Dr Dina Mehmedbegovic-Smith

Dina is an associate professor of Education and Applied Linguistics at University College London, Institute of Education. Dina teaches on a range of programmes at PGCE, MA and doctoral level. She was on the core IOE team developing the National English as an Additional Language (EAL) Workforce Strategy; a key staff member in the development of the new programmes addressing the needs of bilingual children: MA in Bilingual Learners in Urban Settings, PGCE EAL Pathway and MA TESOL pre-service, which she currently leads. Her previous roles also include: Deputy Director of the London Education Research Unit (2009-11) and the editor of the IOE publication the London Digest, with the brief of generating and sharing knowledge on key education issues in London and global cities. Her research focuses on attitudes to bilingualism/multilingualism, minority languages and positioning of languages in relation to domination, political power and language disappearance. She is currently developing interdisciplinary work with colleagues from neuroscience aimed at providing a broader evidence base for advocating cognitive benefits of bilingualism in education and life-long learning. Her concept Healthy Linguistic Diet is an innovative approach to language learning and has been endorsed by the EU Commission in their report: Rethinking Language Education, as a part of the EU Language policy review.

https://ec.europa.eu/education/sites/education/files/rethinking-language-report_en.pdf

Dina’s work on using autobiographical multimedia classroom approaches to develop intercultural competencies has been published and recognised as good practice by the Department of Education, NALDIC (National Association for Language Development in the Curriculum) and the British Council.

Select publications

Bak, TH and Mehmedbegovic D (2017) Healthy Linguistic Diet: the value of linguistic diversity and language learning across the lifespan. Language, Society and Policy, Vol 1. DOI: doi:10.17863/CAM.9854. http://www.meits.org/policy-papers
Mehmedbegovic, D and Bak, TH (2017) Towards an interdisciplinary lifetime approach to multilingualism: From implicit assumptions to current evidence, European Journal of Language Policy, Vol. 9, Issue 2: Pages, (149-167 pp) http://online.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/doi/abs/10.3828/ejlp.2017.10
Mehmedbegovic, D. (2017) What every policy maker needs to know about cognitive benefits of bilingualism, ed Kelly, M. (2017 ed) Languages after Brexit: How the UK Speaks to the World, Palgrave, London (109 – 124)
Mehmedbegovic, D. (2017) Engaging with Linguistic Diversity in Global Cities: Arguing for ‘language hierarchy free’ policy and practice in education, Open Linguistics, Vol 3, Issue 1, pp 540- 553, De Gruyter, Germany
Mehmedbegovic, D (2012) In Search of High Level Learner Engagement: Autobiographical Approaches with Children and Adults, in Mallows, D (2012 ed) Innovations in English Language Teaching for Migrants and Refugees, British Council, London (65 – 79 pp)
Mehmedbegovic, D (2012) Developing Intercultural Competencies: Classroom Interventions in London Schools, in Urias, D (2012 ed) The Immigration & Education Nexus: A Focus on the Context & Consequences of Schooling, Sense Publishers, Rotterdam, Boston, Taipei (161-171 pp)