Smiling in Every Language: Reflections on MLE from Dr.Subir Shukla
It was inspiring to listen to Dr Subir Shukla at the Lead India webinar recently. Subir challenged us that we tend to spend far too much energy and time on the 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘤 dimensions of multilingual education: developing textbooks, solving orthography issues, creating certificates, etc. We should spend more energy on the 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘤 dimensions: using the languages of the children to connect with the children, to draw them out, to let them engage. That makes more difference in the learning results than getting the curriculum in the "right" languages. If that is the case, we might need to change the narrative around what MLE is about. Let us explore what Subhir had to say!
At the September 2025 LEAD Community of Practice meeting, Dr. Subir Shukla challenged a persistent misconception about Multilingual Education (MLE): that MLE is seen as a project but should be more than a project or program — a part of the education system as a whole. While acknowledging the transformative work MLE has achieved in such settings, Dr. Shukla urged that MLE’s true significance goes far beyond language boundaries. You can access the video of the presentation on YouTube.
At its core, MLE is about connecting with children as they are — their backgrounds, realities, and ways of making sense of the world. When learning begins from the child’s experience and expression, education ceases to be a mechanical process and becomes meaningful. “The entire enterprise of education,” he reminded, “only makes sense when it puts children first.”
1. MLE as a Core Part of Education
Opening the discussion, Dr. Shukla revisited how MLE in India has often been viewed as a project meant only for tribal or marginalised groups — a framing that, he argued, misses the essence of education itself.
“Education that does not start from what children know, think, or feel — cannot really be called education.”
He described MLE as a philosophy of inclusion, not a scheme for select communities. Whether in a tribal village, an urban slum, or a private English-medium school, all children bring their own languages, experiences, and ways of relating to the world. Dr. Shukla insists that teaching must build on this diversity rather than erase it, making it intrinsic to all education — not an add-on.
2. Child-Centered Learning and Connection
Dr. Shukla questioned whether education is even possible without MLE. If learning involves connecting new ideas to what learners already know, then language — the medium of thought — cannot be separated from the process. In this sense, MLE is not a supplement but the foundation of meaningful pedagogy.
He shared examples from classrooms where teachers used children’s home languages and observed stronger comprehension, participation, and confidence, even in learning new languages later. “MLE is not a subject,” he noted, “it’s a way of seeing children and designing learning around them.” Education, he emphasised, must begin with the child, not the textbook.
3. Systemic Engagement: NGOs, Government, and Ecosystems
Responding to questions on how NGOs can work with government systems, Dr. Shukla argued that change is most lasting when NGOs act as catalysts, not parallel structures. They should collaborate with teachers and local departments, focusing on capacity building and demonstrating effective practices rather than running isolated projects.
Drawing from his experience in Rajasthan’s curriculum reform, he explained how NGOs helped design textbooks that reflected local vocabulary, culture, and real-world contexts while still aligning with state frameworks. “The point,” he said, “is not to replace the system but to work within it — nudging it toward responsiveness and flexibility.”
He further urged an ecosystem approach to MLE — integrating curriculum, teacher education, assessment, and governance — so all parts of the system align around the child’s lived experience.
4. MLE Principles in Curriculum, Classrooms, and Textbooks
In discussing classroom practice, Dr. Shukla highlighted that early literacy should grow out of the meaningful use of language, not rote drills. Decoding skills must emerge from contexts that help children see themselves as capable thinkers. Textbooks, he said, should embody MLE principles — flexible, open-ended, and reflective of children’s realities. “A good textbook invites participation — it doesn’t dictate.”
On emerging technologies, including AI, he cautioned that tools must be designed from the learner’s perspective. If technology prioritises dominant languages, it risks reinforcing hierarchies rather than inclusion.
“MLE is not about languages alone. It’s about justice, access, and the very meaning of education.”
The session closed with participants reflecting on how these ideas resonate with their field realities — from developing local-language storybooks to supporting teachers in multilingual classrooms. The LEAD Community of Practice expressed gratitude to Dr. Subir Shukla for reminding us that the work of education is, at its heart, a work of listening — to children, to communities, and to the many languages of learning.
Regards,
Karsten, in collaboration with Upasana Lepcha
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Photo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2c1dVrFURU