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My name is Zuhra Gazali Abbamin. I am Somali-American and a certified ESL teacher with experience across K–12 and adult education. Most recently, I served as a high school English Learner (EL) teacher at a Tier 1 International Baccalaureate (IB) school with three language tracks. I worked with my students from 9th grade through 11th, supporting them in English Language Development, co-teaching in core content classes, and partnering closely with families. During my time there, I helped multiple students successfully exit the WIDA ACCESS exam—2 students in my first year and 6 students in my second year.

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Before that, I was an English instructor at a Tier 1 family literacy program in Washington, D.C. I graduated from George Washington University's Graduate School of Education and Human Development in May 2019 with a degree in International Education. This program allowed me to conduct international research on foreign language instruction in Cuba, explore literacy initiatives in East Africa, and study impact investing in Rwanda. My research centers on the role families play in their children's literacy development and the transformative power of mother-tongue instruction.

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I also hold a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certificate from Lado International Institute in Washington, D.C., founded on Dr. Robert Lado’s communicative approach to language learning. Dr. Lado was a renowned linguist and co-founder of the TESOL organization.

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Truly, language and stories are my pulse—fluent in three, playful in more.

Zuhra Gazali