Ashleigh Larkin PelafigueDr. Ashleigh Pelafigue , an Assistant Professor of Elementary Education, is an experienced educator and scholar with a deep commitment to literacy and language development. She earned her B.S. in Early Childhood Education from the University of New Oleans in 2008 and began her teaching career. Throughout her career, Dr. Pelafigue has focused on literacy acquisition, earning a Masters degree in this field in 2012 and a Doctoral degree in literacy, language development, and educational research in 2018, all while continuing to teach students in local public-school districts. With over 15 years of classroom experience, Dr. Pelafigue has worked in various educational roles, including classroom teacher, mentor teacher, and Master Teacher, adjunct instructor, and is currently full-time faculty at her alma mater, the University of New Orleans. Her work has particularly focused on elementary education, foundational literacy skills, the effects of experiential learning on preservice and novice teachers, and the impact of education on student motivation and performance in economically disadvantaged communities before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Read More Read Less