We are living in a time of tension and fear. The world has been so unpredictable and shaky, with violence flaring up in every corner: the Charlie Hebdo incident in Paris; recent attacks in Nice, France, Belgium and Germany; recent shootings at an Orlando LGBTQ nightclub; and the 2014 shootings at Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada. Rather than dignity, liberty, and democracy being embraced, these ideals seem to be in remission. A major share of this insidious violence has been attributed to extremist beliefs and radical ideas. These beliefs and ideas, inspired by various motives, including political, religious, and ideological, breed violence and have led to terrorist acts. Educators who care about humanity, safety, and a free world are looking for solutions to least alleviate this seemingly chaotic global situation (Ghosh, Manuel, Chan, Dilimulati, & Babaei, 2016). Continue reading
Author: Mehdi Babaei
Digital Literacy Practices among Immigrant Seniors (by Mehdi Babaei)
“I learned how to use technology only after the age of 55. My experience of using technology was limited to texting through my mobile phone. The late time of immigration to Canada made me feel detached from my family and friends in my home country. So I began to learn how to use technology and digital devices to remain in touch with them in an easier and faster way… also, since I felt isolated in the new country, I found Internet as a tool to help me find new friends…”
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Using language shows to explore the social turn (by Mehdi Babaei)
It was a hot summer day in Montreal and I was sitting on the terrace of a Greek café with a couple of friends. We gathered once a week to read short stories and discuss literary theories. We were having a discussion about Bakhtin, the Russian literary critic, and his ideas about Dostoevsky, when I saw a seagull swoop in to filch the leftovers from a nearby table.
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Multilingualism, Translation and Identity (by Mehdi Babaei)
In this post, I will address the question Lauren raised in her post last week: what makes you feel bi/multilingual? First, I will explain how I perceive multilingualism, and then I will present my experience with translation as an example of what makes me feel multilingual. While I find Lauren’s question intriguing, I even have some further questions: what does it mean by bilingualism/multilingualism? If multilingualism refers to someone being able to use or speak several languages, then what level of proficiency serves as an indicator for a person being bi/multilingual: limited, professional, full, or native (native-like)? How is proficiency defined? And more specifically, does the term multilingualism have the same sense in the eyes of those who belong to a language education community (like BILD members) and those who are outside the field?
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A thumbnail sketch of an academic event (by Mehdi Babaei)
Today, I’m posting an overview of my sojourn at the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) and the Canadian Association of Applied Linguistics (CAAL) 2015 joint conference. The conference was held at the Fairmount Royal York Hotel in Toronto, a flashy, swanky hotel, with beautiful architecture, fancy rugs and chandeliers, and historical pictures, which to me, looked like the Grand Budapest Hotel– which hosted those interested in language-related issues. These people include top-notch scholars, editors, faculty members, new and senior researchers, and graduate students, who were congregated to discuss, share, or brainstorm ideas in the field of Applied Linguistics. What struck me was the diverse ways these scholars positioned themselves in the field and how they wanted to be identified. As I’m delving into my recollections of the conference, I will take you through the floors, hallways, rooms and tables of the conference venue, in which one or more people were either looking back at the history of applied linguistics, talking enthusiastically about their findings, or politely criticizing others’ ideas.
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