Doctor Christine Jones Diaz

Senior Lecturer,
Early Childhood Education

Biography
Contact
Publications
Projects
Teaching
Media

Biography

Criss Jones Diaz is Senior Lecturer in the School of Education at Western Sydney University and a Researcher in the Centre for Educational Research. She has been a teacher educator for over twenty years. Prior to her commencement at the University of Western Sydney, she taught English as an additional language in Central America and the Caribbean where she learnt Spanish as an additional language. Her professional background is grounded in education and community contexts where she has collaborated with educators providing professional development on early literacies, bi/multilingualism, languages learning and diversity issues. Her research and publications focus on languages, literacies, and identity negotiation in contexts of diversity and difference. Recent prominent co-authored and co-edited texts include ‘Diversity and Difference in Childhoods: Issues for Theory and Practice’ (2016, 2nd Ed); ‘Understanding sociological theory and pedagogical practices’ (2015, 2018, 3nd Ed forthcoming (2024). She has authored numerous journal articles and book chapters pertaining to my area of expertise. With international colleagues, she is currently working on research examining home/community language maintenance and loss in young children Birth – 5 year attending early childhood settings in New South Wales, Australia. She is also working collaboratively with Western Sydney and international colleagues on research investigating issues of diversity, difference, equity, and family engagement in educational settings. For over 20 years, she has been a volunteer Principal and Treasurer for the Latin American School of the Inner West Inc. (a not-for-profit Spanish community language school).

This information has been contributed by Doctor Jones Diaz.

Qualifications

PhD University of Western Sydney
GDipTESOL University of Technology, Sydney
DipTeach GTC University of Technology, Sydney
MATESOL University of Technology, Sydney

Professional Memberships

Ethnic Child Care Family and Community Services (2011 - 2015)
Latin American School of the Inner West Inc. (2000 - 2015)
Latin American School of the Inner West Inc. (2016 - 2017)

Awards

Beth Southwell Research Award for outstanding thesis by the NSW Institute for Educational Research 2009-03-09

Organisational Unit (School / Division)

Early Childhood Education

Contact

Email:	c.jonesdiaz@westernsydney.edu.au
Phone:	(02) 9772 6431
Mobile:
Location:	4.1.20

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Teaching

Previous Teaching Areas

TEAC7030 Diverse Literacies, 2022

Publications

Books

Ferfolja, T., Jones Diaz, C. and Ullman, J. (2018), 'Understanding Sociological Theory for Educational Practices', : Cambridge University Press 9781108434409.
Robinson, K. and Jones Diaz, C. (2016), 'Diversity and Difference in Childhood: Issues for Theory and Practice', : Open University Press 9780335263646.
Robinson, K. and Jones Diaz, C. (2006), 'Diversity and difference in early childhood education : issues for theory and practice', : Open University Press 0335216838.
Makin, L. and Jones Diaz, C. (2002), 'Literacies in early childhood: Changing views, challenging practice', : MacLennan & Petty Pty Ltd 0864331622.

