Abigail Calderon

Abigail (Cullen) Calderon is an accomplished Emergent Bilingual Educator and Advocate with over a decade of experience in dual language instruction and curriculum development. Abigail is the founder of Bilingual Corazón Educational Consulting, a company dedicated to supporting educators in effectively serving multilingual learners. Through instructional coaching, professional development, and consulting, she helps schools implement best practices, culturally relevant pedagogy, and inclusive strategies that strengthen language development and student success. Abigail is passionate about preparing and empowering educators to create learning environments where multilingual students thrive and their linguistic and cultural assets are valued.

Previously serving at Elmhurst District 205 Public Schools, she has taught second through fifth-grade students, coached dual language programs, and collaborated with biliteracy consultants to design culturally relevant curricula for emergent bilingual learners. Abigail’s leadership as a Dual Language Instructional Coach includes co-planning and co-teaching with educators, conducting coaching cycles, facilitating professional learning communities (PLCs), supporting parent mentors, and contributing to the Dual Language Parent Advisory Committee (DPAC). Passionate about equity, excellence, and social justice in education, Abigail specializes in dual language instruction, program development, and virtual learning integration. She has expertise in developing biliteracy-focused curricula using backward design, implementing research-based strategies for emergent bilinguals, and leveraging educational technology to enhance instruction. Her work emphasizes culturally and socially just practices, personalized professional development, and capacity building for teachers and school districts to deliver effective bilingual education. Abigail holds a Master’s degree in Dual Language Teacher Leadership from Roosevelt University and a Bilingual ESL Endorsement.

Her professional development experience spans from best practices in dual language instruction, translanguaging, curriculum and assessment, educational technology, literacy and math workshop models, standards-based instruction, engagement strategies, and differentiated learning experiences.

Abigail fosters multilingualism not only in her professional work but also within her own family.

At home, she and her husband intentionally speak both Spanish and English with their sons and

have enrolled their four-year-old in a dual-language program so that bilingualism and biliteracy

are a natural part of their child’s development.

Her commitment to multilingual education is also

informed by her experience teaching in Ávila, Spain, where she deepened her understanding of

language immersion and cross-cultural learning. In addition, Abigail has volunteered through her

church on mission trips to Oaxaca, Mexico. These experiences strengthened her connection to Spanish-speaking communities and reinforced the importance of culturally responsive engagement.

Her Christian faith has been the driving force behind serving others. She is a servant leader at heart and praises Jesus for all of her personal and professional opportunities in her life.

Through her leadership, advocacy, and commitment to culturally and socially just practices, Abigail Calderon continues to empower educators and students alike, fostering inclusive learning and academically rigorous environments. Abigail continues to support educators and students through best practices in multilingual instruction, coaching, and advocacy—her bilingual corazón truly thriving in two languages.

"Nothing is impossible with God. "- Luke 1:37