Dr. Manka Varghese

Biography

Manka Varghese is a Professor at the University of Washington's College of Education, specializing in Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum. With a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, she focuses her research on equity studies, immigration, schooling, qualitative research methods, and teacher education. Varghese's work is grounded in understanding teacher identities and the experiences of multilingual youth navigating educational systems. She has significantly contributed to the fields of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), Applied Linguistics, Bilingual Education, and Critical Pedagogy, positioning herself as a leading scholar in language teacher identity and multilingual education. Varghese has been involved in numerous funded research projects aimed at improving educational pathways for minoritized youth and worked extensively to understand the intersections of race, language, and educational practices. Her recent projects include examining the professional development of dual language teachers and analyzing middle school students designated as English Learners. Varghese regularly teaches courses that explore the intersections of language learning, identity, and social justice in education, and her work often bridges theoretical and practical approaches in language education.

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