Norma Monsivais Diers, PhD
Post Doctoral Fellow
Curriculum and Instruction
Pronouns: She/ella
Contact
Building & Room:
ETMSW 3025
Address:
1040 W Harrison St, Chicago, IL 60607
Office Phone:
Email:
About
Dr. Norma Monsivais Diers is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Co-directing the statewide implementation of the Illinois Spanish Language Arts Standards alongside the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). She holds a Ph.D. in Literacy, Language, and Culture from the University of Illinois Chicago. She has an M.A. in Urban Education and a Bilingual and ESL endorsement from Columbia College, as well as a master’s degree in Reading Specialist from Olivet Nazarene University. She is a National Board-certified teacher in English as a New Language. Dr. Monsivais Diers has over 15 years of experience as an educator; she was formerly a bilingual elementary school teacher, a network instructional coach, and an English Learner network specialist in the Cicero District 99 and Chicago Public School Districts. She also worked as a Bilingual Executive Literacy Coach at a company that provides literacy and assessment solutions in English and Spanish for K-12 students nationwide. Her research examines the intersection of language education policy and Latinx family language policies. She has served as a university instructor and is an emerging educational researcher in teacher education and multilingual education/policy.
Selected Publications
Monsivais Diers, N. (2025). Creating Linguistic Barriers: The Impact at Home of English Literacy Practices at School. Literacy Research: Theory, Method, and Practice, 74(1), 236-256. https://doi.org/10.1177/23813377251367054
Morales, P. Z., Alcala, R., Monsivais Diers, N., & Dominguez-Fret, N. (2024). ¿Estamos escuchando? Creating transformative ruptures that amplify Latinx families’ right to DLBE in Chicagoland. In G. Delavan, Freire, J.A., & K. Menken (Eds.), Overcoming the Gentrification of Dual Language Bilingual Education: Solution-Oriented Research and Stakeholder Resources for Real Integration (pp. 166-188). Multilingual Matters.
Monsivais Diers, N. (2022). Cuestionando mitos comunes acerca del bilingüismo: la importancia de aprender español e inglés para los estudiantes latinos. Literacies Across the Lifespan, 2(1),13-18.
Service to Community
Community-Based Presentations
Monsivais Diers N. & Morales, P. Z. (2024, June). Escuchando a las Familias de Chicago: Los deseos de idioma y aprendizaje para sus hijos/as. Eric Solorio High School. Chicago, IL.
Monsivais Diers N. & Alcala, R (2024, May). Escuchando a las Familias de Chicago: Los deseos de idioma y aprendizaje para sus hijos/as. Nathan S. Davis Elementary School. Chicago, IL. Richard Edwards Elementary School. Chicago, IL. Niños Heroes Elementary Academic Center. Chicago, IL.
Education
2022 PhD, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Curriculum & Instruction.Literacy, Language and Culture
2013 MA, Olivet Nazarene University, Bourbonnais, Reading Specialist
2006 MA, Columbia College, Chicago Urban Teaching
1993 BS, Marketing, Tecnológico de Monterrey, México
Licensures and Certifications
Principal: Initial Teacher Evaluation Training
National Board Certification in Early & Middle Childhood/English as a New Language, 2011, renewal 2020
IL Reading Specialist K-12
IL Professional Educator License (PEL). Elementary K-9. Master Teacher Designation.
Bilingual Education Teacher. Spanish (K-12)
English as a Second Language (K-12)
Selected Presentations
Monsivais Diers, N. (2024, December). Creating Linguistic Barriers: The Impact at Home of English Literacy Practices at School. Paper accepted at the annual meeting of the Literacy Research Association, Atlanta, Georgia.
Monsivais Diers, N. (2024, April). Turbulence Navigating Language Programs: servicios de Educación Especial in English-Only. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Philadelphia, PA.
Morales, P. Z., Alcala, R., Monsivais Diers, N., & Dominguez-Fret, N. (2024, April). Escuchando a las Familias: Continued Advocacy for Spanish Language Maintenance in Chicago. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Philadelphia, PA.
Morales, P. Z., Alcala, R., Monsivais Diers, N., & Dominguez-Fret, N. (2024, April). ¿Estamos escuchando?Creating transformative ruptures that amplify Latinx families’ right to DLBE in Chicagoland. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Philadelphia,
Morales, P. Z., Alcala, R., Monsivais Diers, N., & Dominguez-Fret, N. (2023, December). A Legacy of Activism: Latinx Families Luchando for Dual Language Bilingual Education. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Literacy Research Association, Atlanta, Georgia.
Invited Presentations
Monsivais Diers N. (2025, December). Encontrando el Camino del Laberinto de los Estándares de las Artes del Lenguaje. Professional Development Session at Illinois State Board of Education. Multilingual Illinois: The 2025 Annual Statewide Conference for Educators Serving Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Students, Tinley Park, IL.
Morales, P. Z. , & Monsivais Diers N. (2025, September). Insights and Challenges in Implementing Spanish Language Arts Standards. Conference Session at the Illinois State Board of Education. Multilingual/Language Development Department. Statewide Meeting for Administrators Supporting English Learners, Rosemont, IL.