Mary Amanda (Mandy) Stewart, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Department of Literacy and Learning

Contact

Biography

Mary Amanda (Mandy) Stewart is an associate professor in the Department of Reading at Texas Woman's University. Her research promotes the bilingual and second language development of adolescents and adults who are acquiring English as an additional language, focusing on how reading engagement promotes language acquisition. As the director of the ELLevate! grant from the U.S. Department of Education, she works with high schools to improve the academic outcomes of immigrant youth. Among various journal articles, she has also authored two books: Keep it R.E.A.L! Relevant, Engaging, and Affirming Literacy for Adolescent English Learners and Understanding Adolescent Immigrants: Moving Toward and Extraordinary Discourse for Extraordinary Youth.

Education

Ph.D., Reading, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas
M.Ed., Elementary Education, Texas Christian University
B.A., Spanish, Texas Christian University

Research Interests

Adolescent Immigrants; Immigrant Advocacy; Second Language Literacy Development; English as a Second Language; Bilingualism

Latest Articles

Co-learning in the high school English class through translanguaging: Emergent bilingual newcomers and monolingual teachers
Journal of Language, Identity, and Education (2020)
Holly Hansen-Thomas, Mary Amanda Stewart, Patricia Flint, Tamra Dollar

Descubriendo los recursos culturales de estudiantes indígenas Latinoamericanos a través de la literatura [Discovering the cultural resources of Latin American Indigenous students through literature]
Journal of Latinos and Education (2020)
Mariannella Núñez, Yismelle Duran, Zulma Mojica, Mary Amanda Stewart

Study abroad for critical multilingual language awareness development in ESL and bilingual teacher candidates
TESL- EJournal (Online) (2020)
K. Lindahl, Holly Hansen-Thomas, Mary Amanda Stewart

Multiple pathways to multilingual investment: A collective case study of self-identified Mexicana students in the U.S.
International Multilingual Research Journal (2019)
Ali Babino, Mary Amanda Stewart

Korean immigrant parents' views of physical education programming in the United States
Palaestra (2019)
S. H. Lee, S. Rocco Dillan, Mary Amanda Stewart

Hurdling over language barriers: Building relationships with adolescent newcomers through literacy advancement
Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy (2019)
P. Flint, T. Dollar, Mary Amanda Stewart

My life, my stories: Reading, writing, and belonging in the ESL classroom
English Journal (2019)
H. Genova, Mary Amanda Stewart

Listening to students: What, why, and how adolescent English learners want to read and write
Texas Journal of Literacy Education (2018)
Mary Amanda Stewart, K Walker, C Revelle

Remodeling dual language programs: Teachers enact agency as critically conscious language policy makers
Bilingual Research Journal (2018)
A Babino, Mary Amanda Stewart

"I love this book because that's like me!" A multilingual refugee/adolescent girl responds from her Homeplace.
International Multilingual Research Journal (2017)
Mary Amanda Stewart

A pedagogy of care for adolescent English learners: A formative experiment
Tapestry Journal (2017)
Mary Amanda Stewart, A Babino, K Walker

Literatura multicultural en español: ¿Abriendo ventanas o reforzando estereotipos? [Multicultural literature in Spanish: Is it opening doors or reinforcing stereotypes?]
Journal of Latinos and Education (2017)
M Coto, Mary Amanda Stewart

Sanctioning a space for translanguaging in the secondary English class: A case of a transnational youth
Research in the Teaching of English (2016)
Mary Amanda Stewart, Holly Hansen-Thomas

ESL and WWII: Possibilities for language and historical learning
TESOL Quarterly: A Journal for Teachers of English to Speakers of other Languages and of Standard English as a Second Dialect (2016)
Mary Amanda Stewart, K Walker

"I like English better": Latino dual language students' attitudes toward English, Spanish, and bilingualism
Journal of Latinos and Education (2016)
A Babino, Mary Amanda Stewart

We can do it because they did it! Three generations of literacy educators in Texas
English in Texas (2016)
Mary Amanda Stewart

Nurturing caring relationships through five simple rules
English Journal (2016)
Mary Amanda Stewart

Authentic engagement or just "playing school"? Simple rules and complex literacy learning for adolescent English learners
Emergence: Complexity and Organization (2016)
Mary Amanda Stewart, L Patterson

Tapping into English learners' cultural knowledge through relevant literature
The California Reader (2015)
Mary Amanda Stewart, J Araujo, L.A. Knezek, C Revelle

"My journey of hope and peace": Learning from adolescent refugees' lived experiences
Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy (2015)
Mary Amanda Stewart

Emergent bilinguals' emerging identities in a dual language school
Journal of Bilingual Education Research & Instruction (2015)
A Babino, Mary Amanda Stewart

Social networking, workplace, and entertainment literacies: The out-of-school literate lives of newcomer Latina/o adolescents
Reading Research Quarterly (2014)
Mary Amanda Stewart

