Paul J. Meighan, PhD

Paul J. Meighan, PhDPaul J. Meighan, PhDPaul J. Meighan, PhD
Paul J. Meighan-Chiblow in Garden River, 2020.

Fàilte | Welcome

Dr. Paul Meighan-Chiblow is a Scottish Gael sociolinguist.

He holds a PhD Educational Studies, MA TESOL, PGCE Spanish with French, BA (Hons) European Studies with Spanish, and CertHe An Cùrsa Adhartais (Gaelic).

Research: Colonialingualism | Transepistemic Education | Multilingual TESOL

Dr. Meighan's research introduced the term Colonialingualism, defined as the privileging of dominant colonial languages, knowledges, and neoliberal valorizations of diversity, in Diaspora, Indigenous, and Minority Education Journal in 2022.


Sitting at the intersection of Applied Linguistics and Education, Dr. Meighan's work focuses on addressing colonialingualism through transepistemic education and pedagogies for multilingualism, multiliteracies, and language reclamation.

Find out more
Paul J. Meighan in a café in London, England (August 2019).
About
Publications
Teaching Experience
Leadership and Service
Blog and Multimedia
Awards

About

Qualifications and experience

Dr. Paul Meighan is a Gael sociolinguist, educator, translator, and transdisciplinary researcher who speaks English, French, Spanish, Italian, and Gàidhlig (Scottish Gaelic). He holds a Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE) in An Cùrsa Adhartais (Scottish Gaelic) (Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, 2024); 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). Dr. Meighan 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 (2024-2025) for the TESOL International Association Bilingual-Multilingual Education Interest Section.


From 2019-2023, Dr. Meighan 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. Dr. Meighan 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. 


Dr. Meighan has over 20 years' experience teaching languages (English as a Second/Foreign Language, Spanish, and French) at K-12, college, and university level internationally. He has worked in several educational domains and professional contexts as course lecturer, instructor, curriculum developer, TESOL teacher trainer, Italian and Spanish translator, 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

Dr. Meighan's research introduced the term Colonialingualism, defined as the privileging of dominant colonial languages and knowledges, in Diaspora, Indigenous, and Minority Education Journal in 2022. Sitting at the intersection of Applied Linguistics and Education, his work focuses on addressing colonialingualism through transepistemic education and pedagogies for multilingualism, multiliteracies, and language reclamation.


Dr. Meighan's research is informed by experiences as an Indigenous Gael in Glasgow, Scotland. He grew up in Milton, a council housing scheme and socioeconomically deprived neighbourhood. Dr. Meighan was raised by his mother and is a first-generation scholar. His 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 Dr. Meighan in the educational system. Members of his family and older generations recall being beaten for speaking it in school. Dr. Meighan is now on a Gàidhlig reclamation journey as an adult learner. His motivation for more equitable multicultural and multilingual education 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 (also known as North and Central America).


Dr. Meighan's community-led, SSHRC- and TIRF- funded doctoral research explored how technology can support language learning and reclamation. 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 research demonstrates (1) the benefits of including Indigenous and heritage knowledges 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. In particular, Dr. Meighan's empirical research contributes to the applied linguistics and education fields by identifying key differences between second language acquisition and Indigenous language acquisition, such as the relationship between language and land, and by implementing relational technology in language acquisition and learning.


Dr. Meighan 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), TESL Ontario, TESOL International, the Institute of General Semantics, and the Media Ecology Association. He is also a member of the Language, Culture and Justice Hub and the Belonging, Identity, Language and Diversity (BILD) and 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.

My home islands in the Outer Hebrides (Na h-Eileanan Siar) of Scotland: South Uist (Uibhist a Deas)

Publications

Books

Meighan, P. (under contract). Colonialingualism: An Introduction to Language, Power, and Colonialism. Routledge.


Meighan, P. (under contract). Decolonizing Research Practices in Education: Kincentric and Relational Methodologies. Cambridge University Press.


Meighan, P. (under contract). Online Language Revitalization: Indigenous Language Acquisition and Technology. Palgrave Macmillan. 


Edited Books

Veliz, L., Meighan, P., Shah, W. A., & Gao, X. (Eds.). (under contract). Routledge Handbook of Racial and Epistemic Inequity in Applied Linguistics. Routledge.


Meighan, P., & Veliz, L. (Eds.). (under contract). Countering Colonialingualism in Language Education: Research Practices and Pedagogies from the Global South. Routledge.


Editorship of Special Issues of Journals 

Meighan, P., & Lin, C-C. (Eds.). (2025). The intersectionality of multilingualism, Indigenous knowledges, and sustainability. Special issue of Journal of Education for Multilingualism, 2(1).


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 & Encyclopedia Entries

Meighan, P. J. (2025). Decolonizing Language Education. In Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics (pp. 1-5). 


Meighan, P. J. (2024). Colonialingualism in Education and Policy. In Encyclopedia of Diversity (pp. 1-7). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-95454-3_620-1


Chiblow, S., & Meighan, P. J. (2023). Anishinabek Giikendaaswin and Dùthchas nan Gàidheal: Concepts to (re)center place-based knowledges, governance, and land in times of crisis. Ethnicities, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1177/14687968231219022 


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. (2023, Nov 6). Tìr is teanga (Land and language): Language as sensory energy.


Meighan, P. J. (2022, Dec 4). Languages do not “die”, they are persecuted: A Scottish Gael’s perspective on language “loss”.


Meighan, P. J. (2021, Oct 10). (Un)learning cognitive and linguistic imperialism in English: Towards transepistemic language education. 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. 


