Dr. Richard L. Oandasan, an academic staff of the Department of English, Faculty of Arts and Letters, presented his paper titled “Linguistics schoolscape of a Philippine elementary school: A pedagogical tool for critical language awareness and language attitude” at the recently concluded 13th Linguistic Landscape International Workshop held from September 7 to 9, 2022, at the University of Hamburg, Germany.
The on-site workshop this year focused on the relationship between linguistic landscape (all visible semiotic signs in public spaces), educational spaces, and language teaching and learning. As the only Philippine delegate to the conference, Oandasan provided empirical evidence on how languages used in signs (linguistic landscape) within educational spaces in the Philippine context can serve as a potent pedagogical tool for language education as gleaned from the results of his project.
The notable scholars in the field of linguistic landscape, who inspired him in his dissertation project, namely, Dr. Elana Shohamy (Tel Aviv University, Israel), Dr. David Malinowski (San Jose State University, USA), and Dr. Durk Gorter (University of Basque Country, Spain), were the keynote speakers and moderator, respectively. In a very rare opportunity, Oandasan was able to meet them in-person and shared his humble scholarly work with them.