She teaches courses on first and second language acquisition, Latino culture, and in literacy development for elementary and secondary students. Her research interests include studies on effective practices in developing the language and literacy skills of English learners in Grades Pre-K-12. She has written more than four books in the area of literacy and academic language development (ALD) for English learners. She also works as a consultant for a variety of elementary, middle, and high schools in the areas of English language development, ALD, and writing.