Meighan, P. J. (2020, Nov 29). "The more you know, the more you need to know": Learning Gaelic and Ojibwe online during the pandemic. 


Meighan, P. J. (2020, May 25). Searching for new stories and a language to live by: Reflections of a Gael in a foreign language.


Meighan, P. J. (2019, Nov 19). Refusing to inHABIT the binary: Reflections on language, culture and identity in the colonial bubble. 


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)

Download

A case for decolonizing English language instruction (pdf)

Download

An educator's perspective: Heritage language pedagogy and technology (pdf)

Download

Bridging the past, present, and future (pdf)

Download

Respecting the territory: Self-determined and relational technology in ILR (pdf)

Download

My Blog

Multimedia

      Bella 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

      Dr. Paul Meighan: Colonialingualism

      Multilingual Families Lab. (2024, May 13). Dr. Paul Meighan: Colonialingualism. [Video]. https://youtu.be/lz3AEv6Xggs?si=0SNlZsjN5dJ-oDKp

      TESOL 2024: Enacting transepistemic thinking and ecologies of knowledges in the multilingual classroom

      Meighan, P. J. (2024, April 14). Enacting transepistemic thinking and ecologies of knowledge in the multilingual classroom. [Video]. https://youtu.be/pqn_YPauL6Q?si=HwzdjH8xzXRoDqbR 

      Language Reclamation: Dr Paul Meighan

      Future Multilingual. (2023, July 30). Language reclamation: Dr Paul Meighan. [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/Jj5HvSVNRpY

      B-MEIS TESOL International Webinar: Addressing Colonialingualism in TESOL

      Meighan, P. J. (2023, February 17). B-MEIS Webinar: Addressing Colonialingualism in TESOL. [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/-tDyZHa9Lvg

      Language in the Human Machine Era (LITME) Talk: Relational technology: Community-led Indigenous language reclamation and revitalization

      Meighan, P. J. (2023, July 17). Relational technology: Community-led Indigenous language reclamation and revitalization. [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/LozFhP0Vx_M

      AAAL Graduate Student Council Speaker Series: Dr. Wesley Y. Leonard (Indigenous language reclamation: Considerations and implications for ethical applied linguistics)

      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 Graduate Student Council Speaker Series: Dr. Suresh Canagarajah (Multilingual and Translingual Practices of the Global South)

      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

      Who's doing it, and whose worldview? Community-driven and relational technology for Indigenous language revitalization

      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

      NABE 2022 Presentation | Colonialingualism: Colonial legacies, imperial mindsets, and Inequitable teaching practices

      Meighan, P. J. (2022, February 11). Colonialingualism: Colonial Legacies, Imperial Mindsets, and Inequitable Teaching Practices. [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/ecs--qz7Cl8

      Technology in relation: Digital and online self-determination in Indigenous language revitalization

      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

      Decolonizing English: (Un)learning cognitive and linguistic imperialism

      Meighan, P. J. (2021, July 26). Decolonizing English: (Un)learning cognitive and linguistic imperialism. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aDvLsxRaLo

      AAAL 2021 Multilingual Matters Graduate Student Award | (Re)viewing our relationships with the world: Foundations for decolonial and equitable English language learning

      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

      Select Teaching Experience

      Sheridan College, Toronto, Canada

      Professor, ESL

      January 2024–Present 


      George Brown College, Toronto, Canada

      Professor, Communication

      September 2023–Present 


      Easy Peasy English, London, England

      Teacher Trainer and Curriculum Designer, ESL

      July 2011–Present


      McGill University, Montréal, Canada 

      Course Lecturer, Methods and Curriculum in Second Language Teaching

      September–October 2022 


      McGill University, Montréal, Canada 

      Course Lecturer, Critical Perspectives in Educational Theory and Research

      March–May 2022 


      McGill University, Montréal, Canada

      Course Lecturer, Foundations of Second Language (L2) Education 

      January 2021


      McGill University, Montréal, Canada

      Course Lecturer, Essentials of English Grammar 

      October–November 2020


      The TEFL Academy, Toronto, Canada 

      Teacher Trainer, TEFL

      January 2017–February 2020


      Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales

      Instructor, Pre-sessional EAP 

      July–September 2019, 2020


      McGill University, Montréal, Canada

      Course Lecturer, Advanced Methods in TESL

      January–February 2020


      George Brown College, Toronto, Canada

      Professor, ESL

      November 2017–May 2019


      INTO Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, Scotland

      Instructor, ESL

      March 2016–August 2016


      Oita City Board of Education, JET Programme, Oita, Japan

      Assistant Teacher, EFL

      August 2011–October 2011


      Old Palace of John Whitgift School, London, England

      Secondary Teacher, Spanish

      September 2010–July 2011


      St Augustine’s Church of England Primary School, London, England

      Primary Teacher, Spanish and French 

      May 2009–June 2009

      NOTE:

      Complete academic CV available upon request.

      Contact

      Recent Leadership and Service

      Professional and Academic Communities

      TESOL International Association

      Bilingual-Multilingual Education (B-MEIS) Interest Section

      Chair

      2024–Present


      BILD/LIDA Research Group, McGill University, Montréal, Canada

      Blog Writer, Editor, Social Media Manager

      2019–Present


      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


      Plurilingual Lab, McGill University, Montréal, Canada

      Speaker Sessions Host & Chat Moderator 

      2020–2022 

      Academic Awards

      2024: Indigenous Language Scholarship Support Fund Award

      American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL)


      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  

      American Association For Applied Linguistics (AAAL) Graduate Student Award logo
      Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Logo

      Contact

      Paul J. Meighan, PhD

      paul.j.meighan@gmail.com

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