Aligarh: Cross-cultural Communication Specialists, ELT Experts Discuss Teaching Methodologies in Interdisciplinary Context at AMU

Aligarh: English is the language of the world, whoever and in whichever part it is to be taught, it has to be taught in the way they speak the language, said Professor Suresh Canagarajah, Department of Applied Linguistics and English, Penn State University, USA, while sharing his experiences of language teaching and learning at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).

At a conference titled ‘appropriate teaching methodologies in interdisciplinary context: mapping the sociolinguistics diversity’, 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.

The three-day event organised by the Department of English witnessed cross-cultural communication specialists, ELT experts, linguists and faculty members, exploring the areas of study in interdisciplinary context such as English language teaching methodologies, constructive approaches to teaching, inclusivity, cross-cultural communication, AI generated teachings and methods, pedagogies related to methodologies, cultures, regions, and needs, knowledge systems, appropriate pedagogy and assessment and addressing learning crisis.

During the valedictory session, Prof Imtiaz Hasnain of Maulana Azad National University (MANUU), Hyderabad, talked about linguistic entrepreneurship, ethno-linguistics identity and neo-liberal imagination.

He also focused upon how the English language has been developed as a language of bread and butter.

At a round table discussion on the topic ‘methodological diversity in classroom: contexts and perspectives, the academicians brought to focus the methods, linguistic and cultural diversities and the role of teachers in teaching the multilingual discourse community.

During her lecture titled ‘New World Englishes: What’s the Fuss All About”, Professor Shobha Satyanath discussed the internal diversity of the language, which is often overlooked by the dominant discourses.

Professor Avinash Kumar Singh, head of the Department of Educational Policy, NIEPA, New Delhi, expressed the concern of learning disadvantages as in the case of remote tribal language areas. He said they cannot access the home language because it is not the medium of instruction. In such cases, he said, the dropout rate is very high.

Discussing the idea of equity and justice, Professor Mirza Asmer Beg, dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, explained the relevance of the idea of multiculturalism.