VNG Teacher Spotlight: Erika Hernandez

Erika Hernandez is a Secondary Science ESL Coach in Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, and is the VNG Science Teacher of the Month for February 2026. This means she engaged with the VNG more than any other Science teacher, nationwide!

Erika supports science teachers who serve Emergent Bilingual students and non-EB students, and has seen first-hand how the VNG can help students build meaning while developing academic language. Erika says:

As a secondary science EB coach, the Seidlitz Visual Non-Glossary has become one of my most impactful instructional tools. I use it to create ready-to-use resources for our science teachers across the district. Rather than simply defining terms, students actively construct understanding through visuals, meaningful connections, and academic language development. The Visual Non-Glossary has elevated how we approach academic language in science instruction for all learners.