torrescirina

I'm Daniela Torres Cirina, a Ph.D. Candidate in Second Language Acquisition & Teaching, with a special focus on Spanish language education, Multiliteracies, and technology-enhanced learning. 

As someone who truly loves what I do, my research delves into the fascinating experiences of heritage language learners and the exciting integration of digital tools and multimodal approaches in language instruction. I'm not only dedicated to research, but I'm also an enthusiastic educator, exploring pedagogical practices that foster inclusivity, empower learners, and cater to the needs of diverse student populations. 

I've had the pleasure of sharing my research at national and international conferences, and my work has been supported by generous grants and fellowship from the Mellon Foundation and the University of Illinois Chicago, the Confluence Center for Creative Inquiry, the Institute for LGBTQ+ Studies at the University of Arizona, and the Graduate and Professional Student Council at the University of Arizona

As an immigrant, a minority, and first generation college graduate, I embody an anti-racist, intersectional, and decolonial agenda in my teaching, research, and service. My professional mission is to be a vital member of collectives working for global social justice, and I value collegiality and collaborations. I seek to be a compassionate teacher, a committed scholar, a vocal activist who opens doors, makes connections, elevates, and sustains my communities. I am deeply committed to creating inclusive learning environments, advocating for social justice, and contributing to evidence-based pedagogical practices that enhance language learning outcomes.

Areas of Expertise: Hispanic linguistics, bilingualism and language acquisition, heritage speakers pedagogy, language contact in the U.S./Mexico border, and the role of language in identity formations of US Latin@s.

Courses Taught (face-to-face, hybrid & online modalities):

• Spanish as a Heritage Language Program, University of Arizona: SPAN 323 (Intermediate Spanish for Heritage Learners), SPAN 333 (Advanced Spanish for Heritage Learners), SPAN 343 (Spanish Phonetics for Heritage Speaker)
• Spanish Basic Language Program, University of Arizona: SPAN 101 (First semester Spanish), SPAN 102 (Second semester Spanish), SPAN 201 (Third semester Spanish)