| | 8 DECEMBER 2023HIGHERReviewTamil, a classical language of immense beauty and depth, is spoken by millions in India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Singapore, encapsulating a rich cultural heritage that includes poetry, philosophy, and ancient texts. It offers a window into the societal norms, beliefs, and values of generations past. Whether for the pursuit of literature, history, or a broader cultural understanding, Tamil opens a doorway to a world of intellect and heritage.Motivated from her outstanding performances in oratorical, written, and debate competitions, Dr Seetha Lakshmi, an Associate Professor at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NIE NTU, Singapore) discovered her profound interest in the Tamil Language when she was growing up."From an early age, I always strived for superior performance in everything I participated in," Dr Lakshmi fondly recalled. "The competitions and performances I participated in expanded to inter-school competitions and performances, pushing me to achieve further." Transitioning from a career in freelance journalist, feature producer, and compere in the radio, to teaching, Dr Lakshmi continued receiving recognition for her poetry presentations and creative writing, further fueling her dedication to Tamil language research. "What resulted in me dedicating myself entirely to the Tamil educational research was a golden opportunity presented to me by the then-Senior Leadership in NIE to embark on Tamil language-based research studies. After that, research became my life," Dr Laksmi recounted with a laugh. Research Interests and ContributionsThroughout Dr Lakshmi's illustrious research career, her interests encompass various crucial areas within Tamil language education:1. Standard Spoken Tamil for Diaspora Children: Encouraging the use of Standard Spoken Tamil in classrooms to promote Tamil among diaspora children.2. Curriculum Review for Second and Third Language Students: Creating a tailored curriculum for students learning Tamil as their second or third language.3. Sociolinguistics of Singapore and Tamil Diaspora: Understanding the sociolinguistics dynamics to make Tamil a living language for future generations by. 4. Applied Linguistics in Tamil Education: Conducting applied linguistics-based studies for effective language teaching and learning.5. Pedagogy for Second and Third Language Learning: Developing pedagogical approaches to teach Tamil as a second or third language effectively.CHAMPIONING TAMIL LANGUAGE RESEARCH AT NANYANG TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY'S NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATIONIN MY VIEWBy National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, SingaporeAssoc Prof Seetha Lakshmi at Asian Languages and Culture Academic Group, NIE NTU, Singapore (Photo: NIE Singapore)
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