Dr. Erica Dotson

Professor

Office: Arts & Sciences 205F
Teacher Education
College of Arts & Sciences
EricaDotson@clayton.edu

Biography

Erica K. Dotson, Ph.D. is Professor of teacher education and French language at Clayton State University. Erica also coordinates Clayton State’s ESOL Endorsement Program and directs the university’s Teacher Education in France study abroad experience. She received her Ph.D. in Educational Studies and French Linguistics from the Division of Educational Studies at Emory University in 2010. An expert in cultivating research-supported culturally sustaining pedagogical practices, Erica’s research focuses on amplifying opportunities for all students to become protagonists in their own learning by dismantling systems of oppression and hegemony in U.S. schools. Her research interests include: second language acquisition, linguistic justice for marginalized students, and resisting neoliberal assaults on teacher education. Beyond the classroom, Erica revels in serving in her Baha’í community and mothering three girls who make her light shine brighter.

Education

Ph D, Educational Studies and French Linguistics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 2010

MA, French, Georgia State University, 2005

MA, Applied Linguistics and Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL), Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, 2003

BA, French, Georgia State University, 2000

BBA, International Marketing, The University of Georgia, 1993

Awards and Honors

Dean's Diversity Leadership Award, College of Arts and Sciences, Award, 2018

President's Making Things Better Award, President Hynes, Award, 2019

Nominated for the 2024 Best Practice Award in Support of Global and International Perspectives Award, The American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education, Award, 2023

Intellectual Contributions

Erica K. Dotson, Linguistic Justice in Teacher Education, IGI Global – March 29 2024

Erica K. Dotson, Alison G. Dover, Nicolas Henning, Ruchi Agarwal-Rangnath, They Should See Themselves as Powerful: Teacher Educators, Agency, and Resisting TPAs, Peter Lang – December 2017

Erica K. Dotson, ESOL Continuing Review Report January 15 2019

Contracts, Grants, and Sponsored Research

Erica K. Dotson, 2017 CIEE Generation Study Abroad Access Grant, CIEE Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE), Private, 20000, Not Funded – Fall 2016 to Fall 2016

Laura Quaynor, Erica K. Dotson, Linguistic equity during and after the COVID-19 crisis: Designing and evaluating academic writing support modules in higher education in Egypt and the United States, Inter-Agency Network for Educational Emergencies, Other, 267250, Not Funded – June 2020 to Present

Presentations

LaTasha Adams, Winifred Nweke, Erica K. Dotson, Concurrent sessions include "From Access to Impact: Deigning Cross-Sector Pipelines for Equitable Student Success" by Dr. Latasha Adams, Winifred Nweke & Dr. Erica Dotson., Second Social Mobility Summit - Clayton State University, Clayton State University – June 25 2025

Erica K. Dotson, Who will I be to my future students: Pre-service teachers examine their intersectional identities while teaching English in Paris during study abroad., Conference on Education and Justice, UCLA School of Education and Information Studies – September 2025

Erica K. Dotson, Addressing Linguistic Oppression: Honoring Black English in the Classroom, Addressing Equity and Justice in Education, National Association of Multicultural Educators – November 2023

Service to the University & University System of Georgia

Department, Curriculum Committee, Committee Member – August 2010 to Present

College, Deans Diversity Initiative Committee, Committee Chair – August 2019 to August 2024

Department, PEPC, Committee Member – August 2010 to Present

Service to the Profession

Reviewer, Journal Article, Multicultural Perspectives May 2017 to Present

Teaching Interest

Justice and equity in K-12 classrooms
Introduction to Teacher Education
Teaching and Learning in international contexts

Research Interest

Linguistic justice in K-12 classrooms
Teacher Preparation for teachers of English Language Learners
Study Abroad as transformation