Moving together: some strategies for inclusion

In this brief paper, we would like to share some strategies we evolved to make our classroom a more inclusive space in the way languages were used within the context of the two courses we taught in the MA Ed programme: Language, Mind and Society (LMS) and Teaching English Language in India (TELI). The students came from diverse linguistic backgrounds, with varied levels of proficiency in English, especially in formal, academic writing. Despite the fact that the students were doing these courses in their third and final semesters respectively, many students felt oppressed by the demands of writing in English and particularly the argumentative, discursive essay. In addition, several students felt left out as they could not share their experiences and insights due to their diffidence in using English; and this exclusion is surely a loss for all. We wish to argue that language, which can potentially bring the diverse worlds of our students into the class, can equally serve to privilege one exclusive ‘world’, one particular language and one style of using that language

7. Re-visioning Translation for Multilingual Education in India

There is a puzzling paradox at the core of modern Indian education. A large majority of non-literate people in the school of life, outside the four walls of the classroom, manage their personal and professional lives, learning and using the languages needed for their purposes without any formal schooling. However, a large majority of students who go through 10 to 12 years of schooling, in which curricular space and time are mandated for the teaching of two or three languages, are not able to ..

Teaching in two tongues rethinking the role of language(s) in teacher education in India

This article is a sharing of emergent ideas about the potential role of languages in teacher education (TE) programmes in multilingual contexts in India. Languages play a critical role in TE programmes where they shape both the learning as well as the future teaching of prospective teachers. This role acquires particular significance in multilingual contexts, such as those encountered in most Indian settings. We draw upon multiple disciplines to develop a theoretical conception of language and language learning that is both socio-culturally located as well as critical in nature. We contextualise the discussion by describing the situation vis-à-vis languages and language teaching in India. Next, we develop and describe a rationale for adopting a bilingual/multilingual position in TE programmes in India. Finally, we describe a few possibilities for the practice of language teaching. The article should be read as an invitation to further study and dialogue, rather than as a definitive position on the issues addressed

Gender and Indian literary awards : what do the numbers say?

The distribution of Sahitya Akademi awards shows the fairly predictable pattern of gender gaps. Starting from 1955, and across two dozen languages, less than one-tenth of all awards have gone to women. However, since the 1990s, there has been an overall increase in the awards given to women writers

Plurilinguisme et pluriculturalisme

Rares sont les sociétés contemporaines qui ne sont pas pluriculturelles et plurilingues, en raison notamment de l'émergence de l'anglais comme nouvelle lingua franca et de l'augmentation des flux migratoires des quarante dernières années. Dans un contexte de mutations sociales et économiques mondiales sans précédent, les défis posés par les politiques linguistiques et culturelles font désormais partie intégrante de notre quotidien. Mais quels sont leurs véritables enjeux – juridiques, politiques, culturels et symboliques – ainsi que leurs incidences sur l'éducation, la traduction ou les langues autochtones ? Dans une perspective résolument interdisciplinaire, ce livre fait état de la recherche collective sur la question du plurilinguisme officiel dans plusieurs pays et de solutions concrètes à des problèmes communs. Sa pertinence et son originalité résident autant dans l'actualité que dans la ferme volonté de réfléchir aux réformes à envisager afin que chaque citoyen ait la possibilité, selon l'idéal de la diversité universelle prôné par l'UNESCO, de s'exprimer, d'apprendre et d'exercer ses droits civiques dans la langue de son choix