The international conference on “Multiple Technologies: Teaching Literature, Media, and Business English” organised by English and Foreign languages Department, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, in collaboration with English Language Teachers Association of India (ELTAI), from 7-9, February 2019, looks into the modalities of teaching English Language and Literature to the tech-savvy twenty-first century students. The pedagogical contexts of English language have undergone a drastic diversification in the last two decades or so. While the use of technology has become quite common in teaching English language, teaching of English literature has taken a new turn by interdisciplinary approaches that radically redefined literary studies. Along with the changes in these two traditional streams of English teaching, we cannot afford to ignore the nuances of English language as it is used in media and corporate professional sphere. Hence, the conference strove to facilitate vibrant academic exchanges which could map the changing facets of English teaching in the contemporary world.
The conference, presided over by Dr N Sethuraman, featured presentations by Prof Robert Hill, Evan Frando, Dr K Elango, Dr K Anbazhagan, Dr Shriganeshan, and Dr Umamaheshwari. The event covered various aspects of language teaching, including the interface between technology and literature, changing facets of English teaching, the use of technical tools in classrooms, and the role of narratives in language acquisition. The conference also featured panel discussions on innovations in English language teaching, curriculum design, and the use of full-fledged theatre forms in English classrooms.
