Professor Dorota Silber-Furman – Linguistics at Tennessee Technological University

Professional Summary

Dorota Silber-Furman is an Assistant Professor of ESL Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction within the College of Education at Tennessee Technological University. She possesses a comprehensive academic background, including a Bachelor of Arts in Philology, a Bachelor of Science in Multidisciplinary Studies focused on Elementary Education, a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Exceptional Learning from Tennessee Technological University. Her research specializations and academic interests center on literacy, international education, culturally relevant practice, multicultural education, English language learners, and critical theory. Silber-Furman’s work emphasizes the experiences of culturally and linguistically diverse populations, particularly international graduate students and English language learners in U.S. higher education settings.

Throughout her career at Tennessee Technological University, Silber-Furman has contributed to scholarly discourse through key publications. Notable works include the article “You Cannot Be a Teacher,” published in the Journal of Media Literacy Education in 2022, which examines microaggressions encountered by a novice teacher from another country; “Dare to Hope: A Critical Examination of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse International Students - Graduate Students' Experiences in the Southeastern United States” from 2018; and the co-authored piece “This job is horrible!” Reflections on Transitions to Virtual Learning in the Journal of Educational Technology Systems in 2022. She has also contributed chapters to edited volumes such as English Language Learners: The Power of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, addressing serving English language learners, and What Do We Mean by That?, discussing the digital divide in classrooms. Silber-Furman has presented at conferences including the International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Summit. She has participated in university curriculum committees, grant proposals for student perception assessments and P-16 initiatives, and received the Team Player recognition from the College of Education. Her appointments reflect a commitment to preparing educators for diverse classrooms.