Photo: Messenger
A three-day international conference, “Language Metamorphosis: Implications for Language Education in Decolonial Contexts”, ended at BRAC University on 30 November 2024. Organized by the BRAC Institute of Languages (BIL), the conference addressed the lasting effects of colonial legacies on language education and explored transformative, inclusive pedagogies.
With over 300 participants from Bangladesh and beyond, the event featured six keynote speeches, two plenary sessions, a colloquium, and 151 presentations.
Key topics included linguistic diversity, multilingual education, decolonial curriculum development, language policy, linguistic racism, and innovative strategies for inclusive teaching.
Keynote speakers included globally renowned scholars, namely, Professor Suresh Canagarajah from Pennsylvania State University, Professor Sender Dovchin from Curtin University, Professor Stephen May from the University of Auckland, Professor Emeritus Robert Phillipson from Copenhagen Business School, Professor Emeritus Sirpa Leppänen from the University of Jyväskylä, and Professor Emeritus Alastair Pennycook from the University of Technology Sydney.
The invited speakers included Dr. Pramod K. Sah from the Education University of Hong Kong, Dr. Obaid Hamid from the University of Queensland, Professor A. M. M. Hamidur Rahman from Daffodil International University, and Dr. Manjet Kaur Mehar Singh from Universiti Sains Malaysia.
They addressed critical issues related to translingualism and its role in shaping meaning, the social dimensions of language in pedagogy and assessment, language policy in the Global South with a focus on indigenous languages, and the hybridity of multilingual identities.
The conference also addressed linguistic imperialism, multilingualism in digital communication, the psychological effects of linguistic racism, and language’s role in societal change.
Professor Asifa Sultana (BRAC University) and Dr. Rafi Saleh (University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh) presented key research on decolonial language education and the intersection of language, identity, and social change.
In the closing ceremony, Lady Syeda Sarwat Abed, Advisor and Founder, BIL, highlighted the commitment to building a more inclusive and equitable world, expressing optimism about the conference's potential to drive transformative change in language education.
Dr. Arifa Rahman, Advisor, Bangladesh English Language Teachers Association (BELTA), and former Director and Professor, Institute of Modern Languages, University of Dhaka, praised the BIL's initiatives in organizing the conference and emphasized the importance of providing education in a language children understand, noting that 40% of people still lack access to such education.
Professor Syed Mahfuzul Aziz, PhD, Pro Vice-Chancellor, BRAC University, stressed the importance of depoliticizing education and emphasized that developing communication skills to use a language effectively is as important as merely learning it.
Emphasizing the need to challenge traditional approaches to language education, Professor Shaila Sultana, Ph.D., Director, BIL, and the conference convener, shared key insights and offered critical policy recommendations, expressing gratitude to all who contributed to the event's success.
Mr. Scott E. Hartmann, Director for Public Engagement, Public Diplomacy Section, US Embassy, also spoke in the event. The event concluded with a cultural evening showcasing performances by BRAC University students and Joler Gaan.
Messenger/Tushar
