IATEFL Conference 2024 Plenary: Because you’re all worth it!
In 1973, L’Oréal introduced the slogan “Because You’reWorth It!” to sell their beauty products. Implying to value oneself, women should buy their products. Except that quite a few skin colours around the world did not match their make-up products, making some not worth it! A few decades later, during the Covid pandemic, male lives were worth more than those of females because the ‘gender-neutral’ personal protective equipment for medical staff is designed around a male body. News coverage of climate change or war uses different strengths of language depending on what regions of the world are affected, regardless of the numbers of lives lost. These are some examples of the intersecting layers of inequality that exist in our world, where empathy is reserved for those who look or sound ‘right’, or ‘relatable’. As ELT professionals, should we care? Caring is at the root of what we value; what we value is at the core of what, or who we respect; what or who we respect underlines the way we interact with one another. Given its international usage, English crosses borders, cultures, classes, and castes. It can, therefore, be argued that English is a tool that can reduce differences and increase empathy. This is why I think we should care. Whether you are a publisher, editor, writer, institution director, manager, teacher, teacher educator, or researcher, we all have a role in caring about what the ‘normal’ framework is that ELT is given. Along what lines of intersectionality are we excluding voices, images, and opinions to be represented to our students? Who are we subconsciously saying is and is not “worth” a fair and equitable representation? Without diversity, equity, and inclusion how can English language students relate to the people they may one day interact with using English as a Lingua Franca?
About Zarina:
Although Zarina Subhan originally qualified as a scientist, she has been working in the field of ELT for over 30 years. She has taught at all levels, in both private and government institutions, and worked worldwide as a teacher and teacher educator. In addition to working in and with educational institutions, she has experience working with educational policy makers, NGOs, community leaders, local and state governments, and in a variety of teaching and training contexts. Zarina’s time is now spent as an author and teacher educator delivering courses, workshops, and conference presentations. Having worked in the science, educational, and development sectors, her interests are the neurology of learning; CLIL; CPD for teachers; inclusive and sustainable education.