Social Networking, Workplace, and Entertainment Literacies: The Out-of-School Literate Lives of Newcomer Adolescent Immigrants
Literacy Research and Instruction (2014)
Mary Amanda Stewart

Social Networking, Workplace, and Entertainment Literacies: The Out-of-school Literate Lives of Newcomer Latina/o Adolescents
Reading Research Quarterly (2014)
Mary Amanda Stewart

Living here, yet being there: Facebook as a transnational space for newcomer Latina/o adolescents.
Tapestry Journal (2014)
Mary Amanda Stewart

I Don't Want to Write for Them: An At-Risk Latino Youth's Out-of-School Literacy Practices
NABE Journal of Research and Practice (2014)
Mary Amanda Stewart

What is 'educated' in the 21st century?
Phi Delta Kappan (2013)
Mary Amanda Stewart

Giving voice to Valeria's story: Support, value, and agency for immigrant adolescents.
Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy (2013)
Mary Amanda Stewart

Juxtaposing the immigrant and adolescent girl experiences: Literature for all readers
English Journal (2012)
Mary Amanda Stewart

Nonfiction access to information, insight, and imagination
The Dragon Lode (2011)
J. B. Mathis, A. Bailey, L. Knezek, T. Morton, A. Sanders

Books

But will this work with English learners? A guide for English Language Arts teachers grades 6-12
Corwin Literacy (2021)
Mary Amanda Stewart, Holly Genova

Radicalizing literacies and languaging: A framework toward dismantling the mono-mainstream assumption
Palgrave Macmillan (2020)
Ale Babino, Mary Amanda Stewart

Transforming practices for the high school classroom
TESOL Press (2019)
Mary Amanda Stewart, Holly Hansen-Thomas

Keep it R.E.A.L.: Relevant, Engaging, & Affirming Literacy Instruction for Adolescent English Learners
Teachers College Press (2018)
Mary Amanda Stewart

Understanding adolescent immigrants: An extraordinary discourse for extraordinary youth
Lexington Books (2017)
Mary Amanda Stewart

Chapters

Translanguaging to support reading and writing engagement in the ELA classroom
in Transforming practices for the high school classroom | TESOL Press (2019)
S. M. Ross, Mary Amanda Stewart

"What up" and "TQM": Latina/o English learners writing on Facebook to acquire English and maintain their Latina/o identities
in Exploring Technology for Writing and Writing Instruction | IGI Global (2013)
Mary Amanda Stewart

Utilizing English language learners' L1s in the secondary classroom to maximize learning potential
in Teaching English Language Learners: An International Perspective | Canh Nam Publishers (2009)
Mary Amanda Stewart

Current Projects

Teaching Adolescents Learning English: ELLevate! is a $2.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education which stands for English Language Leaner Educators Vested in the Advancement of Teaching Excellence. This 5-year project partners with administrators, support staff, and teachers of all content areas (e.g. Math, English, History) to use innovative approaches to teach students who are learning English as a second language. Innovations include supporting students' first language use for academic gains, meaningful instruction that connects to students' cultures, and incorporating literature and various texts in all classes.

Bilingual Investment: Past research shows the academic, social, and even economic benefits for immigrant youth who have strong skills in English in addition to their first language. However, most children of immigrants do not equally develop or invest in all their languages. Consequently, this project purposes to understand the factors that contribute 1st and 2nd generation immigrant youth and young adults with strong bilingual and biliteracy skills in both English and their first language. This research is a partnership with Dr. Alexandra Babino at Texas A & M-Commerce. The Relationship of Reading and Second Language Acquisition: Through book clubs for both high school students and adults, this research investigates how engaging in sustained and enjoyable reading promotes English as a second language skills. The objectives are to understand if acquiring language through the context of a novel and discussing in a group positively contributes to language learning.

Externally Funded Projects

Biliteracy Development through Social Justice Learning
National Council for Teachers of English | 2019
Role: Co-Principal Investigator

PIONERAS: Professional Improvement through Optimization of Native-language Education and the Realization of Academic/familial Symbiosis
GOV-Department of Education (DE) | $2,200,000.00 | 2016
Role: Co-Principal Investigator

ELLevate! English Language Learner Educators Vested in the Advancement of Teaching Excellence
GOV-Department of Education (DE) | $2,100,000.00 | 2016
Role: Principal Investigator

Internally Funded Projects

Small Research Grant
Texas Woman's University | $750.00 | 2019
Research Grant

Small Research Grant
Texas Woman's University | $750.00 | 2018
Research Grant

Small Research Grant
Texas Woman's University | $750.00 | 2017
Research Grant

Research Enhancement Grant
$9,750.00 | 2015
Research Grant

Professional Affiliations

American Educational Research Association
International Literacy Association
Kappa Delta Pi
Literacy Research Association/National Reading Conference
National Association for Bilingual Education
National Council for Teachers of English
National Writing Project
Phi Delta Kappa
Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages
Texas Association for the Improvement of Reading