Papers by Dr. V.K. Karthika
Peace Review , 2024
Fostering a scientific mindset and enhancing critical thinking abilities stands as the fundamenta... more Fostering a scientific mindset and enhancing critical thinking abilities stands as the fundamental aim of education. If educators overlook engrained stereotypes and superstitions within students, the cultivation of progressive and unbiased thinking becomes challenging. Put differently, the pursuit of knowledge risks futility without a foundation of objective thought and action, while socially and emotionally being connected to the world. This essay recounts an episode from an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) class at an engineering institution in India, weaving together a discussion on superstitions and how it prompted learners to reassess their own irrational beliefs. It documents the positive transformation in classroom dynamics and the cultivation of critical thinking by employing topics relevant to students' transportable identities, facilitated by Socratic questioning techniques.
Visual Studies, 2024
This visual essay, analysing a series of photographs curated by Indian photographer K.R. Sunil, e... more This visual essay, analysing a series of photographs curated by Indian photographer K.R. Sunil, explores how climate change leads to human precarity, triggering feelings of economic, psychological, and cultural displacement akin to a sense of homelessness. The series titled ‘Home’ strings the photographs, taken from the shorelines of the south Indian state Kerala, of houses onthe seashore which are destroyed by the rage of the waters. These black and white photographs made their entry into the art exhibition titled Lokame Tharavadu (the world is a single home) curated by Bose Krishnamachari in 2021for The Kochi Biennale Foundation in collaboration with the Government of Kerala and sparked discussions on the visible aftermaths of climate change. This essay attempts to analyse how photographing precarity transacts an eco-anxiety (Clayton, S., C. M. Manning, K. Krygsman, and M. Speiser. 2017. Mental Health and Our Changing Climate: Impacts, Implications, and Guidance. Washington, DC: APA & Eco America) and solastagia(Albrecht, G. 2005. “ ‘Solastalgia’: a new concept in health and identity”. PAN: Philosophy Activism Nature 3,44–59.) even though one may not be directly linked to the eco-dystopian (Nayar, P. K. 2019. Ecoprecarity: Vulnerable Lives in Literature and Culture. 1st ed. Routledge) reality of homelessness that is captured in the photographs.
Peace Review, 2024
Fostering a scientific mindset and enhancing critical thinking abilities stands as the fundamenta... more Fostering a scientific mindset and enhancing critical thinking abilities stands as the fundamental aim of education. If educators overlook engrained stereotypes and superstitions within students, the cultivation of progressive and unbiased thinking becomes challenging. Put differently, the pursuit of knowledge risks futility without a foundation of objective thought and action, while socially and emotionally being connected to the world. This essay recounts an episode from an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) class at an engineering institution in India, weaving together a discussion on superstitions and how it prompted learners to reassess their own irrational beliefs. It documents the positive transformation in classroom dynamics and the cultivation of critical thinking by employing topics relevant to students’ transportable identities, facilitated by Socratic questioning techniques
Peace review, Apr 24, 2024
Journal of Applied Learning and Teaching, 2024
The post-anthropocentric concept of posthumanism decentralizes human experiences and dismantles a... more The post-anthropocentric concept of posthumanism decentralizes human experiences and dismantles absolute human agency. This is done by endorsing the importance of relationality between various human, non-human, material and abstract elements in constituting/composing experiences, events or matters. In education, posthumanist philosophy envisages an inclusive, interdisciplinary perspective that endorses the human and non-human agencies dynamically engaging in material and abstract relations, inside as well as outside the classroom, to reconstruct traditional pedagogies that focus on texts, teachers and the lack of learner agency. Conceived in the qualitative paradigm, the present study attempts to examine the role of learner agency, motivation, and the affect of assemblages in developing the speaking proficiency of tertiary-level learners in an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) classroom in India.
