Beth Garcia, Ph.D.
Sylvia Nugent Professor of Education
Associate Professor ESL/Bilingual Education
Office: Old Main, Room 436
Email: egarcia@wtamu.edu
Phone: 806-651-2609
Professional Profile
Dr. Beth A. Garcia joined the College of Education and Social Sciences at West Texas A&M University in 2012 and currently serves as Associate Professor of ESL and Reading Education and Sylvia Nugent Professor of Education. She earned a B.A. in English and an M.Ed. in Reading Specialist from West Texas A&M University, and a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Language and Literacy and a minor in ESL/Bilingual Education from Texas Tech University.
Dr. Garcia brings over two decades of experience in education, including eleven years as a classroom teacher in Hereford ISD, where she taught grades 5–10. At WTAMU, she has held multiple leadership roles, including Director of Teacher Preparation and Certification Officer and Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs. Through these roles, she has led large-scale program development, certification initiatives, and partnerships aimed at strengthening educator preparation, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
Her work has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Sylvia Nugent Endowed Professorship and induction into the Texas A&M System Chancellor’s Academy of Teacher Educators for excellence in teacher preparation.
Teaching and Related Service
Dr. Garcia teaches a range of undergraduate and graduate courses focused on ESL methods, language development, secondary reading, multicultural literature, and writing instruction. Her teaching emphasizes evidence-based practices, experiential learning, and preparing educators to effectively serve culturally and linguistically diverse populations. She has also developed curriculum, alternative certification programming, and clinical teaching redesign initiatives impacting hundreds of teacher candidates.
She is deeply engaged in mentorship, serving as a mentor for Fulbright scholars, graduate students, and undergraduate research projects. Her commitment to student success extends beyond the classroom through supervision of clinical experiences and individualized coaching.
Dr. Garcia is actively involved in university, state, and professional service. She has served in leadership roles such as Chair of the Educator Preparation Program Advisory Council, member of Faculty Senate, and contributor to statewide initiatives through the Undergraduate Education Advisory Council. She is also co-chair of the scholarship committee and an active participant in the college’s Go Global study abroad initiatives, supporting international experiential learning opportunities.
Research and Creative Activity
Dr. Garcia’s research agenda centers on literacy, bilingualism, second language acquisition, and effective pedagogical practices for diverse learners. Her scholarly work explores adolescent literacy, identity development, culturally responsive teaching, and innovative instructional strategies such as the use of young adult literature and experiential learning models.
She has authored and co-authored numerous peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and instructional materials, with publications appearing in journals such as Texas Educator Preparation, Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools, and the International Journal of Linguistics, Literature, and Culture. Her work often bridges theory and practice, with a strong emphasis on improving teacher preparation and addressing current challenges such as teacher shortages and educational equity.
Dr. Garcia is also an active presenter at regional, national, and international conferences, sharing research on topics including mixed reality simulations in teacher preparation, experiential learning, and educator pipelines. Her funded grant work supports initiatives in literacy intervention, instructional coaching, study abroad impact, and teacher preparation innovation.
Her current creative and scholarly projects include co-authoring a book on transformative study abroad experiences and developing children’s literature, further reflecting her commitment to literacy and educational impact across contexts.