Katie Brubacher, PhD, MA, BEd, BA
Pronouns: she, her, hers
Contact
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Education - Elementary Education
- kbrubach@ualberta.ca
Overview
Area of Study / Keywords
Elementary Education Translanguaging Emotion Newcomers with emerging print literacy Multiliteracies
About
Katie Brubacher is an assistant professor of elementary education at the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Education.She holds degrees in education from the University of Toronto and an undergraduate degree in English literature from the University of Waterloo. Prior to joining the faculty in 2022, she worked predominantly with multilingual children in Ontario elementary schools, and was a K–12 teacher for almost 20 years, including as a secondary teacher in England.
Research
A specialist in language and literacy education, Brubacher’s research interests include the experiences of multilingual newcomers in elementary schools, especially those who arrive in Grades 4 to 6 without having learned about print literacy in any language. Approaching research from a humanizing perspective where participants are included in the research process is of particular interest to Brubacher. Through ethnographic work, she examines how the inclusion of children’s multilingualism can support the students’ sense of belonging and well-being in schools.
Teaching
Brubacher also received English as a Second Language Specialist, Guidance certifications from the Ontario College of Teachers. She has experience in grant writing and program development, on top of her work in research and fostering literacy among students.
Courses
EDEL 408 - Writing in the Elementary School
Topics include the development of children's writing abilities, the nature of the writing process, organizing an environment for instruction in writing, teaching strategies, the reading-writing connection, writing across the curriculum, and the assessment of writing. Prerequisite: An introductory curriculum and instruction course in language learning; or consent of Department.
EDEL 409 - Teaching Literature in Elementary Schools
Topics include an exploration of the various genres of children's literature, authors and illustrators, strategies for planning and implementing a literature-based program across the elementary curriculum, response activities, and resources for teaching. Prerequisite: An introductory curriculum and instruction course in language learning; or consent of Department.
EDU 595 - Special Topics in Educational Theory and Practice
Content varies from term to term. Topics announced prior to registration period. The student's transcript carries title descriptive of content. May be repeated. Sections may be offered at an increased rate of fee assessment, refer to the Fees Payment Guide in the University Regulations and Information for Students section of the Calendar.
Featured Publications
Brubacher, K. & Filipke, J.
Journal of Teaching and Learning.. 2025 February; 19 (1)
Burkholder, C., & Brubacher, K.
Language and Literacy. 2024 June; 26 (2):76-77
Brubacher, K., & Harper, S.
Language and Literacy. 2024 June; 26 (2):2-16
Katie Brubacher and Thursica Kovinthan Levi
Canadian Modern Language Review. 2024 April;
Katie Brubacher
Journal of Language, Identity & Education. 2023 October; 10.1080/15348458.2023.2257793
Jeff Bale, Shakina Rajendram, Katie Brubacher, Mama Adobea Nii Owoo, Jennifer Burton, Wales Wong, Yiran Zhang, Elizabeth Jean Larson, Antoinette Gagné, Julie Kerekes
Multilingual Matters. 2023 September;
Antoinette Gagné; Jeff Bale; Julie Kerekes; Shakina Rajendram; Mama Adobea Nii Owoo; Katie Brubacher; Jennifer Burton; Elizabeth Jeanne Larson; Wales Wong; Yiran Zhang
OLBI Journal. 2022 December; 12
Katie Brubacher
Language and Literacy/Langue et littératie. 2022 September; 24 (2):133-152.
Katie Brubacher
CJNSE. 2019 May; 10 (1):19-27
Katie Brubacher
TESL Canada Journal. 2013 October; 30 (2):18 - 35
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