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. Currently 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 educational technology, literacy and math workshop models, standards-based instruction, engagement strategies, and differentiated learning in hybrid and remote environments. Committed to fostering inclusive and academically rigorous environments, Abigail continues to support educators and students through bilingual instruction, coaching, and advocacy—her bilingual corazón truly thriving in two languages.

• Governors State University Bilingual Certificate , Bilingual and Multilingual Education

• Indiana University Bloomington - BA
• Roosevelt University: Masters in Dual Language Teacher Leadership

• Mission Trip to Oaxaca Mexico in 2018