Hong Thi Dinh

Hong Thi Dinh is a Senior Lecturer in Vietnamese at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, specializing in Vietnamese language pedagogy and materials development. She has over 18 years of experience teaching Vietnamese as a second/foreign language, including roles at the U.S. and German consulates in Ho Chi Minh City prior to joining UW-Madison in 2008. Since 2017, she has coordinated the Vietnamese language program at the Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute (SEASSI).

Education:

• M.A. in Southeast Asian Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison (2021)
• Certificate in Teaching Vietnamese for Foreigners, Vietnamese Language Studies Saigon (2005)
• B.A. in English, University of Da Lat, Vietnam (1998)

Research Focus: Hong’s work centers on developing instructional materials and assessments for Vietnamese language education. She has authored oral proficiency and reading materials, co-authored the Oral Proficiency Guidelines for Vietnamese (via the Southeast Asian Language Council), and led a U.S.-Vietnam team to create standardized reading assessments (2022).

Awards:

• Dr. Brenda Pfachler Award of Excellence (2013), Center for Education Opportunity

Professional Contributions: Active in collaborative projects through organizations like SEALC, Hong also maintains a dual role teaching during the academic year and leading intensive summer programs. Her efforts emphasize bridging pedagogical innovation with practical language instruction.