Dr. Pòl I. Miadhachàin-Chiblow (Paul J. Meighan-Chiblow) is a Gàidheal (Gael) from Glasgow, Scotland. He is a Critical Sociolinguist and holds a PhD in Educational Studies (McGill), MA TESOL (Trinity Western), PGCE (KCL), and BA Honours (KCL).
Research: Language education, language revitalization, and language policy.
Qualifications and experience
Dr. Paul J. Meighan-Chiblow is a multilingual critical sociolinguist, educator, and translator, who speaks English, French, Spanish, Italian, and Gàidhlig (Scottish Gaelic). He holds a BA (Hons) in European Studies: Spanish Pathway (King's College London, 2006); a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in Modern Foreign Languages: Spanish with French (King's College London, 2009); an MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) (Trinity Western University, 2019); and a PhD in Educational Studies (McGill University, 2023). Paul also holds the OCELT (Ontario Certified English Language Teacher) and ICTEAL (Internationally Certified Teacher of English as an Additional Language) accreditation from TESL Ontario. He currently serves as Chair-Elect for the TESOL International Association Bilingual-Multilingual Education Interest Section (B-MEIS).
From 2019-2023, Paul was a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Joseph-Armand Bombardier Doctoral Scholar in the Department of Integrated Studies in Education (DISE), McGill University, Montréal, Québec. He was the recipient of the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) 2021 Multilingual Matters Graduate Student Award which recognizes excellence in multilingual research; The International Research Foundation (TIRF) for English Language Education 2021 Doctoral Dissertation Grant (DDG); and the co-recipient of TIRF's 2021 Russell N. Campbell Award which is presented to the highest-rated DDG applicant each year. Paul was also the recipient of the 2022 Herschel and Christine Victor Fellowship in Education at McGill University, awarded to an outstanding graduate student on the basis of academic merit.
Paul has over 20 years' experience translating and teaching languages (English as a Second/Foreign Language, Italian, Spanish and French) for public and private organizations and at secondary, college, and university level internationally. He has worked in several educational domains and contexts as course instructor, curriculum developer, TESOL teacher trainer, and language consultant. These experiences across the globe have allowed him the opportunity to learn several languages and experience diverse ways of being, knowing, teaching, and learning.
Research
Paul’s research as a critical sociolinguist focuses on multilingual and multicultural education, language revitalization, culturally responsive and technology-enabled pedagogies, and language policy. His research is informed by experiences as a Gàidheal in Glasgow, Scotland. Paul grew up in Milton, a council housing scheme and socioeconomically deprived neighbourhood with gang fighting, alcoholism, and drug abuse problems. He was raised by his mother and is the first person in his family to complete secondary school and attend university. Paul's mother comes from South Uist, heartlands of Gàidhlig, an endangered Indigenous language in Scotland. South Uist is community-owned, a Key Biodiversity Area at the frontlines of the climate crisis, and highly vulnerable to rising seawater levels. Despite being an endangered Indigenous language, Gàidhlig was not available to Paul in the British educational system. Members of his family and older generations recall being beaten for speaking it in school, and Gàidhlig, spoken for more than 1500 years in Scotland, is still not recognized as an “official” language in the United Kingdom. Paul is now on a Gàidhlig reclamation journey as an adult learner. His motivation for more equitable multicultural education and language revitalization has continued to grow after meeting his Anishinaabe husband in Glasgow, Scotland in 2015 and after learning more about the devastating impacts of colonialism on the Indigenous Peoples and languages of Turtle Island.
Paul's community-led, SSHRC- and TIRF- funded research explores ways in which strength-based language education and relational technology support community-led Indigenous language reclamation and revitalization processes. His research introduces the term Colonialingualism—the privileging of dominant, colonial languages and knowledges in education and policy—and Transepistemic language education, which seeks to address colonialingual epistemic injustices, ideologies, and pedagogies by centring relational connections between languages, lands, and place-based knowledges. His PhD thesis—What is language for us? The role of relational technology, strength-based language education, and community-led language planning and policy research to support Indigenous language revitalization and cultural reclamation processes—introduces and explores the TEK-nology (Traditional Ecological Knowledge and technology) language and knowledge acquisition approach. The Anishinaabe community-led TEK-nology pilot project identifies (1) the impacts of centring Indigenous and ecocentric worldviews in technology, language learning, and teaching; (2) how we can develop and co-create technology-enabled, culturally and environmentally responsive pedagogies; and (3) the important implications of decolonizing language education for both Indigenous languages and dominant languages with colonial legacies, such as English.
