NCID-3412
Zhongfeng Tian
Assistant Professor of Bilingual Education
Rutgers University–Newark
Education/Degree:
1 Curriculum and Instruction Curriculum and Instruction (Boston College)
About
Zhongfeng Tian is an Assistant Professor of Bilingual Education in the Department of Urban Education at Rutgers University–Newark. Grounded in translanguaging theory, his research focuses on collaborating with pre- and in-service teachers to foster equitable and socially just learning environments for bi/multilingual students in ESL and dual language immersion contexts. Dr. Tian is committed to amplifying Asian American voices in bilingual education and has received support for his work from AERA, ACTFL, and the Spencer Foundation. Dr. Tian has co-edited five books (with Multilingual Matters, Springer, Routledge, and De Gruyter Mouton) and eight special issues, and published over 30 peer-reviewed articles in top journals such as TESOL Quarterly, Journal of Language, Identity & Education, and Language Policy. Recognized for his contributions, he received the 2022 ACTFL Research SIG Early Career Award and the 2023 Young Alumni Award from Boston University.
Current Work
Dr. Tian’s scholarship explores equitable and inclusive education for bilingual and multilingual students in ESL and dual language bilingual programs. His work challenges white-centric curricula by co-designing anti-racist, multilingual, and multimodal teaching materials that center Asian American histories, cultures, and experiences. Collaborating with teachers, families, and communities, he aims to create learning environments that honor students' full linguistic and cultural identities.
His current projects, funded by AERA, ACTFL, and the Spencer Foundation, support bilingual teachers in developing culturally responsive biliteracy curricula for Mandarin-English and Vietnamese-English programs. Through his research, publications, and leadership roles, Dr. Tian advances socially just, asset-based approaches to language education that empower students and educators alike.
Research Area Keyword(s)
translanguaging, participatory qualitative methods, Asian American studies, dual language bilingual education, self-reflexive methods