Valdés, Guadalupe (1944-)

Inspired by the work of her sister Guillermina, a social psychologist and activist, Guadalupe Valdés discovered her passion for the people of the towns along the U.S.-Mexico border and their struggle for existence and equality. Valdés has striven to enlighten not only educators but also the general public through her research and work in the fields of bilingual education and the acquisition of English as a second language. Broadly, her work addresses the culturally diverse populations of the United States and their schooling.

Not since the immigration of the Irish to the United States in the mid-19th century has a population so impacted U.S. society as have Mexican immigrants and the people living along the U.S.-Mexico border. To better understand this population and its needs, Valdés has conducted research into how these families and population influence schools in the United States. James Banks, in his introduction to Learning and Not Learning English, authored by Valdés, points out that Valdés's childhood and her own acquisition of a second language helped her to share knowledge and offer suggestions for the education of immigrant students. As Banks states, Valdés has contributed to the social sciences in a significant way.

Valdés was born in El Paso, Texas. Her family home was in Juárez, Mexico, where she grew up. Her father was a doctor with a medical practice in Juárez. Her family has been in the field of medicine for several generations; they never immigrated to the United States. Guadalupe attended parochial school in the United States during the day, returned home to Mexico in the afternoon, and was then tutored by master teachers in Mexico for two additional hours. She believes she experienced the best of both worlds and considers it a “geographical accident” that she has attained a high level of bilingualism and biliteracy in two national contexts. She is able to move easily between the two languages in both a personal and professional context.

As a teacher in kindergarten and middle school, Valdés began to hone her craft and accumulate valuable insights that would help her in her later quest for knowledge in the areas of language diversity and the education of bilingual students. Her studies in the Spanish language and in philosophy gave her knowledge not only of linguistics and the study of language but also the thought processes and belief systems that shape opinions and prejudices regarding social diversity. After teaching in the elementary and middle school setting, she moved on to the university level and taught in Florida, New Mexico, and California. She completed her undergraduate studies in 1968 at the University of West Florida. She later attended graduate school at Florida State University, where she was granted an MA in 1970, and completed a PhD degree in 1972. She is presently a professor at Stanford University.

Valdés's research is extensive and covers many components of bilingualism, including socioeconomic status and the home environment. Her works include not only research publications, but textbooks as well. In an effort to educate native speakers of Spanish in their own language, Dr. Valdés has coauthored two Spanish language textbooks. Her current work is in the area of what she deems “linguistic isolation,” including residential segregation of students. This project involves children who are paired with Stanford [Page 884]undergraduates to examine language acquisition through storytelling and the development of language. She is also involved in the development of a young interpreters' and translators' group. Her most recent work, written in conjunction with Joshua A. Fishman, Rebecca Chavez, and William Pérez, is Developing Minority Language Resources.

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