Doctoral Candidate Explores Language Development and Educational Equity in Mexico City
By Rachel Sampson
June 10, 2026
June 10, 2026
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Reinaldo Cabrera Pérez, a doctoral candidate at the UC Irvine School of Education, recently completed a three-month research fellowship in Mexico City through the competitive UC Alianza MX program, an initiative designed to strengthen research and academic collaboration between the University of California and institutions across Mexico.
During the fellowship, Cabrera Pérez worked alongside researchers, clinicians, educators, and students while advancing his research on monolingual and bilingual language development, literacy, and Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) in multilingual children. DLD is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects language and communication skills and is often underrecognized, particularly among multilingual learners. Cabrera Pérez's research explores how children build, organize, and use language across different linguistic contexts and how these processes shape learning and development. While in Mexico City, Cabrera Pérez conducted fieldwork in three public schools, collecting language samples from 140 children that will contribute to his dissertation research. He also conducted classroom observations, language screenings, and worked closely with educators to develop practical classroom strategies to foster language, literacy, and academic success. |
Reinaldo Cabrera Pérez (top)
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Beyond the classroom, Cabrera Pérez participated in interdisciplinary research seminars and clinical training while presenting his work at conferences, workshops, and invited talks throughout Mexico City.
"My time in Mexico City was transformative, not only as a researcher but as an educator and community-engaged scholar," Cabrera Pérez said. "Being inside schools, listening to children, collaborating with teachers, and learning directly from families fundamentally changed the way I think about language development and educational equity."
The experience reinforced the importance of culturally and linguistically responsive educational practices, particularly for multilingual learners and children whose language needs may go unidentified or unsupported. It also highlighted the value of collaboration among researchers, educators, clinicians, and families in creating more equitable learning environments.
The fellowship experience will continue to inform Cabrera Pérez's research and his commitment to helping schools better support multilingual children and their families. The knowledge, partnerships, and data generated through this work will contribute to ongoing efforts to improve educational opportunities and outcomes for linguistically diverse learners across international contexts.
"My time in Mexico City was transformative, not only as a researcher but as an educator and community-engaged scholar," Cabrera Pérez said. "Being inside schools, listening to children, collaborating with teachers, and learning directly from families fundamentally changed the way I think about language development and educational equity."
The experience reinforced the importance of culturally and linguistically responsive educational practices, particularly for multilingual learners and children whose language needs may go unidentified or unsupported. It also highlighted the value of collaboration among researchers, educators, clinicians, and families in creating more equitable learning environments.
The fellowship experience will continue to inform Cabrera Pérez's research and his commitment to helping schools better support multilingual children and their families. The knowledge, partnerships, and data generated through this work will contribute to ongoing efforts to improve educational opportunities and outcomes for linguistically diverse learners across international contexts.
