The Laos Experience 🇱🇦🇬🇭🇩🇪

Symposium "Global Englishes Language Teaching"
2023-05-31 09:00 - 18:00 (Europe/Berlin)
Paper by I. Martin: “Decoloniality & Global Englishes via a ‘North-South’ cooperation project”

Erasmus+ Staff Training Mobility: Phetsavanh Somsivilay (SKU, Faculty of Linguistics & International Office) at PH Karlsruhe
2023-06-01 - 2023-07-31

Team XII: Preparatory Workshops 1, 2 & 3 (4 hours each) with Prof. Martin
2023-06-09 14:00 - 2023-08-04 18:00
Topics Workshop 1 (June): Team XII, travelling/VISA, formal documents, contacts to partner institutions, presentation on Lao history and culture, meeting Lao partners presently at the PH Karlsruhe, communication, Project Reader, Checklist (terms & conditions, workload), StudIP run-through, upcoming dates, invitations & info stands
Workshop 2 (July): Project blog (technical & content), “TheLaosExperience”, Sync&Share, special tasks, group photo, former workshops in Laos, Pre-/While-/Post-work overview, deadlines, teaching materials, course books, Singlish & Square Dance dates
Workshop 3 (August): VISA questions, last formalities & organisation, defining tandems and learner groups, recommendations from previous teams, first joint post by Team XII, travel guides, literature, Lao language

Georg Arnhold Summer Conference (GASC) "Educational Justice and Sustainable Peace"
2023-06-26 - 2023-06-29
The conference hosts 20 international scholars and is organised by the Leibniz Institute for Educational Media (Georg Eckert Institute) & Georg Arnhold Foundation. Additionally, 5 IRC scholarships are available each year.
Paper by I. Martin: “Bi-directional Decoloniality & Global Englishes in language education via a ‘North-South’ cooperation project”

AILA 60th Anniversary World Congress Lyon 2023: "Diversity and social cohesion in a globalized world: moving towards more engaged language studies"
2023-07-17 - 2023-07-21
AILA (Association Internationale de Linguistique Appliquée or International Association of Applied Linguistics) was founded in 1964.
Conference theme 2023: “Diversity and social cohesion in a globalized world: towards more committed language sciences”
The overall goal will be to reflect on how studies in applied linguistics and the researchers who produce them can participate in the construction of a globalized world in which respect for diversity as a basis for social cohesion requires individual and collective commitment.
Paper by I. Martin: “Bi-directional Decoloniality in Applied Linguistics: A Lao-German cooperation project”

3rd Erasmus+ Mobility Project PH Karlsruhe & Savannakhet University
2023-08-01 - 2026-07-31
Erasmus+ Key Action 171 Mobility Project between the University of Education Karlsruhe and Savannakhet University (budget 62.470,00 Euro): After our first two mobility projects, “Bi-directional Teaching and Learning” (2018-2021) and “Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship” (2021-2023), we now embark on “Digital Citizenship and Bi-directional Decoloniality” for 3 years (2023-2026).

EUROCALL 2023: "Call for all languages"
2023-08-15 - 2023-08-18
The focus of this year’s EUROCALL conference is on inclusiveness of all languages. (Find the programme here.)
15 August (10:30-11:30): “Walk a Mile in their shoes: English as a ‘distant’ language” (Workshop by Prof. Dr. Isabel Martin)
19 August (16:00-16:20): “Are digital learning paths sufficient for learning/practising English grammar? Views of secondary school pupils” (Paper by Eirini Busack & Isabel Martin)

Workshop "Action Songs for primary and chants/raps for secondary school"
2023-08-29 17:00 - 19:00

Sabbatical Prof. Martin (winter term 2023/24)
2023-10-01 - 2024-03-31
Research project: “Bi-directional Decoloniality in Applied Linguistics and English Teacher Education”
Research partners are colleagues at The University of Education Karlsruhe, Savannakhet University (Lao P.D.R.), the University of Yaoundé 1 (Cameroon), Cape Coast University (Ghana), Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi Pedagogical University (Ukraine), Vasyl Stus Donetsk National University (Ukraine), Kibbutzim College (Israel), Queen Mary University of London (UK)

Team XII works in Laos
2023-10-01 - 2024-01-12
Volunteers from the English Department of the University of Education Karlsruhe tandem-teach and tandem-learn at the Lao-German Technical College, Vocational Development Institute, and at Sunshine School.

