Julie Hirschler
Julie Hirschler is an expert in first and second language acquisition, early language and literacy, and the mentoring of teachers. She is currently the head of mentoring development and implementation for Examining the Efficacy of Two Models of Preschool Professional Development in Language and Literacy, an Institute of Education Sciences (IES) multi-year research initiative, designed to study the impact of T-LEEP and LEEP, two variations of a model of a language and literacy professional development program for early childhood teachers. Dr. Hirschler is also the lead evaluator for an Early Reading First grant in Connecticut, where she is using a broad spectrum of quantitative and qualitative methods and tools to document and analyze program implementation and measure progress toward project goals in preschool language and literacy development. Dr. Hirschler is the principal developer of Supporting Preschoolers with Language Differences, an Excellence in Teaching undergraduate and graduate course that helps teachers optimally support English language learners in the classroom and to recognize signs of language delay in all children. She holds a doctorate in Human Development and Psychology, with a concentration in second language acquisition, from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
