A Report on the Hindi MLE and Translanguaguing Workshop in Udaipur
For years we have said that basic training in multilingual education is needed in Hindi. Last month this finally became a reality. Though quite small scale, a good step in the right direction to equip teachers, trainers and NGO staff.
The recent Hindi MLE and Translanguaging Course, hosted by Nirmaan in partnership with SIL in Udaipur Rajasthan, provided an intensive, week-long professional development opportunity for educators to explore the intersections of multilingualism and classroom pedagogy. The workshop was structured to bridge the gap between academic theory and practical, "on-the-ground" teaching strategies. Participants consisted of direct MLE practitioners, implementors, teachers, researchers from across Indian states such as Assam, Uttarakhand, Odisha, Jharkhand, Maharashtra , SCERT officials from Rajasthan.
Participants began the week by grounding themselves in the fundamentals for Multilingual Education (MLE), exploring learning theories and the importance of language acquisition. This foundational knowledge was quickly put into practice through sessions dedicated to the creation of instructional materials, such as "Big Books" and cultural calendars, ensuring that teachers left with tangible tools for their classrooms.
As the week progressed, the focus shifted toward the innovative field of Translanguaging (TL). These sessions challenged traditional monolingual approaches, instead teaching educators how to leverage a student’s full linguistic repertoire as a powerful tool for learning. The curriculum covered various "TL Top Models" and specific teacher strands, culminating in a series of hands-on workshops where participants designed their own TL Unit Plans.
Beyond pedagogy, the course addressed critical administrative and community aspects of education, including family literacy, advocacy, and the use of assessment tools like ASER to monitor student progress. By combining rigorous study time with collaborative group activities and daily debriefs, the entire MLE course fostered a community of practice dedicated to inclusive education through multilingual education.
The Udaipur location for the workshop was particularly timely as Rajasthan continues to lead the way in linguistic reform; the state recently announced a major initiative to incorporate over 30 local dialects (such as Wagdi and Mewari) into government classrooms to bridge the gap between home and school. This policy shift, which has already shown to boost student attendance and comprehension in pilot districts, underscores the urgent relevance of the strategies we practiced. (PTI)
By combining some study time with collaborative group activities and daily debriefs, the course fostered a vibrant community of practice.
Karsten, in collaboration with Upasana Lepcha
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