AL.com’s Post

Congratulations to our colleague, Dr. Connie Makgabo, on her recent publication in the Journal for Language Teaching! Dr. Makgabo, a senior lecturer in the Department of Humanities Education and deputy chair of SAALT, served as the guest editor for this special issue and co-authored a paper in Sepedi with her Honours student, Keletso Makgobatlou. The paper, titled "Ditlhohlo tšeo di lebanego le barutwana ba Mphato wa Seswai dikolong tša go ikema tša Tshwane", explores the challenges faced by Grade 8 Sepedi learners in independent schools in Pretoria. Key findings include: - Learners speak multiple languages in Pretoria, and some parents speak different languages other than Sepedi. - Some teachers are not proficient in Sepedi, speaking other languages like Setswana, Sesotho, or IsiNdebele instead. - Independent schools often don't consider a teacher's language specialization when hiring. This research highlights the impact of language diversity on teaching and learning in multilingual contexts. Access the article here: https://lnkd.in/gGAc5vrE Well done, Dr. Makgabo! #LanguageTeaching #Multilingualism #Sepedi #EducationResearch

🌟 Enhancing Burmese Language Skills: A Step Towards Effective Education 🌟 SWOT Analysis for Learning Burmese Language The implementation of the Myanmar New Curriculum in the Rohingya response in Cox's Bazar since 2022 has been a vital step in providing quality education to over-age, out-of-school children and youth. Save the Children, through the Accelerated Learning Program (ALP), supports this initiative by ensuring access to education aligned with the Myanmar curriculum. Under this curriculum, Burmese is the primary language of instruction for all subjects except English. However, one critical challenge is the limited Burmese language proficiency among Bangladeshi facilitators and technical education personnel, impacting classroom effectiveness. With 44 organizations operating under the Cox’s Bazar Education Sector, addressing this gap is key to improving education delivery. Recognizing the linguistic overlap between Bengali and Burmese, there’s a unique opportunity for Bangladeshi personnel to acquire Burmese language skills with relative ease. By leveraging a SWOT analysis, we aim to explore the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of fostering Burmese language expertise among education personnel. This strategic approach can guide us in developing targeted solutions for enhancing the teaching and learning process, ultimately benefiting both facilitators and students. I am sharing my SWOT analysis to gather more insights and ideas Together, let's bridge this language gap and create a stronger, more inclusive education program! 🌏📘 #Education #RohingyaResponse #SaveTheChildren #BurmeseLanguage #MyanmarCurriculum

Hi Connections, Excited to share my latest research on English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) in Education. This study explores the perspectives of the students and teachers in Indonesia. Key insights include: Multilingualism in Practice: -Language Ideology -Institutional Policy You can read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/dHebTSxf I’d love to hear your thoughts, especially from researchers interested in learning about languages in practice.

🌍 New Research Published! 📚 Excited to share my latest research paper titled: "Perception of Teachers on Intercultural Communicative Competence in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in Balochistan", published in the Remittances Review (August 2024). This study explores how EFL teachers in Balochistan perceive and integrate Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) in their teaching. Despite varying levels of education, training, and experience, we found a shared recognition of the importance of teaching culture alongside language. The findings emphasize the growing relevance of ICC in a globalized world, underlining the need for language instructors to address cultural dimensions to foster effective communication. 🔍 Key Takeaways: Teachers’ perceptions of ICC influence their teaching approaches. ICC is a crucial skill in today’s multicultural and interconnected world. EFL teaching must go beyond language to include cultural awareness and understanding. I’m grateful to my co-authors, Khalida Naaz, Dr. Khadija Jaffar, and Seema Azeem, for their invaluable contributions and support throughout this research journey. For more details, you can access the full paper here: DOI: 10.33282/rr.vx9i4.6 #research #interculturalcommunication #EFL #education #Balochistan #culturalcompetence #globalization #remittancesreview

Sharing a preprint of a long book chapter -- Midway Approach to English Language (Education) and Literature in Nepal: A Decolonial Need - Haris C. Adhikari This is a research-based, in-depth book chapter that primarily covers debates and critical challenges surrounding the decolonial turn in English language (education) and literature in Nepal. Alongside, it follows issues of relevance of different varieties of English and English as a medium of instruction, rationales for multi-tiered English language policies, and roles and functions played by this language in the decolonial turn. The inquiry employs critical transformative dialogue (CTD) under constructivism and social constructivism. Few major findings are that this particular turn, which is still in infancy in many areas, and the ongoing project of mother tongue-based multilingual education (MTB-MLE) can benefit more from each other if they go ahead in a collaborative spirit, supporting each other. To this end, English language as a locally wielded weapon can help both fight back against Western hegemony and celebrate and/ or propagate the local/ indigenous. Alongside, the inquiry brings to light some interesting models of English that we are practicing or have potentials for. https://lnkd.in/dEnB_4zr

