The Research to Practice Gap

Helen Flores
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  • EDUCATION

As a special educator, I struggled to find truly effective ways to support my students. I joined professional organizations, but didn’t have the time to sift through journals or navigate lengthy resource pages. I attended required professional development, yet it wasn’t always engaging—or useful.Welcome to The Research to Practice Gap, a podcast created to bridge exactly that divide. Each month, I sit down with a researcher in the field of education to translate research into practical, evidence-based strategies and activities you can use in your classroom right away.

Episodes

  1. Humanizing the Classroom: Restorative Practices & Student Voice

    MAR 24

    Humanizing the Classroom: Restorative Practices & Student Voice

    In this episode of The Research to Practice Gap, Dr. D’Annette Mullen of Boston University talks about disrupting disproportionate discipline in schools through art, restorative practices, relationship-building, and student voice.  Join our newsletter community for practical insights, implementation tips, and resources!  Semicolon Books Works by Dr. Mullen: Racism by Another Name: Black Students, Overrepresentation, and the Carceral State of Special Education Chapter 4: It’s All About Relationships: (Re)Imagining Classroom Dynamics to Foster Student EngagementQuote mentioned in the episode: “When there's no name for a problem, you can't solve it” - Kimberlé Crenshaw Resources for Teachers Recommended restorative practices workbook: Circle Forward: Building a Restorative School CommunityUsing Restorative Practices ProactivelyArtful Integration: Restorative Practices, the Arts, and Evidence-Based ImpactRespect From Day OneResearch & Background Anti-Black state violence, classroom edition: The spirit murdering of Black children by: Bettina L. LoveThe U.S. spent $30 billion to ditch textbooks for laptops and tablets: The result is the first generation less cognitively capable than their parents by Sasha RogelbergAnswer Sheet: Bill Gates Spent Hundreds of Millions of Dollars to Improve Teaching. New Report Says It Was a Bust by Valerie StraussThe Neuroscience Behind Writing: Handwriting vs. Typing—Who Wins the Battle? (Marano et al., 2025)Artwork and logo by The Interior Gaze Send us Fan Mail

    31 min
  2. Who Gets to Be “Gifted”? Access, Bias, and Twice/Thrice Exceptional Learners

    MAR 10

    Who Gets to Be “Gifted”? Access, Bias, and Twice/Thrice Exceptional Learners

    In this episode, Dr. Alejandra A. Fernandez-Morgado shares research-based insights on special education, gifted education, and creating more equitable opportunities for diverse learners.  Join our newsletter community for practical insights, implementation tips, and resources!  Find all of Dr. Alejandra Fernandez Morgado’s work here Book and quote mentioned in the podcast: Quote by Paola Ramos: “Storytelling has always been a form of resistance for generations of Latinos. Some have used it to resist assimilation; others to resist change and preserve the past.” Defectors by Paola Ramos Resources for Teachers Supporting translanguaging in your classroomSchool-Wide Enrichment ModelThe Fairchild ChallengeTestimonioMore TestimonioCultural sustaining/relevant/responsive practicesReimagining homeworkEquity in School–Parent Partnerships: Cultivating Community and Family Trust in Culturally Diverse ClassroomsIncluding student voice in educational decisionsResearch & Background FLDOE Plan B for GiftedBushi, J., Aliaj, A., & Kristo, E. (2024). Homework and Academic Success: A Critical Appraisal of Research and Practices. Journal of Education and Human Development, 13(2), 57-69.Chávez-Moreno, L. C. (2024). Examining race in LatCrit: A systematic review of Latinx critical race theory in education. Review of Educational Research, 94(4), 501-538.DeNicolo, C. P., González, M., Morales, S., & Romaní, L. (2015). Teaching Through Testimonio: Accessing Community Cultural Wealth in School. Journal of Latinos and Education, 14(4), 228–243. https://doi.org/10.1080/15348431.2014.1000541Floyd, E. F. (2024). Supporting thrice exceptional gifted students. Teaching for High Potential, 4-5.Haller-Gryc, I. (2022). When Teachers Are the Gatekeepers of Gifted and Talented Programs: Potential Factors for English Learners' Underrepresentation and Possible Solutions. Journal of English Learner Education. (14)1.Novak, A. M. (2022). Not white saviors, but critical scholars: The need for gifted critical race theory. In Creating equitable services for the gifted: Protocols for identification, implementation, and evaluation (pp. 246-262). IGI Global Scientific Publishing.Artwork and logo by The Interior Gaze   Send us Fan Mail

