Dr. Sonia Nieto
Dr. Sonia Nieto, Professor Emerita of Language, Literacy and Culture at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, is a luminary in the field of multicultural and multilingual education.
Her numerous books and publications have been used widely by teachers and teacher educators, and her many awards include the Governor's Award in Humanities from Mass Humanities and induction into the Multilingual Education Hall of Fame. Her memoir is entitled Brooklyn Dreams: My Life in Public Education. Among her many activities, Dr. Nieto is a member of the Young at Heart chorus in Western Massachusetts.
In this interview with Colorín Colorado, Dr. Nieto talks about growing up in Brooklyn and the memorable educational experiences that would one day shape and inform her research interests. She also offers tips for educators of multilingual students and words of encouragement for today's teachers.
Resources for Professional Learning
These videos will make great additions to ELL professional development and teacher training! To help get you started, we have created a slide show with all of the video clips and related discussion questions, featured below.
Growing Up in Brooklyn
Dr. Sonia Nieto talks about growing up in Brooklyn, NY, shares stories about her parents and siblings, and reflects on the message she would give to young Sonia today.
Early Experiences with Language
Dr. Sonia Nieto talks about her early experiences with language, such as entering school without speaking English and, once she learned English, becoming a translator for her mother. She also talks about the value of maintaining the home language and how language and culture are connected.
My Life in Education
Dr. Sonia Nieto talks about her path from a hardworking student and avid reader to becoming a teacher and teacher educator. She also recalls the difficulties of her first year as a teacher and offers words of encouragement for teachers in today's classrooms.
Teaching Multilingual Learners
Dr. Sonia Nieto offers words of advice for educators of English learners and multilingual learners, as well as tips for celebrating students' cultures and welcoming families. In addition, she highlights the expertise of ELL and bilingual educators, which can often be overlooked within their school settings.
Professional Learning
This Colorín Colorado slide show features our interview with Dr. Sonia Nieto and can be used for professional development sessions. Please share attribution to Colorín Colorado.
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