Dr. Elizet Kneisler

Biography

Elizet Hernández Kneisler serves as an assistant professor of practice in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Texas at Austin. A national educational leader, she advocates for the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse students and is committed to supporting emergent bilingual students and their families in accessing equitable education. In recent years, she has served as the coordinator for Bilingual/ESL programs and the Title III Migrant Education program at the Education Service Center-Region 13. At the state level, she has worked with the Texas Education Agency on the commissioner's initiative for Dual Language Immersion, collaborating on the development of state rubrics for DLI. Nationally, she has contributed as a bilingual consultant for the Center of Applied Linguistics. Her research focuses on biliteracy practices, translanguaging pedagogy, and dual language programming. She has co-authored with Drs. Wayne Thomas and Virginia Collier on the book "Transforming Secondary Education: Middle High School Dual Language Programs." A first-generation college graduate, Kneisler holds a B.A. in Spanish with a minor in Mass Communications, an M.A. in Bilingual/Bicultural Studies in Education, and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Lamar University. She is also actively involved with the Texas Association of Bilingual Education as a board member and legislative chair.

Research Interests