Paul is currently a member of the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL), the Canadian Association of Applied Linguistics/L'Association canadienne de linguistique appliquée (ACLA/CAAL), TESOL Ontario, TESOL International, the Institute of General Semantics, and the Media Ecology Association. He is a member of the Belonging, Identity, Language and Diversity (BILD) and the Leadership and Learning for Sustainability research groups. He served as Member-at-large and Social Media sub-committee leader for the AAAL Graduate Student Council (2022-2023).
You can also follow his research on Twitter, Academia and Research Gate.
Sgeul-beatha (Biography in Scottish Gaelic)
Is e Gàidheal Albannach à Glaschu a tha ann an Dr. Pòl J. Miadhachàin-Chiblow. Tha ceum BA (le Urram) aige ann am Foghlam Eòrpach agus Spàinntis a thuilleadh air Teisteanas For-cheumnaiche ann am Foghlam (PGGE) ann an Nua-chànanan Cèin bho Cholaiste an Rìgh ann an Lunnainn (2002 agus 2009). Tha MA aige ann an TESOL bho Oilthigh Trinity Western (2019). Tha PhD aige cuideachd ann am Foghlam bho Oilthigh McGill (2023).
Tha tòrr eòlas obrach aig Pòl ann an eadar-theangachadh agus teagasg cànain (Beurla mar Dara Cànan agus airson Adhbharan Academaigeach, Feadailtis, Spàinntis agus Fraingis) gu eadar-nàiseanta bho 2001. Tha an obair seo air feadh an t-saoghail air cothrom a thoirt dha grunn chànanan ionnsachadh agus eòlas a chur air diofar dhòighean beatha, teagasg agus ionnsachaidh. Bidh an rannsachadh coimhearsnachd aig Pòl ag amas air rannsachadh a dhèanamh air na ceangalaichean a tha eadar ath-bheòthachadh cànanan dùthchasach, Eigeòlas Traidiseanta (TEK) agus teicneolas dì-thìreachadh.
Acknowledgments
Paul would like to say miigwetch (thank you in Anishinaabemowin) and tapadh leibh (thank you in Gàidhlig) to his husband, his family in Alba (Scotland) and Turtle Island, friends, supervisors, mentors, DISE-McGill, SSHRC, AAAL, and TIRF for all their support on this lifelong learning journey. He would also like to say miigwetch and tapadh leibh to the Lands, Peoples, waters, spirits, animals and plants of Turtle Island.
Paul is grateful to currently reside with his Anishinaabe husband in T’karonto (Toronto), the traditional lands and territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinaabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat Peoples and now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples.
Doctoral Dissertation
Meighan, P. J. (2023). "What is language for us?" The role of relational technology, strength-based language education, and community-led language planning and policy research to support Indigenous language revitalization and cultural reclamation processes. McGill University.
https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.13349.88802
Refereed Journal Articles
Meighan, P. J. (2023). “What is language for us?”: Community-based Anishinaabemowin language planning using TEK-nology. Language Policy, 22(2), 223-253. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10993-023-09656-5
Meighan, P. J. (2023). Transepistemic English language teaching for sustainable futures. ELT Journal. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccad004
Meighan, P. J. (2022). Dùthchas, a Scottish Gaelic methodology to guide self-decolonization and conceptualize a kincentric and relational approach to community-led research. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 21, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069221142451
Meighan, P. J. (2022). Colonialingualism: Colonial legacies, imperial mindsets, and inequitable practices in English language education. Diaspora, Indigenous, and Minority Education, 17(2), 146-155. https://doi.org/10.1080/15595692.2022.2082406
Meighan, P. J. (2022). Indigenous language revitalization using TEK-nology: How can Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and technology support intergenerational language transmission? Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.2022.2084548
Meighan, P. J. (2022). Respecting the territory: Self-determined and relational technology in Indigenous language revitalization. ETC: A Review of General Semantics, 79(2), 32-45. (PDF)
