Ruth E. Quiroa, Ph.D.

Programs/Classes Taught:

Ed.D Teaching & Learning--Reading, Language, & Literacy Major

• Language, Linguistics, & Literacy
• Reading Comprehension: Research and Application
• Special Topics: Youth Literature in a Diverse World
• Seminar on Theory and Research in Writing
• Scholarly Habits of Mind I

M.Ed. Reading

• Survey of Youth Literature, P-12
• Diverse Perspectives in Youth Literature, P-12
• Adolescent Literature
• Teaching Writing
• Language Development & Variation
• Special Topics: Exploring Latino/a Cultures through K-12 Literature; Latino Families & Students (K-12): Literacy & Literature; Meeting the Needs of K-12 English Language Learners

M.A.T. Elementary and Middle-Level Teacher Education

• Literacy Methods: K-5
• Literacy Methods: Grades 6-8

Areas of Expertise and Research Interests

• Representation of Latinidad in picture books and graphic novels
• Impact of multicultural literature, particularly titles created by black and brown authors/illustrators on instructional practice
• Latinx/e themed literature (P-12)
• Multicultural and general literature for children and adolescents (P-12)
• Wordless picture books
• Bilingual/ESL Education
• Literacy and equity for culturally and linguistically diverse students
• Culturally responsive instruction
• Language, literacy, and culture

Grants:

U.S. Department of Education's Grant "Preparing Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans Program" or PPOHA. NLU Grant Title: "CLAVE: Colaborando con las comunidades Latinas para AVanzar en Educación / Collaborating with Latino Communities to AdVance Education. Current Roles: Member of Grant Writing Team and currently the Doctoral Fellowship Faculty Mentor. $2.3 million

Biography:

Ruth E. Quiroa, Ph.D. is an associate professor of Reading & Language at National Louis University and a former kindergarten and bilingual (Spanish/English) second grade teacher. She teaches master's level courses in children's and young adult literature, doctoral courses in diverse youth literature and writing research theory. Her research focuses on the history of Latinx/e children's and young adult literature and the responses literature created by black and brown authors/illustrators on K-12 teachers’ instructional practices. Other research areas include trends and issues of Latinx/e themed youth literature published in the U.S., international Spanish-language youth literature of the Americas, and wordless picture books. 

Education: 

Ph.D., Education, Curriculum & Instruction / Language & Literacy / ESL-Bilingual Education University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2004. M.Ed., Education, Curriculum & Instruction / Language & Literacy / ELL-Bilingual Education University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1998 Multiple Subjects Elementary Teaching Credential California State University, Los Angeles, 1992 B.A., Psychology Olivet Nazarene University, 1987

Research and Interests:

Selected Publications (by date)

• Naidoo J. C., & Quiroa, R. E. (forthcoming). Exploring the world of Latinx nonfiction children’s literature nonfiction Latinx literature. In T. Crisp, R. Gardner, & S. Knezek (Eds.). Using diverse nonfiction children’s books in K-8 classrooms. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English.
• Ochoa, P., & Quiroa, R. E. (2020). Transformative learning in a Mexican American mothers’ book blub. The Reading Teacher.
• Quiroa, R. E. (May/June 2017). Curating a diverse and anti-biased collection: Building capacity to identify and use youth literature in the classroom. Literacy Today.
• Quiroa, R. E. (2016). Filling the gap: The looking glass legacy of Julie Kline and the Américas Book Award. In L. Henderson (Ed.). The Américas Award: Honoring Latino/a children’s and young adult literature in the Americas. Lexington Books.
• Naidoo, J. C., & Quiroa, R. E. (2016). Beyond Calaveras and Quinceañeras: Fostering bilingual Latino students’ identity development with culturally relevant literature. In E. R. Clark, H. L. Smith, & B. B. Flores (Eds.) Multicultural Literature for Latino Bilingual Children: Their words, their worlds. Rowman Littlefield.
• Quiroa, R. E. (2013). Promising portals and safe passages: A review of PreK-12 Latino/a-themed literature. In J. C. Naidoo & S. Park (Eds.) Diversity in Youth Literature: Opening Doors Through Reading. ALA Editions.
• Cummins, S. & Quiroa, R. E. (2012). Teaching Tips: Teaching for writing expository responses to narrative texts. Reading Teacher, (65)6, 381-386.