1st Erasmus+ Project Meeting
2023-11-06
Finance and mobility planning: International Officers of PHKA & SKU, English Department PHKA (Prof. Martin), Informatics Institute PHKA (Dr. Hillah)

Kick-Off Meeting with Ukrainian partner universities for "Bi-directional Decolonial Praxis" Project
2023-11-09 15:30 - 17:30
University of Education Karlsruhe (Prof. Isabel Martin, Dr. Valentyna Guseva) with Vasyl Stus Donetsk National University and Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi State Pedagogical University

"Fact-Finding Mission" 2023: "Bi-directional Decoloniality towards Systemic Re-Learning" (Cameroon, Ghana)
2023-11-11 - 2023-12-11
Prof. Martin’s first FFM in 2017 secured a new cooperation partner for the University of Education Karlsruhe: Savannakhet University. This second FFM is also funded by the “DAAD” (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst = German Academic Exchange Service) and serves to prepare two new university cooperations with the University of Yaoundé 1 and Cape Coast. Prof. Martin is accompanied by her doctoral student Ms Rebecca Dengler (English Dep’t). Mr Nico Hillah (Informatics Dep’t) will accompany us in Ghana.

DEADLINE 19.1.2024 for APPLICATIONS for F13 ASA-Programme ENGAGEMENT GLOBAL for 2 German-Cameroonian student-tandems in 2024 towards Decolonising Education Systems and Knowledges Production
2023-11-27 - 2024-01-19
Our “ASA Academia Global Format” student-tandem project “Decolonising (English) teacher education through bi-directional systems interaction” runs from April to December 2024 and is fully funded for 4 students, 2 German and 2 Cameroonian.
TheCameroonianExperience will add to TheLaosExperience, to be followed by TheGhanaExperience, TheUkraineExperience, and TheIsraelExperience (soon also on this blog).
https://x.com/IsabelMartin762/status/1737884911053217874?s=20
“ASA” is a programme organised by “Engagement Global”, the central contact agency in Germany for development policy initiatives funded by the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and whose main goal is “to promote fair global coexistence”.
http://engagement-global.de
http://facebook.com/engagement.global ⁦
@EngGlobal
Application period for Cameroonian students: 27.11.-14.12.2023 (2 nominees, 2 substitutes)
Application period for German students: 1.12.2023 to 19.1.2024
Places: 2 each
Period of tandem-work: 15.4.-29.12.2024
Details for German applicants: https://asa.engagement-global.de/bewerbende.html

Mentoring by Prof. Martin and Dr. Ekembe; Master theses can be written in the context of this project, and project results will be presented at our ALA conference “Language Awareness, Education, Power” (7.-10.7.2024).
#PHKarlsruhe & #UniversityofYaounde1 are currently also preparing a formal university cooperation.
ASA_project_outline_2 ASA_project_outline_2

ASA Academia global project "Rethinking education: decolonising internationalisation and knowledge construction"
2024-04-19 09:00 - 2024-07-17 17:00
Student-tandem research project on “Decolonising (English) teacher education through bi-directional systems interaction“ (ASA-title), called “Rethinking education: decolonising internationalisation and knowledge production” (our title)

“ASA Academia global": German-Cameroonian research project at the University of Education Karlsruhe and the University of Yaoundé 1
2024-04-22 09:00 - 2024-12-02 17:00
The “ASA” programme is an education and capacity-building initiative administered and financed by “Engagement Global” on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and aims to promote a bottom-up understanding of different regional perspectives on overcoming pressing global challenges.
Our 6-month research project “Rethinking Education: Decolonizing Internationalization and Knowledge Production: Decolonizing (English) Teacher Education through Bidirectional System Interaction” brings together three German-Cameroonian student tandems in a North-South partnership in 2024.