Meighan, P. J. (2021). Decolonizing the digital landscape: The role of technology in Indigenous language revitalization. AlterNative: An International Journal of Indigenous Peoples, 17(3), 397-405. https://doi.org/10.1177/11771801211037672
Chiblow, S., & Meighan, P. J. (2021). Language is land, land is language: The importance of Indigenous languages. Human Geography, 15(2), 206-210. https://doi.org/10.1177/19427786211022899
Meighan, P. J. (2020). Decolonizing English: A proposal for implementing alternative ways of knowing and being in education. Diaspora, Indigenous, and Minority Education, 15(2), 77-83. https://doi.org/10.1080/15595692.2020.1783228 (PDF)
Meighan, P. J. (2020). A case for decolonizing English language instruction. ELT Journal, 74(1), 83-85. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccz055 (PDF)
Meighan, P. J. (2019). An “educator’s” perspective: How heritage language pedagogy and technology can decolonize the English classroom. TESOL Journal, 11(2), 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesj.483 (PDF)
Meighan, P. J. (2019). [Review of the coursebook Business Partner B1+, by I. Dubicka, M. O’Keefe, B. Dignen, M. Hogan & L. Wright]. TESL-EJ, 23(1). http://www.tesl-ej.org/pdf/ej89/r2.pdf
Refereed Book Chapters
Meighan, P. J. (2023). Online Worldreviewer Language Spaces (OWLS): Integrating decolonizing technology and heritage language pedagogy in TESOL. In K. Raza, D. Reynolds, & C. Coombe (Eds.), Handbook of Multilingual TESOL in Practice (pp. 251–266). Springer Nature Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-9350-3_17
Meighan, P. J. (2021). Bridging the past, present and future: How heritage language pedagogy can create a global and sustainable worldview in the English classroom. In C. E. Poteau & C. A. Winkle (Eds.), Advocacy for social and linguistic justice in TESOL: Nurturing inclusivity, equity, and social responsibility in English language teaching (1st ed., pp. 13-26). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003202356-3 (PDF)
Belonging, Identity, Language and Diversity (BILD) Blog Posts
Meighan, P. J. (2022, Dec 4). Languages do not “die”, they are persecuted: A Scottish Gael’s perspective on language “loss”. Belonging, Identity, Language, Diversity (BILD) Research Group.
Meighan, P. J. (2021, Oct 10). (Un)learning cognitive and linguistic imperialism in English: Towards transepistemic language education. Belonging, Identity, Language, Diversity (BILD) Research Group. http://dx.doi.org/10.17613/wasq-fn87
Meighan, P. J. (2021, Feb 14). Romancing with the Romance languages: Col amor de un multi-, pluri- lingual o translanguaging éducateur. Belonging, Identity, Language, Diversity (BILD) Research Group.
Meighan, P. J. (2020, Nov 29). "The more you know, the more you need to know": Learning Gaelic and Ojibwe online during the pandemic. Belonging, Identity, Language, Diversity (BILD) Research Group.
Meighan, P. J. (2020, May 25). Searching for new stories and a language to live by: Reflections of a Gael in a foreign language. Belonging, Identity, Language, Diversity (BILD) Research Group.
Meighan, P. J. (2019, Nov 19). Refusing to inHABIT the binary: Reflections on language, culture and identity in the colonial bubble. Belonging, Identity, Language, Diversity (BILD) Research Group.
Refereed Policy Studies & Research Reports
Pearson Education. (2017). A standard setting study to establish concordance between the Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE A) and the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB). Harrow, Essex: Pearson Education.
Select Book Translations
Italian to English
Matsumoto, S., & Daga, M. (2020). Miyamoto Musashi: Battle against Yoshioka Clan (P. Meighan, Trans.). Lulu.
Matsumoto, S. (2017). Yoshioka: Dyers and swordsmen of Feudal Japan, 1540-1615 (P. Meighan, Trans.). CreateSpace.
Cammisecra, C. (2016). For the rain that falls (P. Meighan, Trans.). CreateSpace.
English to Italian
Perkins Gilman, C. (2014). La Tappezzeria Gialla (P. Meighan, Trans.). Easy Peasy Publishing.
Poe, E. A. (2014). Il Corvo (P. Meighan, Trans.). CreateSpace.
NOTE:
Only some of my refereed publications are archived here and available for educational purposes only and NOT for distribution, sharing, or commercial use.
