Khawla Badwan

Dr. Khawla Badwan is a Reader in TESOL and Applied Linguistics at Manchester Metropolitan University's School of English within the Faculty of Arts and Humanities. She serves as Co-Lead of the Manchester Centre for Research in Linguistics and has held significant roles including Director for CertTESOL Trinity at MMU and Route Lead for the MA TESOL and Applied Linguistics program. Her academic work spans multiple institutions as an external examiner and advisor.

Dr. Badwan's educational background includes:

• PhD in Language Education from the University of Leeds
• MA TESOL from York St John University
• Postgraduate Diploma in Education from The Islamic University of Gaza, Palestine
• BA in English Linguistics and Literature from The Islamic University of Gaza, Palestine

As a critical applied linguist, Dr. Badwan's research explores the intersection of language with pressing social issues. Her work examines language in times of unspeakability, particularly focusing on Gaza, and investigates children's sociolinguistics through projects like "Pioneering a Children's Sociolinguistics." She is deeply engaged with language and social justice, examining how language policies affect marginalized communities, and explores language and sustainability through innovative projects connecting trees, migration, and climate change education. Her theoretical approach incorporates posthumanism and new materialism, challenging conventional understandings of language as solely human-centered.

Dr. Badwan's recent publications reveal a strong thematic trajectory connecting language studies with environmental concerns and social justice. Her 2024-2025 work increasingly focuses on tree-child relations, Gaza-related linguistic trauma, and environmental education, demonstrating an innovative interdisciplinary approach that bridges applied linguistics with ecological studies. This work represents a significant contribution to understanding language beyond traditional human-centered frameworks, incorporating more-than-human perspectives.

Dr. Badwan has received notable recognition for her work:

• Paul Wembly award for Innovation in Higher Education at the UKCISA Annual Conference (2017)
• Richard Pemberton Prize at the BAAL annual conference (2015)
• Shortlisted for the Union's Teaching Award for 'Outstanding Innovation in Teaching' (2019)

Dr. Badwan has supervised numerous doctoral researchers to completion and currently oversees several ongoing PhD projects. Her supervision focuses on diverse topics including online identities and translanguaging practices, motivation in language learning, and intercultural becoming. She has secured funding for significant projects such as "Voices of the Future: Treescapes" (2021-2024) exploring migrant integration through environmental engagement, and "Exploring language in contexts of collective mourning" (2024-present). Her advisory roles include membership on the British Council English Language Advisory Board and chairing the Linguistics Benchmark Statement Review Panel for the Quality Assurance Agency.

Dr. Badwan co-leads the Manchester Centre for Research in Linguistics and is actively involved in multiple research groups focusing on language, social justice, and environmental connections. Her current projects "Exploring language in contexts of collective mourning" and "Pioneering a Children's Sociolinguistics" represent innovative directions in applied linguistics research, particularly through their integration of posthuman and new materialist perspectives.