This is an interesting initiative. I think that all subjects matter, to the highest level possible, should be made available in all languages. My own mother tongue was significantly enhanced when the first Bible translation in Tshivenda was published less than 100 yrs ago. To think that in 2024 there isn't a Mathematics or Stats 1 book available in Tshivenda or any other language except English and Afrikaans in SA, shows how little progress has been made. Real decolonization will only happen when knowledge is easily accessible to the majority. https://lnkd.in/dNTYU93V

Last week, I read that the Rajasthan state government plans to revert over 100 government-run English-medium schools to Hindi medium in several districts. As someone who deeply values our culture and rich heritage, I find this step concerning. India's linguistic diversity is one of its greatest strengths, with 122 major languages and 1599 other languages spoken across the country. The 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution even recognises 22 languages with official status. However, despite this rich tapestry, the reality is that English has become a crucial global language, one that even countries like France, China, and Germany are increasingly recognising. Here are a few reasons why this move might not be beneficial for our students: 👉 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: The majority of higher education institutions outside of Rajasthan conduct their courses in English. If government schools are converted to Hindi medium, students from these schools may face significant hurdles in accessing these opportunities, potentially limiting their future prospects. 👉 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀: Important subjects such as physics, chemistry, and biology often lack comprehensive textbooks and competent faculty in Hindi. This could deprive students of quality education in these disciplines. 👉 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: English is widely spoken around the world, including in India. Limiting students to Hindi medium could hinder their ability to compete globally. 👉 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀: India's success in multinational companies, especially in sectors like technology and outsourcing sectors, is largely due to our proficiency in English. Restricting students to Hindi medium may impact their employability in these sectors. This reflects a broader trend that could deepen the divide between privileged and underprivileged students. While promoting regional languages is important, we must also ensure that our students are well-equipped to thrive in an interconnected global world. In fact, if English were to be eliminated, how would these students communicate across different regions within our own country? Instead of converting English-medium schools to Hindi medium, a more balanced approach would be to enhance the standards and curriculum of Hindi-medium schools. This would ensure that students are proficient in English as well, providing them with the best of both worlds—strong roots in their regional language and the ability to engage with the wider world. #schools #education #highereducation #english #hindi #academics

“The bi-lingual question paper is only for reference and to clear their doubts, if any. Students will not be allowed to write answers in the regional language as the medium of instruction is English,” what an irony, if the question is understood through regional language what will they write in the answer just "understood" ah.. language comes by practice only... we are spoiling our kids by just teaching in their language and expecting to write in English... #language #highereductaion

The way I think about language learning is heavily shaped by my experience of working with two Marathi Medium school students. As one would generally expect, both of them were good at Marathi as they were Marathi medium students and probably spoke Marathi as a mother tongue as well but their English language skills is where it gets interesting. One of them was brilliant at English — he spoke fluently and wrote well. The other was average at both speaking and writing English. Normally, if one hears someone went to a Marathi-medium school, one would assume their English wouldn’t be great but one of them proved that idea to be wrong. On the other side, one would expect someone from an English-medium school to be strong in English. But I know schoolmates who struggle to stitch together a sentence in English, even though they have had the advantage of English instruction. What’s my point? Language skills aren’t as tied to the school’s language of instruction as we might think. A student from a regional language school can master English with enough effort, just like a student from an English-medium school can struggle if they don’t put in the work.

Steal my secrets of teaching Swahili and French Are you a teacher looking to make bilingual learning in Kiswahili and French more engaging for your students? With over seven years of experience, I've discovered the secrets to captivating your students' interest and enhancing their language skills. Here's what I use to make learning fun and effective: - Chats - Videos - Images - Interactive activities - Multimedia resources - Culturally relevant materials These methods transform the classroom into a vibrant, interactive learning environment where students actively participate and are excited to achieve fluency in Kiswahili and French. By incorporating these best practices, you can make bilingual education a rewarding experience for your students. Ready to elevate your teaching methods? Connect with us today to explore innovative strategies for bilingual learning. #TeachingTips #Kiswahili #French #EducationInnovation #HappyFriday