As part of the intervention, learners created wordless graphic assemblages (in groups) with arbitrary images using an online digital comic builder platform to create stories. Their post-task activities, such as discussions, hypothetical questioning, and Socratic seminars oriented towards the development of their speaking proficiency, were analysed. The findings of the study show that graphic assemblages can be used as an affective posthuman pedagogical tool to enhance learners’ speaking skills and operationalize their higher-order thinking skills. It also augments agency, facilitates affect, and increases motivation among learners. The results of the study suggest that the graphic assemblages fulfil different teaching and learning objectives. It also provides scope for educators to formulate strategies involving creative practices in a language classroom using a posthuman educational perspective.
Radical Teacher, Dec 7, 2023
Radical Teacher, 2023
Empty seats, uninterested faces and distracted student behaviour are general characteristics of t... more Empty seats, uninterested faces and distracted student behaviour are general characteristics of the classroom where humanities subjects are taught to students of science and technology. In this article, I discuss my experience of teaching a course, Professional Ethics, that is generally discarded by the students as ‘an additional burden’ made mandatory by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) for securing a bachelor of technology degree from Indian institutes of higher education. The teaching note documents the initial attitude of students towards the course content, the process of their transformation into imbibing the essence of the course, and finally the outcomes of the adapted teaching method. Socratic questioning on memes and news reports was used to sensitise the students towards the ethics of war and weapon development. In other words, the teaching process was a discourse of peace building by engaging students in sustainability dialogues.
Economic and Political Weekly, 2024
History is usually written by the privileged and what the world needs is a more solid theoretical... more History is usually written by the privileged and what the world needs is a more solid theoretical foundation in "history from below" or "history of people" that enables a systematic analysis of various sociocultural products from the perspectives of the oppressed. Modern interpretations of cultural artefacts may at the outset look progressive. However, they often carry the undertones of the very same sentiments that these representations attempt to challenge. The politics of representation of caste is addressed in this article through the analysis of a popular legend of Kerala that recently obtained filmic and artistic representations. The legend of Nangeli, as represented in a recently released Malayalam film Pathonpatham Noottand (2022), in a graphic novel titled A Travancore Tale (2017) by Orijit Sen and in a series of paintings done by artist T Murali, alias Chithrakaran Murali, is analysed to expound the counter discourses in some of these works. An attempt is made to elucidate how the myth/legend became displaced between the equations of caste and gender and to illustrate the ideological lineage of the artists/creators of the art further subverting the true cause of a rebellion set forth by the lower caste woman named Nangeli.
Economic and Political Weekly, 2023
Bharatanatyam and a specialisation in the Thanjavur Nayaki Bhava tradition allowed Narthaki Natar... more Bharatanatyam and a specialisation in the Thanjavur Nayaki Bhava tradition allowed Narthaki Nataraj to articulate her true self, resisting a cis-sexist society.
Journal of International Women's Studies, 2023
The film Maja Ma (2022), directed by Anand Tiwari and released on Amazon Prime as
the OTT platfor... more The film Maja Ma (2022), directed by Anand Tiwari and released on Amazon Prime as
the OTT platform’s first India original, portrays a quintessential, middle aged, middle-class
homemaker Pallavi Patel (Madhuri Dixit). Her mundane life encounters an unforeseen turmoil
owing to a viral video spreading certain rumors about her sexuality in her neighborhood. The
film offers a spoof or light comedy when discussing a very serious social theme. Although the
film poses certain important questions, the ending’s overly happy and tidy climax is more
melodramatic than realistic. The film offers a mediocre compromise, failing to fully explore
the complex problems it raises about sexuality and arranged marriage.
Journal of International Women's Studies, 2023
This journal and its contents may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any... more This journal and its contents may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution , reselling , loan or sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Authors share joint copyright with the JIWS.
