Panel Discussion: Transforming Language Education – Diversity, Engagement and Innovation
Panelists: Bessie Dendrinos, Sandra Zappa-Hollman, Khaled Al Masaeed
Moderators: Thomas Tinnefeld & Michael Carrier (ICC Board Members)
Abstract
In the current global perspectives of language education, the imperatives for transforming language teaching and learning are pivotal due to several factors. Firstly, globalisation has intensified interconnectedness and cultural exchange, necessitating a shift towards more inclusive and diverse educational practices to accommodate learners from various linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Furthermore, evolving societal norms and values emphasise the importance of equity, engagement and inclusivity, driving a paradigm shift in language education. Additionally, technological advancements have revolutionised language instruction and acquisition, offering opportunities for innovative approaches to language education.
This panel discussion, titled “Transforming Language Education – Diversity, Engagement, and Innovation,” brings together experts from Europe, Canada, and the USA to discuss these pivotal issues and address the pressing need for transformation in language education. Bessie Dendrinos, representing Europe, will explore linguistic mediation as a curricular element in language education for the development of learners’ plurilingualism, highlighting its significance in promoting linguistic empowerment and inclusivity. Sandra Zappa-Hollman, representing Canada, will examine the challenges and possibilities of supporting inclusive teaching practices for diverse student populations, shedding light on the complexities faced by instructors in adapting to shifting educational landscapes. From the perspective of the USA, Khaled Al Masaeed will elucidate the transformative potential of multilingual translanguaging in addressing global challenges within language education, emphasising its role in promoting cross-cultural understanding and linguistic fluidity.
The panel discussion will follow a structured format, with each panelist presenting their insights followed by a brief Q&A session. Moderators Thomas Tinnefeld and Michael Carrier will facilitate cross-panel dialogue and audience participation, fostering an engaging and collaborative discussion. By examining the promotion of inclusive pedagogies, the cultivation of interactive learning environments, and the integration of technology, this panel seeks to contribute to scholarly dialogue, foster collaborative initiatives and drive transformative change within language education.
Bio
Prof Bessie Dendrinos is Professor Emerita at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), Director of the Research Centre for Language Teaching and Assessment (RCeL), and Head of the Scientific Committee of the Centre of Excellence for Multilingualism and Language Policy (CEM) at the NKUA. Since 2003, she has been President of the Examination Board of the Greek national foreign languages examination suite (known as KPG). Her research interests lie in foreign language pedagogy, curriculum and materials development, plurilingual competence and intra-/cross-linguistic mediation, language testing and assessment. Yet, her keen interest in socially accountable applied linguistics has also led her to investigate the bureaucratic discourse in Greek public documents, as well as linguistically construed gender ideology and the linguistic representations of poverty and of ecology. She publishes in English and Greek, but some of her publications have also appeared in Spanish, Portuguese and French. The Hegemony of English (Routledge), co-authored with D. Macedo and P. Gounari received the 2004 American Educational Studies Association Critics’ Choice Award in the USA, and was later translated in Portuguese, Spanish and Greek. She has been President of the ECSPM since 2014 and instigator of the ECSPM-CURUM.
Dr Sandra Zappa-Hollman is Associate Professor in TESL at the University of British Columbia, Canada. Her research aims to expand our understanding of the experiences of learners and instructors in increasingly diversified educational contexts. Her teaching and scholarship have focused on maximizing opportunities for supporting academic discourse development and integration through the adoption of inclusive pedagogies. She’s co-editor of the Routledge Handbook of CLIL, and has publications in peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes (e.g., TESOL Quarterly, International Journal of Bilingualism and Bilingual Education; Language, Culture, and Curriculum; The Handbook of English Language Teaching). For more details, please visit https://lled.educ.ubc.ca/sanda-zappa-hollman/
Dr Khaled Al Masaeed is Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics and Arabic Studies at Carnegie Mellon University, USA. His scholarship focuses on underscoring the relationship between language ideologies and everyday sociolinguistic practices in societal and individual language use contexts. He has published widely on second language pragmatics and multilingual translanguaging, and his work has appeared in peer-reviewed venues such as Applied Linguistics and The Modern Language Journal. At CMU, he mentors graduate students in SLA and teaches courses in Arabic Studies, SLA, and Applied Multilingual Studies. Khaled serves as the general editor for Routledge’s book series Topics in Arabic Applied Linguistics.