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28th Sept, 2022

It's been these  many months since I actually made the blog and posted something as part of my daily journal. Probably goes to show how little I have done these past months.

Rehmani Urdu High School and Junior College, 24th Aug, 2022.

Some updates nonetheless:

I appeared for my EFLU exams - unsure of passing in the Grammar paper, but I appeared for them nonetheless. I also participated in the seminar at Kala Bhavan, where I presented a paper on the role of illustrations ton child readers. This helped me explore some aspects of intersemiotics and the concept of interpretation and meaning making, which connects will with John Berger as well. It will be good to add this visual element to my research.

I also wrote a paper for UNESCO on their sustainable development goals, but I haven't heard from them since.

As for my field work, there is an open door when it comes to Rehmani Urdu School, Alhamdulillah. I still want to check with Sant Ghadge Baba and Anjuman - and progress hasn't been made since a month. Next week definitely, Insha Allah.

The visit to Rehmani was good though. Mulla aunty tells me the number of children are increasing in the classes - around 80-90 in grades 8 and 9, but that's not all great news, since it means the classroom is quite claustrophobic, what with so many children sitting in one class. What this would imply for building a classroom library, I wonder.

The principal of the school also impressed upon me the need to start an English or remedial learning program for the students, since for three years, due to Covid, they have hardly attended classes and furthered their learning. I must make time to carry out some pilot studies with the students here.

Apart from this my readings continue - Kramsch and Widdowson being the favourites of August and September. I need to get on with my Comprehensive Readings, along with several case studies in ELT. May Allah help me manage my time better.

In personal news, there's Bob's weddiinngg! And I'm typing this from the new laptop! Hello, Envy!


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Location: Pune, Maharashtra, India

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