PhD Cadidate, Language and Literacy Studies
Emily McDonald is a doctoral candidate in Language and Literacy Studies at The University of Texas at Austin. Prior to returning to graduate school, she taught for 12 years as a middle school ELA teacher and K-8 reading specialist in California, experiences that continue to ground her research in the realities of classroom practice. Her research interests include how teachers make sense of and navigate mandated literacy policies and curricula, early career teacher mentoring and induction, and the ways students' home and community literacies shape teacher practice.