Magdalena Pando

Dr. Magdalena Pando is an Associate Professor of Bilingual Education in the Department of Teaching and Learning at Southern Methodist University. She holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction, M.A. in Romance Languages: Spanish, and a B.A. in Spanish from Texas Tech University.

Dr. Pando’s research agenda sustains a social justice orientation that aims to leverage access, equity and opportunity in education. Her work bridges the field of teacher education, science disciplinary language and literacy, and culturally and linguistically responsive teaching informed by theoretical frameworks such as sociocultural theory, systemic functional linguistics, sociolinguistics, constructivist theory, second language acquisition and culturally relevant education.

Dr. Pando’s research focus is on model-based inquiry methods in STEM education where she explores the construction of models and English language learner engagement in evidence-based argumentation and explanation.

Dr. Pando’s research also focus on teacher preparation and professional development aimed at fostering culturally and linguistically inclusive teaching methods in early childhood and K-12 education.

Selected Publications

Pando, M. (2022). Using Language as a Social Semiotic Tool in Virtual Science Instruction. In H. Senol (Eds.), Pedagogy-Challenges, Recent Advances, New Perspectives, and Applications. IntechOpen.

Hernandez C.M., Pando M., Lucero L. (2021) Elementary Teacher Preparation in the Borderlands. In: Atwater M.M. (Eds.) International Handbook of Research on Multicultural Science Education. Springer International Handbooks of Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37743-4_41-1

Pando, M. (2021). Conceptualizing equity through languaging processes in a borderland language ecology. In R. Guillaume, N. Witherspoon Arnold, & A. Osanloo (Eds.), Handbook of Urban Educational Leadership, pp. 385-400. Lanham,MD: Rowman & Littlefield.

Aguirre-Muñoz, Z., & Pando, M. (2021). Conceptualizing STEM teacher professional knowledge for teaching ELs: Initial impact of subject matter and disciplinary literacy PD on content knowledge and practice. Bilingual Research Journal.

Aguirre-Muñoz, Z., Pantoya, M., Pando, M., & Loria, E. (2021). Engineering integration in elementary science classrooms: Effects of disciplinary language scaffolds on English learners’ content learning and engineering identity. Journal of Engineering Education, 110(3), 517-544. https://doi.org/10.1002/jee.20409

Pando, M., & Aguirre-Muñoz, Z. (2020). Case-based instruction in science professional development: Bilingual/ESL teachers reflect about science subject matter knowledge and pedagogy. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 32(3), 286- 305. https://doi.org/10.1080/1046560X.2020.1819515

Pando, M., & Aguirre-Muñoz, Z. (2019). Engaging English language learners in model-based science instruction. In L.C. Oliveira, R. Kenney, & A. Oliveira (Eds.), Approaches to teaching the content areas to English language learners in secondary schools, pp. 215-230. Switzerland: Springer.

Aguirre-Muñoz, Z., & Pando, M. (2017). Knowing and teaching elementary mathematics to bilingual students: Examining the role of teaching self-efficacy on content knowledge. Journal of Bilingual Education Research & Instruction, 19(1), 117-137.