Economic and Political Weekly, 2023
Rupkatha Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities, 2022
Conservative modes of representations of the Dalit lives and the caste questions in Malayalam cin... more Conservative modes of representations of the Dalit lives and the caste questions in Malayalam cinema used to adhere to the stereotypical portrayal of caste-based violence as a tool to evoke pity, fear or laughter. However, recent movies emphasise the revolt of the subaltern both in personal and public domains of discourse. This paper attempts to analyse two recent Malayalam films, Puzhu (the Worm) and Malayankunju (The Malaya Child) released in 2022 that blatantly deal with caste-based violence operational in the domestic sphere. The critique is based on two major questions: how does caste identity and caste-based violence function in the domestic interiors and in what ways do the dominant patriarchal discourses complicate the subjective positioning of women within and outside the household. The study identifies various elements that contribute to the construction of subjectivity of the Dalit and discusses the issues embedded in caste pride leading to catastrophe at the home-front through ostracisation and excision (either through murder or through mutilation) processes of those ones who do not conform to the dictated norms of casteists. Within the theoretical framework of structural and cultural violence, the paper analyses how caste-based violence and gender-based violence are types of structural violence and discusses the legitimation of it sanctioned by various cultural elements.
The Journal of AsiaTEFL, 2020
Literature Review Strategies enable speakers to plan, execute and monitor the intended language c... more Literature Review Strategies enable speakers to plan, execute and monitor the intended language content (Bygate, 1987: 7). When speech takes the form of talk as performance, it may demand the use of strategies, such as planning, monitoring, and evaluating. These are classified as language learning strategies for speaking. At
Economic and Political Weekly, 2022
FORTELL, 2020
English language teachers at tertiary level in India, especially in private institutions are chal... more English language teachers at tertiary level in India, especially in private institutions are challenged by many impediments in their professional development endeavours. Challenges usually surge from the institutional expectations and the professional demands. This paper in the form of an ethnographic study presents the case of an English teacher who rediscovered her positive beliefs and revised and redesigned her teaching and professional development plans owing to a non-formal feedback she obtained from her students. The study documents how non-formal feedback from learners initiate various reflective practices and how it contributes to the designing of a plan for continuing professional development.
Journal of Asia TEFL, 2020
Literature Review Strategies enable speakers to plan, execute and monitor the intended language c... more Literature Review Strategies enable speakers to plan, execute and monitor the intended language content (Bygate, 1987: 7). When speech takes the form of talk as performance, it may demand the use of strategies, such as planning, monitoring, and evaluating. These are classified as language learning strategies for speaking. At
ELTIF Journal, 2019
Continuing professional development (CPD) is a life-long process where the teachers as profession... more Continuing professional development (CPD) is a life-long process where the teachers as professionals update their knowledge and skills and develop further as a better human being and as a better teacher. However, when it comes to ESL teachers’ CPD, there are many challenges that the teachers come across. These issues that they face may emerge from the academic context, personal front or from the institutional realm. To tackle such challenges and to carry on with their own professional development, the teachers have to take painstaking efforts. This paper presents certain challenges that a group of language teachers, from a private school, encounter and it also documents their awareness of and attitude towards CPD. This small scale research was carried out during a workshop that I conducted for secondary school teachers from a particular private group of institutions. There were 45 participants aged 25-51 years. This qualitative study made use of data obtained through interviews and interaction with the teachers during the workshop. The analysis of the data revealed that most of the teacher-participants were unaware of the importance of CPD and the very need of it. It also threw light on the practices that they undertake to contribute to their professional growth, although not being aware of these as CPD activities. The paper also documented the action plan that these teacher-participants designed after the workshop. This study has implications for teachers and teacher educators as it points towards the need of creating a new awareness regarding the importance of continuing professional development.
Keywords: Continuing professional development, ESL, attitude, beliefs, motivation
Phoenix Journal, 2018
English is perceived in India as a language to reach out to the different parts of the globe. It ... more English is perceived in India as a language to reach out to the different parts of the globe. It enables social, economic and even geographical mobility. Being praised as the first state in India to achieve 100% literacy, Kerala does not produce many graduates who are fluent in English. Even though many of these learners are able to manage their writing in English, they find it difficult to have oral communication in English. This paper is an account of a descriptive study that I carried out through the years I spent in Arts and Science College as a teacher. The data for the study is obtained through observations and individual discussions with students and teachers. I tried to identify the common concerns of the language learners at the tertiary level and their perceptions regarding English. The paper attempts to suggest possible solutions for the issues that exist in the learning and teaching scenario at the tertiary level. Issues and suggestions of this particular study are based on the context of Kerala. However, in the multilingual Indian context it can be generalised to many areas.
