Engaging Families in a Multilingual, Multicultural Environment

National Louis University, 5202 Old Orchard Rd, Skokie, IL | Get Directions »
FREE

National Louis University welcomes Soo Hong, Ph.D., Assistant Professor at Wellesly College, for a presentation on "Engaging Families in a Multilingual, Multicultural Environment," February 28 at 6pm at the North Shore campus, 5202 Old Orchard Rd., Skokie.

Dr. Hong will present an overview of common definitions and conceptions of family engagement in schools while also inviting participants to talk about current practices and dilemmas in engaging families. She will provide a series of alternative family engagement frameworks that address the needs of multilingual/ multicultural communities and that disrupt the traditional power dynamics between schools and communities. Part of this session will focus on specific strategies that explore the role of family literacy efforts in building new and meaningful relationship between schools and families.

Dr. Hong is an Assistant Professor of Education at Wellesley College, Wellseley, MA. Her research focuses on the relationship between schools, families, and communities, and includes a case study of the family literacy developed through Logan Square Neighborhood Association in Chicago. She examines issues such as parent engagement and school-community partnerships, particularly in communities with socioeconomic, cultural and linguistic diversity. These research questions originate from her experience as an elementary and middle school humanities teacher. Her recent book, "A Cord of Three Strands: A New Approach to Parent Engagement in Schools," is available through Harvard Education Press.

This free event is sponsored by NLU's ESL STEM Success Grant. Following the event will be a reception and book signing with Dr. Hong. For more information, please contact the ESL STEM Success Grant Coordinator, Annie Noorts at annie.noorts@nl.edu. We kindly request that groups of 10 or more RSVP to this event.