ALA Congress 2024 at the University of Education Karlsruhe: "Language Awareness, Education & Power"
2024-07-07 - 2024-07-10
The 17th International Conference of the Association for Language Awareness will take place in 2024 as the 30th Anniversary Congress from 7 – 10 July 2024 at the Karlsruhe University of Education, Germany (#alaconference2024). On the following day, 11 July, we will offer a special social programme with interesting tours and events.
Call for papers, Registration on ConfTool: submission deadline 1st December 2023, notification of acceptance1st March 2024. Contact ala2024@conftool.org
Presentation types: Papers (20 min.), Posters (poster session), Symposia (90 minutes), Workshops (90 Minutes)
Track 1 – Language Awareness in Language Education; Track 2 – Language Awareness and Global Citizenship; Track 3 – Language Awareness and Digital/Social Media; Track 4 – Language Awareness and the Workplace; Track 5 – Language Awareness and Artificial Intelligence (AI); Track 6 – Critical Language Awareness: Decoloniality, Gender
Keynote speakers: Prof. Dr. Sinfree Makoni, Prof. Dr. Simone Pfenniger, Rahat Zaidi, Ph. D.
Eric-Hawkins_lecture: Prof. Dr. Claudia Finkbeiner, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Agneta Svalberg, Assoc. Prof. Joanna White, Ph .D
South-North Co-Chair of Roundtable “Decolonising Applied Linguistics”: Eric Enongene Ekemne, Ph. D., Prof. Dr. Isabel Martin
Invited Speakers: Prof. Peter de Costa, Ph. D., Prod. Mario E. López-Gopar, Ph. D, Yecid Ortega, Ph. D., Ass.Prof. Prem Phyak, Ph. D

3 consecutive Erasmus+ mobilities to Savannakhet University: Prof. Isabel Martin, Mr Philipp Reul, Dr. Nico Hillah
2024-08-21 - 2024-11-29
The fourth project phase of “Bi-directional teaching and learning” focusses “Digital Citizenship and Bi-directional Decoloniality” (2023-2026). We are currently working out the connections and contradictions between these two towards a new project idea. These members of PH Karlsruhe visited/are visiting SKU in the autumn of 2024:
Teaching Mobility Prof. Dr. Isabel Martin (English Department): 21.8.-30.8.2024
Training Mobility Mr Philipp Reul (PhD candidate in English Department): 11.11.-16.11.2024
Training Mobility Dr Nico Hillah (Informatics Institute): 18.11.-26.11.2024

Leona Kemmer (Team XI) volunteers as English teacher at Sunshine School in the winter term 2024/25
2024-09-09 - 2025-12-19
Ms Leona Kemmer (Team XI) tried three times all through the first Covid year 2020/2021 to get a visa to Laos to work at Sunshine School, despite never-ending obstacles. Team XI were sadly thwarted in their endeavours, but the Head of Sunshine School (Sister “Didi 1”) was sure Ms Leona would join them one day. Ms Leona next collaborated with Sunshine teachers to write an e-book for teaching English as material to accompany her Master thesis on “Intercultural differences in ESL to transcultural understanding through encounters and communication: Creating an e-book with Lao teachers in tandem-teaching”.
After finishing her studies at the University of Education Karlsruhe and then her 18-month teacher traineeship, she directly connected with Sunshine School again and is there now, teaching throughout the winter. Hats off for such amazing tenacity, loyalty, and determination!

Doctoral student Philipp Reul on Erasmus+ Mobility in Laos
2024-11-06 - 2024-11-15
3rd Erasmus+ Mobility Project PH Karlsruhe & Savannakhet University facilitates Training Mobility for doctoral candidate Mr Philipp Reul at Savannakhet University. He will also visit our partner schools & colleges in Vientiane. Besides being a doctoral student, Mr Reul is a school advisor, university lecturer, secondary school teacher, and father of four.

Call for Applications for internships in "The Laos Experience" (Team XIV) for autumn/winter 2025/26
2024-11-28 - 2024-12-15
Are you interested in an internship in Laos in our decolonial “Bi-directional teaching and learning” project? Then visit the Internships page for information and apply at the latest by 15 December.

Call for Applications 2025 in the decolonial German-Ghanaian student-tandem project (ASA Academia programme)
2024-12-12 08:00 - 2025-01-20 18:00
Interested in our German-Ghanaian tandem-project “Decolonizing English Language Teaching and ELT curricula through a bi-directional learning-and-teaching approach” under the ASA Academia global format programme (Engagement Global) in 2025? Then read the (new) Call for Applications for information and apply soon!

