English as a Medium of Education, Multilingualism and Virtual Exchange: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

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EMEVEDI

English as a Medium of Education, Multilingualism and Virtual Exchange: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Convenors: 

  • Marina ORSINI-JONES, Coventry University, UK, BAAL. 
  • Mirjam HAUCK, The Open University, UK, BAAL.
  • Luciana Cabrini SIMOES CALVO, Universidade Estadual de Maringá (UEM), Brazil, ALAB. 
  • Carlos Alberto HILDEBLANDO JUNIOR, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES) and Coventry University (COvUni), Brazil, ALAB.

Scope: 

This REN aims to address  equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) issues in research related to language education with a focus on English as Medium of Education (EME) - Instruction (EMI) - multilingualism and Virtual Exchange (VE). Research in EMEVEDI redresses some of the inequalities in terms of participation in global conversations about language education to stimulate a debate on emerging ecologies of knowledge in Applied Linguistics. We aim to explore new places and spaces where Applied Linguistics can foster EDI in multilingual approaches and contexts, provide pluralistic perspectives on language learning and teaching, open up ways of addressing digital divides and  decolonise the language education curriculum. Work in this REN aims to identify, interrogate and interrupt the legacy of coloniality in language theory and praxis while also exploring the potential of digital tools to support transformative experiences in language education.

We have started to frame a symposium on “Languages for Peace Education” for AILA 2027 in Vancouver in the light of the increasing number of global crises humanity is currently facing. We will demonstrate how all dimensions of the EMEVEDI REN - EME, Multilingualism and VE - are core to promoting broader societal compassion and understanding within an  EDI framework. The symposium will highlight the importance of EME, Multilingualism and VE for Global Citizenship Education (CGE) that expands peacebuilding efforts beyond local conflicts and  encourages students and academics in Applied Linguistics to take a critical approach to their role in a global context.  The proposed symposium in Vancouver is aligned with SDG 16 and speaks to the Pedagogies of Peace agenda highlighted in the 2024 Innovating Pedagogy report.

Highlight of 3 scientific ReN works during the previous period:

  1. Co-organised a BAAL/Cambridge University Press Research Seminar open to all AILA members (hybrid delivery) Report published on the AILA newsletter BAAL-Cambridge University Press Seminar - AILA, report here:

Event Website: 

https://baal-cup.coventry.domains/

  • Symposium papers presented at AILA 2024 in KL and Special Issue AILA REVIEW stemming from the symposium: 

Aligned with the AILA 2024 congress theme, the symposium organized in Kuala Lumpur aimed to frame issues of diversity, inclusion and sustainability (DIS) in relation to the roles of languages and technologies in education, research and linguistically-related action/policy. We brought together researchers and practitioners with diverse roles and positionalities in education, policy and knowledge production to discuss implications of the use of English as a medium of education (EME) and as 

the global language of research communication as well as to interrogate its role in relation to an ecology of knowledges and languages to decolonize language education. While the issues of diversity and inclusion are both familiar and central to our work in the ReN, the AILA 2024 symposium was a great opportunity to take stock of our understanding and commitments to them in practice while  also making room for novel discussions around sustainability’. Both the REN and the  In order to stay fully committed to the DIS agenda of the AILA 2024 Congress, we invited proposals from members of our network with diverse linguistic, geo-cultural, ethnic and  disciplinary backgrounds as well as diverse roles in teaching, research and policy/action. Fifteen papers were presented for this symposium. Fifteen papers from all continents were presented. A selection of these papers is being collated for a special issue of the AILA Review Journal (38) 2: ‘Decolonial approaches to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Applied Linguistics’. Guest Editors: Kyria Rebeca Finardi – Federal University of Espirito Santo (UFES), Brazil, Marina Orsini-Jones – Coventry University, UK, Azirah Hashim, University of Malaya, Malaysia.

  • REN Symposium  at AILA 2023 in Lyon

In this symposium we focused on the themes of the REN in alignment with the United Nations SDGs 4, 5 and 16. The symposium attracted 14 papers from 27 presenters from all continents.

Some members: 

  • Kyria FINARDI, Federal University of Espírito Santo - UFES (Brazil)
  • Sofia DI SARNO-GARCIA, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (Spain)
  • Yecid ORTEGA, Queen’s University Belfast (Northern Ireland, UK)
  • Andrea WEHRLI, Bern University of Applied Sciences (Switzerland)
  • Jennifer AMENT, Universtat Autònoma de Barcelona (Spain)
  • Yu-Hua CHEN, Coventry University (UK)
  • Ana Cristina SALOMAO, Universidade Estadual Paulista – UNESP (Brazil)
  • Azirah HASHIM, Universiti Malaya (Malaysia)
  • Gabriel Brito AMORIM, Universidade Federal de Goiás (Brazil)
  • Juliana Cristina SALVADORI, Universidade do Estado da Bahia (Brazil)
  • Carolin FUCHS, Northeastern University (USA)
  • Francisco Jose QUARESMA DE FIGUEREDO, Universidade Federal de Goiás (Brazil)
  • Michael KRETZER, Aachen University (Germany)
  • Müge SATAR, Newcastle University (UK)
  • Melinda DOOLY, Universtat Autònoma de Barcelona (Spain)
  • Kai ZHANG, Kunming University of Science & Technology， (China)
  • Elisa PRADO CO’, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (Ufes) (Brazil)
  • Abraham CERVERO’ CARRASCOSA, Universitat de València (Spain)
  • Menjia ZHANG, Xi'an International Studies University (China)
  • Sonia MAS-ARCOLEA, University of Lleida (Spain)
  • Ana Luiza PIRES DE FREITAS, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre
  • Lidia GALLEGO-BALSA, Rovira i Virgili University (Spain)
  • Eduardo H. DINIZ DE FIGUEREDO, Universidade Federal do Paraná
  • Ana Vivian FERNANDEZ PERAZA, Universidad de Costa Rica
  • Sònia MAS ALCOLEA, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
  • Vanderlei J. ZACCHI, Universidade Federal de Sergipe (Brazil)
  • Wei KANG, Xi’an International Studies University, China
  • Tian ZHOU
  • Antonieta MEGALE, UNIFES (Brazil)
  • Barbara CORTAT SIMONELI, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo
  • Claudio FRANCA, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (Brazil)
  • Gladys QUEVEDO-CAMARGO, University of Brasília (Brazil)
  • Juliana REICHART ASSUNCAO TONELLI, State University of Londrina (Brazil)
  • Michele SALLES EL KADRI, State University of Londrina (Brazil)
  • Peter ROSENBERG, Europa Universität Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder) (Germany)
  • Aliyyah Nuha Faiqah AZMAN FIRDAUS, Hiroshima University, (Japan)
  • Rosane ROCHA PESSOA, Universidade Federal de Goiás (Brazil)
  • Jardel COUTINHO DOS SANTOS, Technical State University of Quevedo (Ecuador)
  • Paula GRACIANO PEREIRA, Instituto Federal de Goiás (Brazil)