Zahra Safdarian is a PhD candidate in Language and Literacies Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto, with a collaborative specialization in Comparative, International, and Development Education. Her research focuses on culturally responsive and linguistically inclusive approaches to immigrant parental engagement, centering Persian-speaking Afghan, Iranian, and Tajiki families in Ontario. Grounded in Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT), Community-Based Participatory Action Research (CBPAR), and translanguaging theory, Zahra’s work explores how multilingual families navigate educational systems and co-construct tools to bridge systemic barriers. Drawing on her background as an educator and language instructor for newcomers, she designs and facilitates participatory workshops that affirm families’ cultural and linguistic resources as assets in education.
Safdarian, Zahra
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