“The Place of English”

21.10.2024

“The Place of English”: A Webinar for the Romance and Germanic Philology Department Master’s Degree Students

On October 15th, the Romance & Germanic Philology Department (Educational and Research Institute of Philology and Journalism) had the opportunity to participate in a webinar focused on supporting teachers in making strategic choices about language use in their classrooms. The webinar, designed for teacher educators and teachers engaged in professional development, addressed a range of complex issues related to the place of English about other languages.

The webinar featured presentations by Dr. Harry Kuchah Kuchah and Dr. Tony Capstick, both renowned scholars in the field of language education. Their insights into the broad and multifaceted theme of English language teaching provided valuable perspectives.

The speakers discussed the challenges teachers encounter when working with various language varieties and establishing appropriate standards of correctness. They explored the complex question of language ownership and how different stakeholders can contribute to its development. Additionally, they addressed the limitations of relying solely on native speaker models and emphasized the importance of recognizing and valuing diverse language proficiencies. The speakers contrasted the English-only approach with multilingual approaches, highlighting the benefits of linguistic diversity in the classroom. Finally, they examined the role of English as a tool for teaching and learning and discussed effective strategies for English language instruction.

The webinar provided attendees with a deeper understanding of the complex issues surrounding language teaching and offered practical strategies for supporting teachers in making informed decisions. By addressing questions of correctness, variety, ownership, and language proficiency, the webinar helped participants to develop a more nuanced perspective on the role of English in education.

It was a valuable opportunity for the Romance & Germanic Philology Department to engage with cutting-edge research and best practices in the field. The insights shared by Dr. Kuchah Kuchah and Dr. Capstick will undoubtedly impact the professional development of our lecturers and students.

Department of Romance & Germanic Philology,
Information Centre of the Educational and Research
Institute of Philology & Journalism.