Conference on Teaching Methodologies in interdisciplinary contexts and Mapping Sociolinguistic Diversity begins
Aligarh: The Department of English, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) began a three-day International Conference, sponsored by ICSSR, New Delhi, on “Appropriate Teaching Methodologies in Interdisciplinary Contexts: Mapping Sociolinguistic Diversity”, that aims to promote inclusivity, sustainability, and social justice. It is the sixth conference in a row organized by the Department, ranging from Anthropocene, Joyce-Eliot-Woolf, Indian Poetry, Post-Truth, Disability Studies to Appropriate Teaching Methodologies, besides many lectures, preconference, book discussions and students’ literary events.
The Guest of Honour, Prof Shobha Satyanath, Former Professor, Department of Linguistics, University of Delhi, discussed the areas of study in sociolinguistics such as speech communities, language variation and issues with grammar. She said Sociolinguistics serves as vernacular in everyday speech, stating that language will be shaped as everyday speech. “The theme of the conference is to build communication and not just English Language”, Prof Shobha added.
In his welcome address, Prof Mohammad Asim Siddiqui shed light on the heritage of the Department of English, emphasizing that it was a historical moment for the English Language Teaching program. He informed that the seeds of the language teaching were sown long back in the 1950s in the Department by Prof Amalendu Bose. Later during Badruddin Tyabji’s period as Vice Chancellor in the 1960s, English language got a further boost with the British Council facilitating visits of foreign scholars in India. Many faculty members of the Department of English did some language courses from British Universities. In the late 1980s Prof Munir Ahmad and in 90s Prof S. Rizwan Husain adopted ELT. The upshot of these efforts was a BA programme in Communicative English and an MA programme in English Language Teaching which started in late 1990s. Prof Siddiqui also discussed the theme of the Conference.
Prof Raashid Nehal, Conference Convener shared his thoughts on conceptualizing the conference themes and aims. He highlighted the concerns of the conference that it is socially relevant, inclusive, learner empowered, and provides equitable opportunities for classroom teaching, explaining how teachers filter their own methodologies in language learning that are often unnoticed.
Mr. Tausifur Rahman, Co-Founder and Director, Stepping Cloud Consulting Private Ltd delineated the three phases of learning and referred to Phase 1 as Digital learning, Phase 2- Assisted learning as methodology and, Phase 3 as using technology referring to research library. He talked about the launch of the “Urdu for all” application, a venture to take the Urdu language to another level.
Prof Arif Nazir, Dean, Faculty of Arts, AMU congratulated the Chairperson of the Department, for organising yet another conference on a topic of international significance that encompasses all the teaching discipline. He said, “Our lives are incomplete without the literary studies”, and explained the relevance of translation studies that serves as the bridge between language and culture.
Delivering the keynote lecture, Prof Suresh Canagarajah, Edwin Erle Sparks Professor, Department of Applied Linguistics and English, Penn State University, USA shared his experiences of language teaching and learning.
“English is the language of the world, whoever and in whichever part English is to be taught, it has to be taught in the way they speak the language”, Prof Canagarajah said. He discussed the second narrative- Creolization as Everyday Practice that highlighted the aspects of teaching methodology. He further shared the third narrative that embodied Communicative Practices. He also talked about the colonial language ideologies, throwing the light on Macaulay’s minutes.
Prof Raashid Nehal proposed a vote of thanks. The inaugural session was conducted by Dr. Zainab Sarwat.