The many tumultuous and globally consequential events of 2020 encouraged educators to reconsider resources, methods, and practices in their foreign language classrooms. While many online and global discussions on these topics are broadly applicable to classrooms teaching any language, this event highlights those topics which are of special interest to those involved in teaching the classical and modern languages of South Asia in Australia and globally.
Session 1 – Sanskrit & Classical South Asian Language Education
In South Asia and abroad, Sanskrit and the other classical languages have always had a robust and specialised traditions of education. In 2020, the particular needs of classical language education are compounded with the global shifts to online education. This roundtable disscussion focuses on the practices and needs of Sanskrit educators in Australia, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Speakers:
Dr Stephanie Majcher
Lecturer in Sanskrit
School of Culture, History and Language, Australian National University
Dr McComas Taylor
Associate Professor in Sanskrit
School of Culture, History and Language, Australian National University
Dr Antonia Ruppel
Postdoctoral Researcher, Lecturer in Sanskrit
University of Oxford /Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
Dr Varun Khanna
Visiting Assistant Professor (Classics)
Swarthmore College, United States
Dr Sadananda Das
Lecturer in Sanskrit
Leipzig University, Germany
Seth Powell
Doctoral Student, Harvard University, United States
Founder/Director, Yogic Studies
Session 2 – Modern South Asian Language Education
In the subcontinent and beyond, the languages of South Asia are taught in a variety of contexts and methods. This roundtable discussion focuses on the current practices and needs of Hindi, Urdu, and Panjabi educators in Australia, Singapore, Pakistan, India, and the United States.
Speakers:
Assoc. Prof. Peter Friedlander
Associate Professor in Hindi
School of Culture, History and Language, Australian National University
Dr Christopher Diamond
Lecturer in Hindi
School of Culture, History and Language, Australian National University
Dr Divya Chaudhry
Senior Lecturer in Hindi-Urdu
Vanderbilt University (USA)
Dr Gwendolyn Kirk
Assistant Professor
Lahore University of Management Sciences (Pakistan)
Dr Sandhya Singh
Lecturer in Hindi
National University of Singapore (Singapore)
Dr Ian Woolford
Lecturer in Hindi
La Trobe University
Prof. Sadanand Shahi
Professor in Hindi
Banaras Hindu University (India)