At the MiNT Laboratory, we explore how bilingual and multilingual children learn and how to support their language, literacy, and learning. We work with students, faculty, caregivers, schools, and communities within and beyond the DMV area to understand bilingual children’s learning.

• For the Language Learning Project, we are interested to find out how different methods of Chinese writing may link to children’s reading in both Chinese and English. In Chinese, we have different ways of writing, including handwriting and pinyin typing. The character system for writing and the pinyin system for typing are different. We want to understand how these differences may also link differently with children’s reading skills. Participate in the study here.

• For the Reading and Math Networks project, the overarching goal is to examine the unique and overlapping contributions of neurobiological networks of reading and math to children’s academic achievement in reading and math. Specifically, we explore the influences of speaking a heritage language on the distinct and overlapping reading and math networks, as well as their relations to children’s academic achievement. This research can advance the field of education methodologically and substantially. Recent advances in neuroimaging techniques, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), provided a window into a more comprehensive understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying reading and mathematics processing.

• For the Transfer Integration project, the overarching goal is to test and refine the Transfer Integration Hypothesis (Shen, 2025). At the first stage, we collected reading and writing performance data from ~130 Chinese-English bilingual children, along with language outcomes. We are testing whether bilingual children’s reading in one language can facilitate their writing in another language. Preliminary evidence with ~52 children supported the Transfer Integration Hypothesis (Shen, 2022). At the next stage, we will collect both behavioral and neuroimaging data to test our theory. This research aligns with MiNT Lab’s goal of refining bilingual theories.

For the Improving EB Writing project, we are conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effectiveness of interventions targeting elementary school emergent bilingual (EB) children’s writing outcomes. This project synthesizes evidence from experimental and quasi-experimental studies to identify which instructional practices most effectively support EBs’ writing development. We examine intervention characteristics (e.g., duration, instructional focus, language of instruction), child factors (e.g., grade level, language background), and study design features to better understand the conditions under which interventions are most successful. The ultimate goal is to provide educators, researchers, and policymakers with actionable insights into evidence-based practices that promote equitable writing development for emergent bilingual learners in the early grades.

For the Spanish-English EB Development project, we use data from the nationally representative Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Kindergarten Class of 2010–11 (ECLS-K:2011) to examine the learning, development, and academic achievement of Spanish-English emergent bilingual (EB) children across the elementary grades. This project explores how language skills in both English and Spanish relate to broader academic outcomes, as well as how family, school, and socioeconomic factors shape Spanish-English EBs’ educational trajectories. By leveraging large-scale longitudinal data, we aim to generate insights into the diverse experiences of Spanish-English bilingual children and highlight pathways that support their language, literacy, and academic success.

For the Teacher Beliefs in Bilingualism project, we investigate how pre-service and in-service teachers’ beliefs and attitudes toward bilingualism shape their instructional practices and expectations for emergent bilingual (EB) students. This project examines the extent to which teachers view bilingualism as an asset versus a barrier to learning, and how these beliefs influence classroom language use, support for heritage languages, and opportunities for bilingual students’ academic growth. By understanding the role of teacher beliefs, we aim to identify ways to strengthen teacher preparation and professional development so that educators are better equipped to support bilingual children’s learning and affirm their linguistic and cultural identities.

For the Home Technology Environment in Bilingual Families project, we are conducting a systematic review of research on how children ages 0–8 in bilingual households engage with digital technologies at home. This project synthesizes evidence across studies to understand the types of technologies families use, how parents and caregivers support children’s bilingual development through digital media, and the implications for language, literacy, and learning. We also examine how family background factors, including socioeconomic status, shape access to and use of technology in bilingual homes. The goal of this project is to provide a clear evidence base on the role of home technology environments in supporting young bilingual children’s learning and development, offering insights for educators, policymakers, and families.