3rd Erasmus+ Mobility Laos-Germany: 2 SKU Incomings at PHKA in the summer term 2025
2025-03-01 08:00 - 2025-07-31 18:00
In our 3rd Erasmus+ project “Digital Citizenship and Bi-directional Decoloniality” (2023-2026), Ms Chindavone Sisoulath and Ms Phennapha Xaiyasen, students in the Faculty of Linguistics and Humanities and the Faculty of Information and Technology at Savannakhet University (SKU), will study at the University of Education Karlsruhe (PHKA) in the summer term 2025.

Conference presentation at AAAL (American Association of Applied Linguistics) in March 2025 (no. 1)
2025-03-23 08:35 - 09:05
“Reimagining knowledge-making: Relational accountability and the transformation of scholarly and academic practices”. American Association of Applied Linguistics (AAAL) Conference “Relational Accountability in Applied Linguistics”. Language and Ideology. Prof. Sinfree Makoni & “Un-booking” group (27 scholars including Isabel Martin).

Conference presentation at AAAL (American Association of Applied Linguistics) in March 2025 (no. 2)
2025-03-25 08:05 - 09:05
“Cameroonian-German decolonial encounters in English language education: An auto-ethnographic exploration of North-South student-tandems”. American Association of Applied Linguistics (AAAL) Conference “Relational Accountability in Applied Linguistics”. Roundtable. Dr. Eric Ekembe & Prof. Isabel Martin.

Conference presentation at CIES (Comparative & International Education Society) in March 2025
2025-03-25 16:30 - 17:45
“Researching de-/coloniality in diverse geopolitical contexts: from (g)localizing English language teaching to digital platform collaboration” is our new project combining decolonial research and praxis in ELT, Applied Linguistics, Informatics, and (teacher) Education. The South-North-East team includes partners from Germany, Laos, the USA, Ghana, Ukraine, and Poland so far.
Our CIES presentation in the “Teacher Education and the Teaching Profession SIG” is delivered by Dr. Chris Yaw Kwaah and Dr. Monika Popow. Co-authors: Prof. Isabel Martin, Dr. Nico Hillah, Lanta Ketoukham, Rebecca Dengler.

"ASA Academia global" 2025: 2nd student-tandem research project (Team XV)
2025-04-22 08:00 - 2025-09-30 18:00
Our German-Ghanaian tandem-project (#1107) under the ASA Academia global format programme (Engagement Global) with 6 full stipends for 6 months (April to July in Karlsruhe, September to December 2025 in Cape Coast), led by Dr. Christopher Yaw Kwaah and Prof. Isabel Martin, works towards Sustainable Development Goals #4, #10, #16, and #17. The main research activities for Team XV are decolonizing ELT, teaching materials, and English curricula at school level.

Conference presentation at the American Educational Research Association (AERA) in April 2025
2025-04-24 09:50 - 11:20
“Decolonial Approaches to the Teaching of English and World Languages”. American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting “Research, Remedy, and Repair: Toward Just Education Renewal”. Transformations in Teacher Education Policies, Research, and Practices. Ass.Prof. Michele Back & “Innovations in the Teaching of English and World Languages from a Decolonial Perspective” book group (including Rebecca Dengler, Miaoxing Ye & Prof. Isabel Martin).

Open House "World Dance"
2025-05-16 19:00 - 21:30
World_Dance_Open_House_16052025 on Friday, 16 May, 19:00-21:30
This event is sponsored by the Liesel Hermes Foundation. Prof. Hermes, a former President of the University of Education Karlsruhe, attended a previous Open House years ago and was immediately convinced of our TTTA approach (Teaching Through The Arts).
No previous experience necessary, everybody welcome!

Workshop "Calling and teaching World Dances" (part 1)
2025-05-17 10:00 - 17:00
Professional Caller Andreas Hennecke teaches students to call and teach world dances for their English classroom. The focus in part 1 is on Calling. Guests are welcome!
Our thanks go to the Liesel Hermes Foundation for sponsoring this event.
