Connecting knowledge(s) about language, learning and social justice in education

在全球范围内，越来越多的年轻人正在努力通过一种在校外生活中并不广泛使用的国际语言进行学习，最常见的是英语(Dearden，2014；Milligan，2020)。研究压倒性地表明，使用不熟悉的教学语言(LOI)会对学生的成绩产生不利影响，并导致低质量、不公平的教育体验(Afitska等人，2013年；Alidou等人，2006年)。然而，尽管有这些挑战，与英语有关的愿望仍然非常高，学生和家长报告更倾向于英语教学(Qorro，2009；Ferguson，2013；Sah&Karki，2020)。这种对英语的渴望支持了政策制定者对变革的抵制，导致了一场令人担忧的、似乎无法改变的意向书辩论。这一奖学金建立在博士研究的基础上，该研究探索了坦桑尼亚两所中学的学生的经历，那里的官方意向书是英语。这项博士研究发现，在意向书研究中，缺乏对学生声音和机构的有意义的参与，并解决了这一问题，产生了丰富的、处于社会情境中的学生在协商学校语言环境方面的愿望和经验。博士论文采用了一种创新的理论方法，重新构建了意向书辩论，承认了所有反对各方的关切和优先事项。该奖学金旨在通过将博士研究的结果与其他与语言、学习和教育公正有关的知识(S)联系起来，扩大博士研究的影响。首先，我将与年轻人和专家从业者开展合作活动，共同为坦桑尼亚制作影响材料。这些将把研究结果与生活经验和对如何鼓励行为改变的理解联系起来，从而产生与当地相关的青年宣传和教师发展资源。其次，通过奖学金导师Lizzi Milligan博士，我将把我的博士研究与她的项目的结果联系起来，该项目专注于卢旺达的LOI和女孩教育。通过共同制作政策简报和青年声音视频，这一综合知识将接触到更广泛的国际受众。第三，我将通过撰写期刊文章和发表将我的工作与跨学科学术社区联系起来的会议论文来发展我的学术形象。最后，我将在我博士工作的基础上，对未来的研究提出建议，将类似的概念和方法应用到英国学校的语言、正义和归属感问题上。这项奖学金还旨在培养支持我学术生涯发展所需的研究知识、技能和网络。建立不同形式的联系--与研究用户、更广泛的研究和政策议程以及学术界--既需要也使我能够发展一系列重要的研究能力。建立这些联系和技能将极大地增强我未来进行有影响力的研究的能力。该奖学金的专业发展目标的关键是与导师米利根博士的关系，米利根博士是该领域一位成功和受人尊敬的学者。被纳入巴斯大学研究界也提供了获得多种正式和非正式学习机会的机会。语言在提高教育质量和公平方面的关键作用已得到广泛证明，但令研究人员真正感到沮丧的是，语言在国际教育政策和规划中很少被优先考虑(Tikly，2016；Milligan，Desai&Benson，2020)。连接知识(S)，汇聚和放大年轻人、从业者和研究人员的声音，是将语言问题推到前列的关键。这一奖学金旨在促进其中一些联系，并发展我所需的研究能力，以便在未来的这些辩论中发挥重要和有影响力的作用。

Globally, increasing numbers of young people are struggling to navigate learning through an international language that is not widely used in their lives outside of school, most commonly English (Dearden, 2014; Milligan, 2020). Research overwhelmingly shows that the use of an unfamiliar language of instruction (LOI) has a detrimental impact on student outcomes and contributes to poor quality, inequitable educational experiences (Afitska, et al., 2013; Alidou, et al., 2006). Yet, despite these challenges, aspirations relating to English remain extremely high and students and parents report a preference for English-medium schooling (Qorro, 2009; Ferguson, 2013; Sah & Karki, 2020). This desire for English bolsters policy-makers' resistance to change, resulting in a fraught and seemingly immoveable LOI debate.This fellowship builds upon PhD research that explored the experiences of students in two secondary schools in Tanzania, where the official LOI is English. The PhD study identified an absence of meaningful engagement with students' voices and agency in LOI research and addressed this, generating a rich, socially-situated account of students' aspirations and experiences of negotiating their school language environments. The PhD thesis employs a theoretical approach that innovatively reframes the LOI debate, acknowledging the concerns and priorities of all opposing sides.This fellowship aims to extend the impact of the PhD research by connecting its findings to other knowledge(s) relating to language, learning and justice in education. Firstly, I will engage in collaborative activities with young people and expert practitioners to co-produce impact materials for Tanzania. These will connect the research findings to lived experiences and understandings of how to encourage behaviour change, resulting in locally- relevant youth advocacy and teacher development resources. Secondly, through the fellowship Mentor, Dr Lizzi Milligan, I will connect my PhD research to findings from her project focused on LOI and girls' education in Rwanda. By co-creating a policy brief and youth voice video, this combined knowledge will reach a wider international audience. Thirdly, I will develop my academic profile by writing journal articles and presenting conference papers that connect my work to an interdisciplinary academic community. Finally, I will write proposals for future research, building on the work done in my PhD, applying a similar conceptual and methodological approach to questions of language, justice and belonging in UK schools.This fellowship also aims to foster the research knowledge, skills and networks needed to underpin my academic career progression. Forging different forms of connections - to research-users, to broader research and policy agendas, and to the academic community - will both require and enable me to develop a range of important research capabilities. Building these connections and skills will greatly strengthen my capacity for impactful future research. Key to the professional development aims of this fellowship is the relationship with the Mentor, Dr Milligan, who is a successful and respected scholar in the field. Inclusion in the University of Bath research community also offers access to multiple formal and informal learning opportunities.The critical role of language in improving the quality and equity of education has been widely evidenced, yet it is a source of real frustration for researchers that language is rarely given priority in international education policy and planning (Tikly, 2016; Milligan, Desai & Benson, 2020). Connecting knowledge(s) and bringing together and amplifying the voices of young people, practitioners and researchers is key if language issues are be pushed to the forefront. This fellowship is designed to facilitate some of these connections and to develop the research capabilities I need to play a significant and influential future role in these debates.