Decolonizing English: a proposal for implementing alternative ways of knowing and being in education (pdf)
DownloadA case for decolonizing English language instruction (pdf)
DownloadAn educator's perspective: Heritage language pedagogy and technology (pdf)
DownloadBridging the past, present, and future (pdf)
DownloadRespecting the territory: Self-determined and relational technology in ILR (pdf)
DownloadBella Caledonia. (2023, July 19). Languages do not "die", they are persecuted: A Scottish Gael's perspective on language "loss". https://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2023/07/19/languages-do-not-die-they-are-persecuted-a-scottish-gaels-perspective-on-language-loss/
1/2
Future Multilingual. (2023, July 30). Language reclamation: Dr Paul Meighan. [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/Jj5HvSVNRpY
Meighan, P. J. (2023, February 17). B-MEIS Webinar: Addressing Colonialingualism in TESOL. [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/-tDyZHa9Lvg
Meighan, P. J. (2023, July 17). Relational technology: Community-led Indigenous language reclamation and revitalization. [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/LozFhP0Vx_M
AAAL GSC. (2023, January). Speaker Series: Dr. Wesley Y. Leonard (Indigenous language reclamation and ethical applied linguistics). [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/khleBQmTYsk
Interviewer: Paul J. Meighan
AAAL GSC. (2022, November). Speaker Series: Dr. Suresh Canagarajah (Multilingual and Translingual Practices of the Global South). [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pOwtPsI24k
Interviewer: Paul J. Meighan
AAAL GSC. (2022, September 24). Webinar #1: Anti-racist and Decolonial Applied Linguistics. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pOwtPsI24k
Discussant: Paul J. Meighan
Meighan, P. J. (2022, February 25). Who's doing it, and whose worldview? Community-driven and relational technology for Indigenous language revitalization. [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/wBecx-LdPno
Meighan, P. J. (2022, February 11). Colonialingualism: Colonial Legacies, Imperial Mindsets, and Inequitable Teaching Practices. [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/ecs--qz7Cl8
InstituteofGS. (2021, October 1). Paul J. Meighan - Technology in relation: Digital and online self-determination in Indigenous language revitalization. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHR4QbmIQEU
Meighan, P. J. (2021, July 26). Decolonizing English: (Un)learning cognitive and linguistic imperialism. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aDvLsxRaLo
Meighan, P. J. (2021, July 25). (Re)viewing our relationships: Foundations for decolonial and equitable English language learning. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TvXGahNyNY
CERLL. (2021, June 29). Paul J. Meighan - The Worldviewer: Heritage language pedagogy as a means to embrace linguistic and epistemic diversity in English language teaching. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoY30ic9650
McGill University, Montréal, Canada
Office of First Nations and Inuit Education (OFNIE)
Methods and Curriculum in Second Language Teaching
September–October 2022
● Instructor for community-based graduate course in partnership with Listuguj Education, Training and Employment Directorate. Designed syllabus and delivered online.
McGill University, Montréal, Canada
Office of First Nations and Inuit Education (OFNIE)
Critical Perspectives in Educational Theory and Research
March–May 2022
● Instructor for community-based graduate course in partnership with Listuguj Education, Training and Employment Directorate. Designed syllabus and delivered online.
Easy Peasy English, London, England
ESL Instructor / Online Curriculum Designer
July 2011–Present
● Instructor of English as a Foreign/Second Language (EFL/ESL, EAP, EBP). Design curricula for company courses.
University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
School of Continuing Studies, English Language Programme (ELP)
English for Academic Purposes
July 2021–August 2021
● Instructor for Academic English Conditional Acceptance Program for School of Continuing Studies, English Language Program at University of Toronto.
McGill University, Montréal, Canada
Office of First Nations and Inuit Education (OFNIE)
Foundations of Second Language (L2) Education
January 2021
● Instructor for community-based undergraduate course in partnership with Kahnawà:ke Education Center. Designed syllabus and delivered online.
McGill University, Montréal, Canada
Office of First Nations and Inuit Education (OFNIE)
Essentials of English Grammar
October–November 2020
● Instructor for community-based undergraduate course in partnership with Cree School Board. Designed syllabus and delivered online.
The TEFL Academy, Toronto, Canada
TEFL Teacher Trainer / Online Assessor
January 2017–February 2020
● Teacher trainer for TEFL course. Delivered in-person lessons and examined assessments for issuance of TEFL certificate.
Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales
Pre-sessional EAP Instructor
July–September 2019, 2020
● Instructor of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) course. Delivered in-person lessons and graded assessments.