    33 min
  3. Beyond Deficit Thinking: Culturally Responsive Teaching in Action

    FEB 23

    Beyond Deficit Thinking: Culturally Responsive Teaching in Action

    In our first episode of The Research to Practice Gap, Dr. Helen Flores sits down with Dr. Buruuj Tunsill to explore how educators can better serve racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse (RELD) students in special education — particularly in under-resourced and high-needs schools. This episode bridges research and lived classroom experience, offering concrete strategies educators can begin using immediately. Join our newsletter community for practical insights, implementation tips, and resources!  Dr. Tunsill's Book: How to Better Serve Racially, Ethnically, and Linguistically Diverse (RELD) Students in Special Education: A Guide for Under-resourced Educators and High-needs Schools Resources for Teachers Recognizing Bias by the National Education Association Tools to Avoid and Address Deficit Thinking — University of TennesseeTransforming Urban Education Through Hip Hop Pedagogy — Edmund AdjapongSparking Engagement with Hip Hop — EdutopiaCulturally Responsive Teaching Guide — University of San DiegoStrategies and Resources to Support Trauma-Informed Schools — SchoolSafety.govResearch Articles Referenced Cruz, R. A., & Rodl, J. E. (2018). An Integrative Synthesis of Literature on Disproportionality in Special Education. The Journal of Special Education, 52(1), 50–63. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022466918758707 Katsiyannis, A., Zhang, D., Ettekal, I., et al. (2025). Minority Representation in Special Education: 5-Year Trends from 2016–2020. Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 9, 23–36. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41252-023-00387-6 La Salle, T. P., Wang, C., Wu, C., & Rocha Neves, J. (2020). Racial Mismatch among Minoritized Students and White Teachers: Implications and Recommendations for Moving Forward. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 30(3), 314–343. https://doi.org/10.1080/10474412.2019.1673759 Rasheed, D. S., Brown, J. L., Doyle, S. L., & Jennings, P. A. (2020). The Effect of Teacher–Child Race/Ethnicity Matching and Classroom Diversity on Children's Socioemotional and Academic Skills. Child Development, 91(3), e597–e618. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13275 Bal, A., Kozleski, E. B., Schrader, E. M., Rodriguez, E. M., & Pelton, S. (2014). Systemic Transformation from the Ground–Up: Using Learning Lab to Design Culturally Responsive Schoolwide Positive Behavioral Supports. Remedial and Special Education, 35(6), 327–339. https://doi.org/10.1177/0741932514536995 Artwork and logo Send us Fan Mail

    28 min

  4. TRAILER

    Welcome to the Research to Practice Gap!

    As a special educator, I struggled to find truly effective ways to support my students. I joined professional organizations, but didn’t have the time to sift through journals or navigate lengthy resource pages. I attended required professional development, yet it wasn’t always engaging—or useful. Welcome to The Research to Practice Gap, a podcast created to bridge exactly that divide. Each month, I sit down with a researcher in the field of education to translate research into practical, evidence-based strategies and activities you can use in your classroom right away. Send us Fan Mail

    1 min

Trailer

About

As a special educator, I struggled to find truly effective ways to support my students. I joined professional organizations, but didn’t have the time to sift through journals or navigate lengthy resource pages. I attended required professional development, yet it wasn’t always engaging—or useful.Welcome to The Research to Practice Gap, a podcast created to bridge exactly that divide. Each month, I sit down with a researcher in the field of education to translate research into practical, evidence-based strategies and activities you can use in your classroom right away.

Information

  • Creator
    Helen Flores
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    4
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Research to Practice Gap
  • Show Website
    The Research to Practice Gap