classrooms, New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

DaSilva Iddings, A. C. & McCafferty S. G. (2005). Second language learners and cooperative interactions in a bilingual kindergarten classroom. In McCafferty, S. G., Jacobs, G. and A. C. DaSilva Iddings (Eds.), Cooperative Learning and Teaching in Second Language Classrooms, New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

Jacobs, G., McCafferty, S.G., & DaSilva Iddings, A. C. (2005). Roots of cooperative learning in general education. Cooperative Learning and Teaching in Second Language Classrooms, McCafferty, S. G., Jacobs, G. and A. C. DaSilva Iddings. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

Non-Refereed Book Chapter

DaSilva Iddings, A.C., Haught, J., & Devlin, R. (2004). Multimodal ways of re-representation of the self: second language learners in a mainstream classroom. In Hall, J. K. (Ed.) Bakhtinian Contributions to Second Language Learning, Lawrence Earbaum Associates.

Invited, Non-Refereed Articles

DaSilva Iddings, A. C. (2000). Community of practice: research and application, Graduate Studies Newsletter. University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

DaSilva Iddings, A.C. (1999). The great walls of America, Multicultural Newsletter, College of Education, University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Articles in Review

DaSilva Iddings, A.C. & McCafferty S. G. "Carnival: putting a round peg in a square hole." (asked to revise and resubmit by The Modern Language Journal).

Katz, L. & DaSilva Iddings, A. C. Language minority students constructing identities of race through linguistic practices (in review).

Manuscripts in Production

DaSilva Iddings, A. C. "Beyond rhetoric: Language rights in action. A community/school example from Brazil." To be included in J. Scott (Ed.) Legislated-Litigated Language Policies and Teaching Practices, Urbana, Illinois: National Council for Teachers of English (in production).