Chapters in Books

Jones-Diaz, C. (2023), 'Building on and sustaining multilingual children's cultural and linguistic assets in superdiverse early childhood education', English as an International Language: Critical Intercultural Literacy Perspectives, Springer 9783031347016.
Jones Diaz, C. and Walker, U. (2018), 'Spanish in the Antipodes : diversity and hybridity of Latino/a Spanish speakers in Australia and Aotearoa-New Zealand', The Routledge Handbook of Spanish as a Heritage Language, Routledge 9781138833883.
Jones Diaz, C. (2016), 'Growing up bilingual and negotiating identity in globalised and multicultural Australia', Super Dimensions in Globalisation and Education, Springer 9789811003103.
Jones Diaz, C. (2015), 'Silences in growing up bi/multilingual in multicultural globalised societies : educators', families' and children's views of negotiating languages, identity and difference in childhood', Understanding Sociological Theory for Educational Practices, Cambridge University Press 9781107477469.
Ferfolja, T., Jones Diaz, C. and Ullman, J. (2015), 'The unseen half : theories for educational practices', Understanding Sociological Theory for Educational Practices, Cambridge University Press 9781107477469.
Ullman, J., Jones Diaz, C. and Ferfolja, T. (2015), 'Final ruminations on the 'unseen half'', Understanding Sociological Theory for Educational Practices, Cambridge University Press 9781107477469.
Arthur, L., Beecher, B. and Jones Diaz, C. (2014), 'Utilising popular culture to extend children's literacy', Diverse Literacies in Early Childhood: A Social Justice Approach, Australian Council for Educational Research 9781742860220.
Jones Diaz, C. (2014), 'Languages and literacies in childhood bilingualism : building on cultural and linguistic capital in early childhood education', Diverse Literacies in Early Childhood: A Social Justice Approach, Australian Council for Educational Research 9781742860220.
Beecher, B. and Jones Diaz, C. (2014), 'Extending children's literacies through partnerships between children, families, educators and communities', Diverse Literacies in Early Childhood: A Social Justice Approach, Australian Council for Educational Research 9781742860220.
Jones Diaz, C. (2011), 'Children's voices: Spanish in urban mulitilingual and multicultural Australia', Bilingual Youth: Spanish in English-Speaking Societies, John Benjamins Publishing 9789027287281.
Jones Diaz, C., Beecher, B. and Arthur, L. (2007), 'Children's worlds: globalisation and critical literacy', Literacies in Childhood - Changing Views, Challenging Practice, Elsevier Ltd 9780729537834.
Jones Diaz, C. and Harvey, N. (2007), 'Other words, other world: bilingual identities and literacy', Literacies in Childhood - Changing Views, Challenging Practice, Elsevier Ltd 9780729537834.
Jones Diaz, C. (2007), 'Literacy in Social Practice', Literacies in Childhood - Changing Views, Challenging Practice, Elsevier Ltd 9780729537834.
Jones Diaz, C. and Harvey, N. (2002), 'Other words, other worlds: Bilingual identities and literacy', Literacies in early childhood: Changing views, challenging practice, Paul H Brookes Pub Co. 0864331622.
Jones Diaz, C., Beecher, B. and Arthur, L. (2002), 'Children's worlds and critical literacy', Literacies in early childhood: Changing views, challenging practice, MacLennan & Petty Pty Ltd 0864331622.
Jones Diaz, C. and Makin, L. (2002), 'Literacy as social practice', Literacies in early childhood: Changing views, challenging practice, MacLennan & Petty Pty Ltd 0864331622.
Makin, L. and Jones Diaz, C. (2002), 'New pathways for literacy in early childhood education', Literacies in early childhood: Changing views, challenging practice, practice Maclennan & Petty: 0864331622.
Arthur, L., Beecher, B. and Jones Diaz, C. (2001), 'Early Literacy. Congruence and incongruence between homes and early childhood settings', Languages of Learning. Changing communication and changing literacy teaching, Common Ground 1863350551.

Journal Articles

Jones-Diaz, C., Cardona, B. and Escudero, P. (2022), '[In Press] Exploring the perceptions of early childhood educators on the delivery of multilingual education in Australia : challenges and opportunities', Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, .
Escudero, P., Jones-Diaz, C., Hajek, J., Wigglesworth, G. and Smit, E. (2020), 'Probability of heritage language use at a supportive early childhood setting in Australia', Frontiers in Education, vol 5 .
Robinson, K., Jones-Diaz, C. and Townley, C. (2019), 'Constructions of knowledge and childhood : addressing current affairs with children with a focus on parents' practices and children's news media', Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, vol 20, no 4 , pp 324 - 336.
Jones-Diaz, C., Morgan, L. and Chodkiewicz, A. (2018), 'Developing early literacies in informal settings : the importance of cultural representation in an Aboriginal playgroup', International Journal of Early Childhood Learning, vol 25, no 1-2 , pp 29 - 43.
Reid, C., Jones Diaz, C. and Alsaiari, H. (2016), 'Cosmopolitanism, contemporary communication theory and cultural literacy in the EAL/D classroom', TESOL in Context, vol 25 , pp 44 - 63.
Jones Diaz, C. (2014), 'Institutional, material and economic constraints in languages education : unequal provision of linguistic resources in early childhood and primary settings in Australia', International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, vol 17, no 3 , pp 272 - 286.
Morgan, L., Chodkiewicz, A. and Jones Diaz, C. (2013), 'Developing early literacies in informal settings : addressing aspects of language and culture in supported playgroups', International Journal of Early Childhood Learning, vol 19, no 3 , pp 23 - 34.
Jones Diaz, C. (2004), 'Difference and diversity at the University of Western Sydney', Teacher Education, vol 15, no 1 , pp 97 - 101.
Jones Diaz, C. (2003), 'Latino/a Voices in Australia: negotiating bilingual identity', Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, vol 4 , pp 314 - 336.

Conference Papers

Jones Diaz, C. (2006), 'Diaspora, hybridity and growing up bilingual in a globalised world', Annual conference of the Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE - 2005), UWS Parramatta Campus.

Diversity and difference in early childhood and primary education

Multilingualism and languages learning in childhoodLiteracies in childhood: Critical and cultural theory

Social justice and equity in early childhood and primary education

Critical intercultural literacy in childhood studies