Bi-directional Learning and Teaching: Lao-German Projects and Tandems
The focus of this year’s EUROCALL conference is on inclusiveness of all languages. (Find the programme here.)
15 August (10:30-11:30): “Walk a Mile in their shoes: English as a ‘distant’ language” (Workshop by Prof. Dr. Isabel Martin)
19 August (16:00-16:20): “Are digital learning paths sufficient for learning/practising English grammar? Views of secondary school pupils” (Paper by Eirini Busack & Isabel Martin)
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Erasmus+ Key Action 171 Mobility Project between the University of Education Karlsruhe and Savannakhet University (budget 62.470,00 Euro): After our first two mobility projects, "Bi-directional Teaching and Learning" (2018-2021) and "Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship" (2021-2023), we now embark on "Digital Citizenship and Bi-directional Decoloniality" for 3 years (2023-2026).
The “ASA” programme is an education and capacity-building initiative administered and financed by “Engagement Global” on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and aims to promote a bottom-up understanding of different regional perspectives on overcoming pressing global challenges.
Our 6-month research project “Rethinking Education: Decolonizing Internationalization and Knowledge Production: Decolonizing (English) Teacher Education through Bidirectional System Interaction” brings together three German-Cameroonian student tandems in a North-South partnership in 2024.
The fourth project phase of "Bi-directional teaching and learning" focusses "Digital Citizenship and Bi-directional Decoloniality" (2023-2026). We are currently working out the connections and contradictions between these two towards a new project idea. These members of PH Karlsruhe visited/are visiting SKU in the autumn of 2024:
Teaching Mobility Prof. Dr. Isabel Martin (English Department): 21.8.-30.8.2024
Training Mobility Mr Philipp Reul (PhD candidate in English Department): 11.11.-16.11.2024
Training Mobility Dr Nico Hillah (Informatics Institute): 18.11.-26.11.2024
Ms Leona Kemmer (Team XI) tried three times all through the first Covid year 2020/2021 to get a visa to Laos to work at Sunshine School, despite never-ending obstacles. Team XI were sadly thwarted in their endeavours, but the Head of Sunshine School (Sister "Didi 1") was sure Ms Leona would join them one day. Ms Leona next collaborated with Sunshine teachers to write an e-book for teaching English as material to accompany her Master thesis on "Intercultural differences in ESL to transcultural understanding through encounters and communication: Creating an e-book with Lao teachers in tandem-teaching".
After finishing her studies at the University of Education Karlsruhe and then her 18-month teacher traineeship, she directly connected with Sunshine School again and is there now, teaching throughout the winter. Hats off for such amazing tenacity, loyalty, and determination!
© 2021 Isabel Martin & Laos Team. All rights reserved.