Gita Martohardjono
Institute Director
Gita Martohardjono’s research focuses on the development of syntax, semantics and phonology in adult second language acquisition and bilingualism. Her projects investigate the acquisition of gap structures, such as wh-questions, relative clauses, control structures and null pronouns in bilingual adults and children from a cross-linguistic perspective. In the area of semantics, her research investigates the acquisition of temporal and aspectual markers by child and adult bilinguals. In phonology, her work centers on the role of L1 phonotactics as a potential source of interference in L2 acquisition. A variety of languages have been examined, including Italian, Spanish, Indonesian, Chinese, Korean and Japanese. Recent projects investigate non-standard varieties of Italian and Spanish, as spoken by “heritage” speakers, and include the use of electrophysiology (ERP). A second research area is the development of literacy in emergent bilinguals. Since 2004, she has conducted research on immigrant students with low literacy in the native language, and has been a leader in the construction of academic language and literacy assessments benefiting this population. She is currently PI on several externally funded projects creating multilingual, online assessments for use in NY public schools.
Contact: [email protected]
Jennifer Chard
MLS Project Director/RISLUS Research Associate
Jennifer Chard is the Project Director for the Multilingual Literacy SIFE Screener (MLS). Jennifer and led and collaborated in several multilingual language and literacy projects at the Second Language Acquisition Lab and the Research Institute for the Study of Language in Urban Society since joining the lab in 2014. Her dissertation, entitled Mandarin assessment in Chinese-English bilingual preschoolers, examines Chinese/English bilingual children’s sentence comprehension skills in Mandarin and English. It adds to the body of literature emphasizing that home language assessment is critical when evaluating young children who may have special needs, and it specifically demonstrates that care must be taken in identifying the home language so that children are not inappropriately tested. Jennifer works with teachers and administrators at the preschool through high school levels to help them understand the importance of using students’ home language skills and abilities to design instruction, and promoting the maintenance and development of the home language in classroom settings.
Contact: [email protected]
Aaron Pollard
Grant Administrator and User Support
Aaron Pollard is a graduate of Queens College’s Drama, Theater, and Dance program and handles administrative duties as well as user support for the MLS.
Contact: [email protected]
Alkhodor Ayach
Reading Comprehension Test Coordinator
Alkhodor is the Reading Comprehension Test Coordinator for the MLS. He holds an MA in English Education and a BA in Linguistics, both from Brooklyn College. Beyond linguistics, he is interested in psychology, decolonial literature, and Islamic history. His hobbies include playing soccer and practicing mixed martial arts.
Email: [email protected]
Anthony Vicario
Data Scientist
Anthony is the Data Scientist for the MLS. He primarily works on statistical analyses, data reporting, and research efforts to support the MLS tests and the students who use them. Anthony holds a master’s degree in computational linguistics from the CUNY Graduate Center.
Contact: [email protected]
Eric Tsai
Programmer
Eric Tsai is a programmer providing support for the MLS website.
Eric holds a master’s in linguistics from CUNY Graduate Center and a bachelor’s in engineering from the University of Pennsylvania.
Contact: [email protected]
Jules Heller
Digitization Coordinator
Jules Heller (they/them) coordinates math test creation, translation, and review with the Multilingual Literacy SIFE Screener (MLS) Team, and systematizes the process by which MLS tests go from local files and documents to the live assessment websites used by teachers and students across New York State. They hold an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts in Montpelier, VT, and a BA in English (minor: Russian Language and Culture) from Lawrence University in Appleton, WI.
Contact: [email protected]
Meghan Tucker
User Experience Specialist
Meghan received her Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology at California State University, Fullerton and has a certification in Front End Web Development. She enjoys using her study of human culture and years of experience in event planning and hospitality to create delightful digital experiences for users. When she’s not programming and thinking about digital design she’s petting her two adorable cats, helping with community events, or hiking in the Pacific Northwest.
Email: [email protected]
Rasheeda Pilgrim
Professional Learning Facilitator
Rasheeda is a New York state certified educator. She holds a Master’s degree in Education from Relay Graduate School of Education and Bachelor’s in Visual Communications from Cazenovia College. Prior to joining the MLS team Rasheeda has served as a school leader, educational consultant, and teacher. Beyond learning and development, she is interested in illustration, writing, and video games.
Contact: [email protected]