Athens, Ga. – Sonia Nieto, a leading researcher, writer and teacher in the field of multiculturalism, will speak at two events during a visit to the University of Georgia campus Feb. 19-20.
Nieto, a professor emerita of language, literacy and culture in the University of Massachusetts-Amherst’s School of Education, will give a campus-wide lecture titled, “Finding Joy in Diverse Backgrounds: The Role of the University,” Feb. 19 from 6-7 p.m. in Masters Hall at the University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education.
There will be a meet-and-greet reception with Nieto immediately following the lecture in the Magnolia Ballroom. Space for the reception is limited and admission requires a reservation ticket, which can be requested at: http://nietoreception.eventbrite.com/.
Nieto will give a second lecture titled, “Aha! Moments in Language, Literacy, and Culture,” Feb. 20 at 3 p.m. in Room G-5 of Aderhold Hall in UGA’s College of Education.
Nieto has taught students ranging from elementary school through doctoral studies. Her research focuses on multicultural education, teacher education and the education of Latinos, immigrants and other students of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
She has written many journal articles and book chapters and several books on these topics including “Affirming Diversity: The Sociopolitical Context of Multicultural Education” (sixth edition, 2012, with Patty Bode), “The Light in Their Eyes: Creating Multicultural Learning Communities” (second edition, 2010) and “Language, Culture and Teaching: Critical Perspectives” (second edition, 2010).
She has won several awards in her field, most notably the 2005 Educator of the Year Award from the National Council of Teachers of English and the 1997 Multicultural Educator of the Year award from the National Association for Multicultural Education.
She serves on several regional and national advisory boards that focus on educational equity and social justice, and she has received many awards for her scholarship, teaching and advocacy, including four honorary doctorates. She was selected as a Fellow of the American Educational Research Association and as a Laureate for Kappa Delta Pi in 2011, and in 2012 she served as the Wits-Claude Distinguished Scholar at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
