San Francisco State University
English Department/MA TESOL Program
1600 Holloway Avenue
San Francisco,
CA
USA
94132
Email:
mgsantos@sfsu.edu
Biographical Sketch:
2005-present: Assistant Professor at San Francisco State University
1998-2005: Research Associate, National Center for the Study of Adult Learning & Literacy
Former English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) teacher and researcher with over 16 years of experience working in family literacy, workplace education, post-secondary non-academic ESL settings, and university and high school EFL (English-as-a-Foreign-Language) settings.
Currently a research scholar supported by a Research Infrastructure in Minority Institutions grant from the National Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health; research agenda focuses on reducing health disparities in immigrant communities by advancing the health literacy skills of adult ESL learners and improving the cultural and linguistic appropriateness of disease prevention messages. Conducting studies of (1) the effects of peer support networks and innovative curricula on diabetes prevention and awareness among beginning-level adult ESL learners (a collaboration with the California Diabetes Program, supported by a 5-year grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention); (2) the role of adult ESL participation as a health-protective factor in reducing lead poisoning among high-risk immigrant communities
Recently published a co-edited volume with Dr. Kathleen M. Bailey entitled Research on ESL in U.S. Community Colleges: People, Programs, and Potential (University of Michigan Press). Has authored several adult ESL teacher training materials and articles in Global Health Promotion, Focus on Basics, and Harvard Education Newsletter. Serves on the Editorial Board of the Modern Language Journal and previously on the board of the Harvard Educational Review.