What makes us different?

Liz and Shera form an unparalleled dream team in the realm of dual language coaching and consulting. Liz's extensive experience in research and teacher preparation brings academic rigor and depth to their partnership. Shera's immersion in the practicalities of dual language education offers invaluable real-world insights and solutions. Together, they seamlessly blend theoretical expertise with practical wisdom, enriching the educational landscape with their combined efforts.

Tandem Teachers, Thought Leaders, Passionate about Supporting Dual Language Educators

We met ten years ago when we were kindergarten Tandem Teachers at a dual language school in Costa Rica - Liz taught in Spanish and Shera taught in English. Liz had decades of experience in dual language research, teacher preparation, and program design, but had never taught in a dual language program, and had never taught kindergarten. ¿Cómo se dice reality check? Shera was new to dual language but was highly knowledgeable about early childhood education, with mad skills in curriculum design, instructional strategies, and community building. 

Working through laughter and tears and building on the complementary strengths that we both brought to the partnership, we created a model for dual language instruction that we have been sharing through conference presentations, our book and blog, and online courses. In the meantime, Liz has returned to academia in the U.S. and has continued with dual language research and teacher preparation. Shera has stayed in Costa Rica and opened her own dual language program, gaining expertise in working with all of the elementary grades and serving as an administrator as well as a teacher. 

In short, we form an unparalleled dream team in the realm of dual language coaching and consulting. Liz's extensive experience in research and teacher preparation brings academic rigor and depth to our partnership. Shera's immersion in the practicalities of dual language education offers invaluable real-world insights and solutions. Together, we seamlessly blend theoretical expertise with practical wisdom, enriching the dual language educational landscape through our combined efforts.

Meet Dr. Elizabeth Howard

Elizabeth R. Howard is an associate professor of bilingual education in the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut, where she teaches graduate courses on linguistic and cultural diversity and recently launched an online graduate certificate in educating bilingual learners. Her research focuses on dual language education, biliteracy development, and the preparation of teachers to work with multilingual learners, and she is currently the principal investigator of a federally funded grant investigating the development of sociocultural competence in dual language programs and its role in equitable bilingualism and biliteracy attainment. She has also served as a principal investigator or co-PI of several large-scale, federally funded research projects exploring various aspects of the literacy development of bilingual learners, often in the context of dual language programs. Her books include Realizing the vision of two-way immersion: Fostering effective programs and classrooms; Preparing classroom teachers to succeed with second language learners: Lessons from a faculty learning community; Culturally and linguistically responsive education: Designing networks that transform schools; and Dual language tandem teaching: Coordinating instruction across languages through cross-linguistic pedagogies. She is also the lead author of a number of professional resources for dual language educators, including Guiding Principles for Dual Language Education, the Dual Language Program Planner, the Two-Way Immersion Toolkit, and the Two-Way Immersion Observation Protocol (the Dual Language SIOP). Together with Shera Simpson, she co-founded Dual Language Connections, LLC, a small business that provides technical and interpersonal assistance to dual language educators to support the successful coordination of instruction across languages. Previously, she has worked as a senior research associate at the Center for Applied Linguistics and as a bilingual teacher in California and Costa Rica. 

Meet Shera Simpson

Shera Simpson is a dynamic educator, administrator, coach, and entrepreneur deeply committed to advancing the field of dual-language education. She is the co-author of the groundbreaking book, Dual language tandem teaching: Coordinating instruction across languages through cross-linguistic pedagogies, the first installment of a transformative three-part series reshaping the landscape of bilingual instruction.

A respected presence at prestigious dual-language conferences nationwide, including La Cosecha, CABE, and the Southern New England Regional Dual Language Conference, Shera delivers compelling presentations that motivate educators to explore innovation and cultivate cross-linguistic collaboration in their classrooms.
As the co-founder of Dual Language Connections, LLC, a woman-owned consulting firm, Shera is on a mission to empower teachers and schools, equipping them with the essential tools and strategies needed to enhance relationships and elevate instruction across languages.
Beyond her influential consulting work, Shera is a co-founder of "Outside The Box (OTB) Learning Laboratory," an innovative dual-language, community-based alternative educational center situated in Brasilito, Costa Rica. Her visionary leadership has created a nurturing space where students thrive, immersing themselves in the richness of bilingualism and community engagement.
Originally from South Carolina, Shera has called Costa Rica home for over a decade, residing there with her partner and daughter. When not immersed in her professional pursuits, she finds joy in learning more about the world through travel, embarking on adventurous hikes, and savoring the serenity of the beach.