N1 TV Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina: Language maintenance in diaspora

By Dina Mehmedbegovic-Smith

My recent contribution to the TV programme: Novi Dan, on N1 TV Sarajevo, Bosnia& Herzegovina. Glad to see language maintenance in diaspora featuring on a popular TV programme. I am honoured to have worked with BiH schools in the UK, Sweden, Denmark, Austrija and Australia, as well as at the international conference in Sarajevo, B&H. I hope that this programme will contribute to new projects and partnerships. I would like to thank many colleagues in different countries on excellent partnerships thus far. Also many thanks to TV N1 for their invite.

Moje nedavno ucestvovanje na emisiji Novi Dan, TV N1. Izuzetno mi je drago da se o ocuvanju jezika u dijaspori diskutuje na ovako popularnoj emisiji. Cast mi je da sam do sada imala priliku raditi sa BiH skolama u Velikoj Britaniji, Svedskoj, Danskoj, Austriji i Australiji, kao i na internacionalnoj konferenciji u Sarajevu, BiH. Nadam se da ce ova emisija doprinijeti novim projektima i saradnji. I zelim da se zahvalim na dosadasnjoj odlicnoj saradnji kolegicama i kolegama u navedenim zemljama. Zahvaljujem se i TV N1 na pozivu.

About the author

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://ecspm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Rethinking-Language-Education.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.

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