This engaging and hands-on workshop is designed for teachers at all levels and explores translanguaging as a practice for multilingual classrooms. Teachers will gain a practical understanding of translanguaging and its implications in the Indian context. Through interactive activities and discussions, participants will analyse various beliefs regarding the use of students' home languages in the English classroom. Additionally, teachers will be equipped with three practical strategies to encourage translanguaging in multilingual settings. This workshop aims to support teachers in promoting and facilitating the learning of multilingual students by valuing their home or local language, and aid students’ cognition.
Speakers:
Sonali Bhattacharyya, Teacher educator and course developer, India
Sonali Bhattacharyya is an English language, Communication, and Soft skills consultant, as well as a teacher educator and content developer. She holds a doctorate in Applied Linguistics and a Post-graduate Diploma in the Teaching of English Language from the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU), Hyderabad.
With 15 years of experience, as a certified trainer for the Oxford Teachers' Academy, OUDCE, U.K. Sonali has conducted various teacher development and master trainer workshops. She also presents and trains for the Cambridge University Press & Assessment Teacher Support Programmes in India. Additionally, as a consultant with the British Council in India, she has been involved in teacher training, monitoring, and evaluation projects.
Sonali was a teacher trainer for the English Access Micro-scholarship Program, conducted by the U.S. Department of State, and for the Fulbright-Nehru English Teaching Assistantship Program run by USIEF. She has developed teaching and learning materials, as well as online training courses for Oxford University Press in India. Furthermore, she conducts professional development programs for teachers and students for various organizations, including EAQUALS, CENTA, and ELTAI, as well as colleges and universities across India.
Suyog Ashokrao Dixit, Resource Person, Azim Premji Foundation
Suyog is a teacher educator and English Language Education enthusiast from India, currently working as a language resource person for the Azim Premji Foundation. He has been actively involved in various teacher development initiatives with government and non-government institutes, serving as a module designer, teacher trainer, and TAG coordinator. He has worked as a material and digital resources creator for teachers in Maharashtra and Rajasthan.
Suyog also volunteers for the AINET Association of India, managing its social media handles as an AINET Connect Project Associate. He has presented his studies at the 5th, 6th, and 7th AINET International Conferences and the 56th IATEFL Conference. As a Hornby Scholar, he completed his MA in TESOL from the University of Warwick with distinction. His research interests include teacher leadership, teacher professional development, translanguaging, and the sociolinguistic aspects of English language learning.