Rebecca Sawyer

In a reflective interview, graduating SLA doctoral candidate Rebecca Sawyer shares insights from her research journey. Her dissertation, titled “Possibilities and Missed Opportunities: An Analysis of Language Ideologies and Identity Making in the Borderlands of the Spanish World Language Classroom”, is a qualitative phenomenological case study that examines secondary, upper-level Spanish classrooms in the Midwest that bring together heritage and second language learners. Focusing on how language borders are co-constructed in classroom spaces, the project explores how these processes shape students’ identities and their understanding of language use.

At a broader level, her work contributes to research on language ideologies and identity by examining how classroom practices send messages about language and language variation, and how students interpret those messages in relation to their own language use. Her study highlights how these processes are closely tied to broader questions of equity and representation in language education.

Rebecca describes her work as drawing from multiple areas, including world language education, educational theory, sociolinguistics, linguistic anthropology, and bilingual education. She notes that her theoretical framework is particularly guided by the writing of Gloria Anzaldúa, whom she was introduced to by her advisor. Anzaldúa’s work resonated strongly with her, especially because she writes as a Chicana feminist and activist rather than from a strictly academic perspective. This influence plays an important role in shaping how Rebecca approaches questions of language and identity in her research.

Rebecca traces the development of her research interests back to her experience teaching high school Spanish in Michigan. She began the program with a focus on curricular materials and how Spanish and Spanish-speaking communities were represented. Over time, her focus shifted toward student identity and language ideologies, as she recognized how dominant perspectives on language often positioned some students as inferior. This shift became a central motivation for her dissertation.

She describes her doctoral journey as one shaped by a series of smaller moments rather than a single defining experience. Across coursework, writing, and research, she encountered multiple points of reflection that gradually shaped her thinking and guided her toward the completion of her dissertation.

Her fieldwork experience, particularly conducting interviews with students, played a central role in shaping her research. Working with minors required additional considerations and processes, but she found the experience especially meaningful. Hearing directly from students reinforced the importance of including their voices in language education research and shaped the direction of her work.

Mentorship was an important part of her development in the program. She credits her advisor, Mariana Pacheco, for introducing her to the world of bilingual education, which profoundly shaped how she thinks about heritage learners in world language contexts. She also took a course with Dr. Pacheco that offered a historical perspective on bilingual education, where examining how similar racist policies and ideologies are repeatedly recycled in different forms strengthened her focus on people rather than materials.

Rebecca also selected her committee members based on similar intellectual shifts that emerged through coursework. She highlights Cathy Stafford for a class that led her to think more deeply about language and identity, LJ Randolph for a course on the liberatory potential of world language, and Diego Román for a class that examined how colonialism and language intersect.

Alongside her academic work, Rebecca reflects on the challenges of completing a PhD while raising a family. She began the program with one child and finished with another, and she describes the experience as an ongoing negotiation between academic responsibilities and family life. She ultimately chose to prioritize her family, even when that meant taking more time to complete her dissertation or stepping away from additional opportunities. She views this not only as a challenge, but also as an important part of her personal growth and understanding of balance.

Looking back, Rebecca emphasizes the importance of patience and self-compassion throughout the research process. She notes that each stage, from navigating IRB procedures to collecting, analyzing, and writing data, often took longer than expected. This experience highlighted the need to allow for flexibility and to extend grace to oneself during long and sometimes unpredictable timelines.

When offering advice to current and incoming students, Rebecca highlights the importance of staying connected to aspects of life beyond academic work. She reflects on her experience playing in a community orchestra, which provided a creative outlet and a sense of continuity with her identity outside of scholarship. These moments helped her maintain balance and perspective throughout her doctoral journey.

Looking ahead, Rebecca approaches the next stage of her career with openness. While she remains interested in language education and research, she emphasizes the importance of aligning professional decisions with family needs and long-term stability. Rather than viewing her next step as a single defining move, she sees it as part of an ongoing process, and she plans to continue sharing her research regardless of the path she takes.