ELTIF Journal, 2018
As teachers know their students' needs better than the syllabus designers or material developers,... more As teachers know their students' needs better than the syllabus designers or material developers, they are able to use tailor-made materials to develop the language proficiency of their students. In order to make their teaching effective and to generate the desired output in the form of learner's language proficiency, creative and higher order thinking can help the language teachers to adapt materials according to their suitability in the classroom. Thus, teachers may make use of any advertisements (print or visual), film songs, scenes from popular films, cartoons and jokes shared on social media for creating activities that ensure language learning. Such 'materials' need not be in English. In the multilingual context of India, it is important to make use of the capabilities the learners have in their mother tongue to enable and enhance their English skills. Therefore, if the activities are designed in English, even if the materials are in the first language of the learners, a creative teacher can develop the learners' skills in the target language. In this paper, I would like to argue that using such materials can actually help the learners to develop their critical thinking as well. It will encourage the learners to bring in similar materials to the language classrooms which leads to an active language learning environment where learner-chosen materials are no longer a myth but an operating reality.
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Papers by Dr. V.K. Karthika
As part of the intervention, learners created wordless graphic assemblages (in groups) with arbitrary images using an online digital comic builder platform to create stories. Their post-task activities, such as discussions, hypothetical questioning, and Socratic seminars oriented towards the development of their speaking proficiency, were analysed. The findings of the study show that graphic assemblages can be used as an affective posthuman pedagogical tool to enhance learners’ speaking skills and operationalize their higher-order thinking skills. It also augments agency, facilitates affect, and increases motivation among learners. The results of the study suggest that the graphic assemblages fulfil different teaching and learning objectives. It also provides scope for educators to formulate strategies involving creative practices in a language classroom using a posthuman educational perspective.
the OTT platform’s first India original, portrays a quintessential, middle aged, middle-class
homemaker Pallavi Patel (Madhuri Dixit). Her mundane life encounters an unforeseen turmoil
owing to a viral video spreading certain rumors about her sexuality in her neighborhood. The
film offers a spoof or light comedy when discussing a very serious social theme. Although the
film poses certain important questions, the ending’s overly happy and tidy climax is more
melodramatic than realistic. The film offers a mediocre compromise, failing to fully explore
the complex problems it raises about sexuality and arranged marriage.
Keywords: Continuing professional development, ESL, attitude, beliefs, motivation
As part of the intervention, learners created wordless graphic assemblages (in groups) with arbitrary images using an online digital comic builder platform to create stories. Their post-task activities, such as discussions, hypothetical questioning, and Socratic seminars oriented towards the development of their speaking proficiency, were analysed. The findings of the study show that graphic assemblages can be used as an affective posthuman pedagogical tool to enhance learners’ speaking skills and operationalize their higher-order thinking skills. It also augments agency, facilitates affect, and increases motivation among learners. The results of the study suggest that the graphic assemblages fulfil different teaching and learning objectives. It also provides scope for educators to formulate strategies involving creative practices in a language classroom using a posthuman educational perspective.
the OTT platform’s first India original, portrays a quintessential, middle aged, middle-class
homemaker Pallavi Patel (Madhuri Dixit). Her mundane life encounters an unforeseen turmoil
owing to a viral video spreading certain rumors about her sexuality in her neighborhood. The
film offers a spoof or light comedy when discussing a very serious social theme. Although the
film poses certain important questions, the ending’s overly happy and tidy climax is more
melodramatic than realistic. The film offers a mediocre compromise, failing to fully explore
the complex problems it raises about sexuality and arranged marriage.
Keywords: Continuing professional development, ESL, attitude, beliefs, motivation
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