Selected Presentations (by date)

• Quiroa, R. (October 2023) "Current visual portrayals of Latinidad in illustrated picture books for youth. 50th Annual Conference of the International Visual Literacy Association (VLA), University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign, IL
• Quiroa, R. and Wee, J. (November 2022). "Fantasy for Social Justice: Fourth Grade Student's Responses to A wish in the dark". Co-presenter Dr. Jungsun Wee (Pacific University, MN) at the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Fall 2022 Convention (Anaheim, CA).
• Quiroa, R. (January 2022). “Disrupting Conventional Nostalgia with Diverse Youth Literature.” Annual Comprehensive Literacy and Reading Recovery® Conference. Chicago, IL.
• Quiroa, R. (June 2021). “Classroom Library Analysis & Coaching Assignment.” Pre-recorded video poster/PowerPoint presentation. Children’s Literature Association Conference. Virtual.
• Keenan, K., Guzmán, D., & Quiroa, R. (October 1, 2020). "2020 Vision: Selecting and using P-8 culturally relevant texts in a digital world." Illinois Reading Council Conference, Peoria, IL. 
• Quiroa, R. E. (November 2018) Current visual portrayals of Latinidad in illustrated picture books for youth. Paper presentation at the 50th Annual Conference of the International Visual Literacy Association (IVLA), Chicago, IL
• Quiroa, R. (November 2017). Immigration in the Americas: On dividing distances, documents, discrimination, and dreamers.” Presentation on a panel titled, “Representing, rendering, and respecting diverse lives and labels,” National Council of Teachers of English Annual Convention, St. Louis, MO.
• Quiroa, R. (October 2017). How do international radical change books influence students and teachers?” 12th International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) Regional Congress. Seattle, WA.
• Quiroa, R., & Huftalin, A. (January 2016). "The silent surprising worlds of wordless picture books.” Comprehensive Literacy and Reading Recovery^® 
• Quiroa, R. (October 2015). “Latin@ picture books as murals for children,” presentation title as an invited member of the Association for Library Services for Children (ALSC) panel titled, “Adventures through a cultural looking glass and what we found there: Trends in diverse children’s literature in the US and beyond” at the 11^th International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) Regional Conference sponsored by the United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY) national conference in New York City. October 2015.
• Quiroa, R. (September 2014) The wonderful world of books without words: Complex texts with open access. Paper presented at the International Board on Books for Young People’s (IBBY) 34th International Congress in Mexico City.

 Youth Literature Award Selection Committees:

• Pura Belpré Award Selection Committee, 2013, 2014 (REFORMA: National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos & the Spanish-Speaking and the Association of Library Services for Children, a division of the American Library Association).
• Jane Addams Children’s Book Award Selection Committee, 2020 - 2022 (the Jane Addams Peace Association).
• Randolph Caldecott Award Selection Committee, 2019 (the Association of Library Services for Children, a division of the American Library Association).
• Américas Book Award for Children and Adolescents Selection Committee, 2010-2012 (Consortium of Latin American Studies Association)

Engagement in the Field of Literacy:

• Invited/appointed co-chair to the first ALSC Dia Task Force, to identify 3-5 illustrators to create images for Dia and recommendations for its rebranding and merchandise.
• Appointed Co-Chair of the Pura Belpré Award Expansion Task Force, January – December 2018
• Invited member of the Diversity in ALCS (Association for Library Services to Children) Task Force, is to examine diversity within all areas of ALSC such as membership, recruitment, award committees, and leadership to recommend short-term and long-term strategies for developing richer diversity within the association. Spring 2015 - 2017.

Doctoral Student Engagement

• Supervision of Doctoral Dissertations (Chair, Committee Member, Dean's Representative) for 25 students (2006-present).
• Faculty Mentor for 21 Doctoral Fellows (2019-present).

Contact Information:

phone/fax: (630) 874-4563
RQuiroa@nl.edu
www.nl.edu

NATIONAL LOUIS UNIVERSITY | 850 Warrenville Rd., Lisle, IL 6053