McGill University, Montréal, Canada
Advanced Methods in TESL
January–February 2020
● Instructor for undergraduate teacher trainer course. Designed syllabus, delivered in-person lessons, and graded assessments.
George Brown College, Toronto, Canada
ESL Instructor
November 2017–May 2019
● Delivered lessons and graded assessments for Level 8 and 9 General English, and Level 8 Business English.
INTO Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, Scotland
ESL Instructor
March 2016–August 2016
● Delivered lessons and graded assessments for formal examinations (e.g. IELTS).
INTO University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland
ESL Instructor
July 2015–August 2015
● Delivered lessons and graded assessments for formal examinations (e.g. IELTS).
Oita City Board of Education, JET Programme, Oita, Japan
ESL Teacher
August 2011–October 2011
● Teacher of English for Oita City Board of Education. Delivered lessons and graded assessments for Japanese High Schools.
Old Palace of John Whitgift School, London, England
Spanish Teacher
September 2010–July 2011
● Teacher of Spanish. Designed curriculum, delivered lessons, and graded assessments in inner city London secondary school.
St Augustine’s Church of England Primary School, London, England
Spanish and French Teacher
May 2009–June 2009
● Teacher of Spanish and French. Designed curriculum, delivered lessons, and graded assessments in inner city London secondary school.
NOTE:
Complete academic CV available upon request.
Professional and Academic Communities
TESOL International Association
Bilingual-Multilingual Education (B-MEIS) Interest Section
Chair-Elect
2023–2024
Impact North Shore, Vancouver, Canada
Advisory Design Team Member: “Our Words, Our Wisdom: Addressing Linguistic Racism”
2022–2024
American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL)
Task Force on the Future of the Conference Member
2022
American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) Graduate Student Council
Member-at-large (Social Media Sub-Committee Leader)
2022–2023
Language Planning and Policy (LPP) 2022 Conference, McGill University, Montréal, Canada
Organizing Committee Member (Social Media & Table ronde Bill 96 Sub-Groups)
2021-2022
American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL), Pittsburgh, United States
Graduate Student Award Committee Member
2021–2022
Plurilingual Lab, McGill University, Montréal, Canada
My Research Story Coordinator
2021–2022
Responsible for: (1) coordinating participants to produce a video abstract of their research; (2) editing videos; and (3) uploading videos to social media platforms.
Plurilingual Lab, McGill University, Montréal, Canada
Speaker Sessions Host & Chat Moderator
2020–2022
Responsible for: (1) hosting the online Speaker Sessions event, and (2) moderating the chat sessions for the Plurilingual Lab Speaker Sessions.
BILD/LIDA Research Group, McGill University, Montréal, Canada
Blog Writer & Editor
2019–Present
Responsible for: (1) writing new blog posts related to language, culture and identity periodically, and (2) copy editing guest and regular blogger posts.
PluriDigit Project (PI: Dr. Angelica Galante), McGill University, Montréal, Canada
Research Assistant: Plurilingual Pedagogical Content Developer & Teacher Mentor
Apr 2021–August 2021
Responsible for: (1) designing and creating plurilingual, decolonial pedagogical content for digital platforms (PluriDigit project) in Spanish and English; and (2) online teacher mentor and student liaison in Spanish and English with Abraço Cultural, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
2022–2023: Herschel and Christine Victor Fellowship in Education
McGill University, Montréal, Canada
2020–2023: Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canadian Graduate Scholarship (CGS)
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)
2021: Doctoral Dissertation Grant
The International Research Foundation (TIRF) for English Language Education
2021: Russell N. Campbell Award
The International Research Foundation (TIRF) for English Language Education
2021: Multilingual Matters Award
American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL)
2019–2020: Emerging Scholar Award
DISE, McGill University, Montréal, Canada
2019–2020: Graduate Excellence Entrance Award
DISE, McGill University, Montréal, Canada
2019–2020: Graduate Research Enhancement & Travel Award
DISE, McGill University, Montréal, Canada
2019–2020: Graduate Research Enhancement & Travel Award
DISE, McGill University, Montréal, Canada
2008–2009: Robertson Trust Postgraduate Scholarship
Robertson Trust, Glasgow, Scotland
2002–2006: Robertson Trust Undergraduate Scholarship
Robertson Trust, Glasgow, Scotland
Paul J. Meighan, PhD
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