Insights into TESOL Leadership and Leadership Research: An Interview with Dr. Kashif Raza

Kashif Raza, the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
Lan Wang-Hiles, West Virginia State University, Virginia, USA

I got to know Dr. Kashif Raza in 2021 when I worked with him as a chapter author for his co-edited book, Handbook of Multilingual TESOL in Practice (Springer, 2023). I am also contributing a chapter to this forthcoming volume he co-edited, Multilingual TESOL: De-constructing and Re-constructing Power ‘of’, ‘in’, and ‘for’ Language Classrooms (Springer, forthcoming). His knowledge about TESOL and language program administration impressed me. I was recruited to be the PAIS newsletter editor in November 2023 when Dr. Kashif Raza was the Co-Chair of PAIS. Since then, he has offered me generous support, assisting me in reaching out different language program administrators and sharing his publications about TESOL leadership with me. Thus, I have an intention to interview him about his insights into TESOL leadership and his leadership research. Now it happens. Reading his answers to my questions will benefit language program administrators and their programs.

Lan: Would you please introduce yourself and your transnational trajectory as a TESOL educator, researcher, and leader to our readers?

Kashif: Currently, I work as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Faculty of Education, University of British Columbia. My fellowship is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) of Canada and focuses on the work-integrated learning of skilled immigrants. I am developing a framework that will guide professional learning and socio-economic integration of foreign trained professionals in Canada. I did my Ph.D. in Leadership, Policy and Governance from the University of Calgary, MA in TESOL from Oklahoma City University (OCU), MA in English Language and Literature from the University of Sargodha, and Bachelor of Law from the University of Punjabi.

My journey with the TESOL International Association began in 2012 when I was a student at OCU. Since then, I have served TESOL as a Co-Chair of Program Administration Interest Section (PAIS), a Co-Chair of the Working Group for Governance Review, and a reviewer of different awards. Currently, I serve on the Nominating Committee for a term from 2025-26.

I have taught English as a(n) second/foreign/international language in four contexts: Canada, Qatar, the USA, and Pakistan. Working with multilingual students and supporting their English language skills development while maintaining their first/home/heritage languages attracted me to research language policy and practice challenges in classrooms, course development, program offerings, school language policies, and national language policies. I have researched these issues in the contexts of Pakistan, Qatar, and Canada. Two of our co-edited volumes, Handbook of Multilingual TESOL in Practice (Springer, 2023) and Policy Development in TESOL and Multilingualism: Past, Present, and the Way Forward (Springer, 2019) focused on policy issues at classroom, course, program, and national levels when English is taught in multilingual contexts and offered practical solutions to contribute to the multilingual movement in TESOL. Our forthcoming volume focuses on the issues “in”, “of”, and “for” power in multilingual classrooms and argues for deconstructing negative power (i.e., coercive) to reconstruct positive powers (i.e., referent, expert, legitimate, and reward) to support multilingual learners.

Lan: As a well-known and prolific researcher in the field of TESOL and leadership scholarship, you have published numerous studies. Among them, many centered on the topic of TESOL leadership in the global and/or in the specific context and language program administration. What has influenced your interest in TESOL, leadership, and specifically TESOL leadership topics? Is it related to your background, education, and experience?

Kashif: I became interested in TESOL leadership during my employment at Qatar University where I worked as a course lead and member of key committees that designed courses, revised curricula, trained novice teachers, evaluated teacher performance, and oversaw program administration. These experiences highlighted the significance of effective leaders who are creative thinkers, knowledgeable about local educational contexts, and ready to unlearn prior training, mostly monolingual, to relearn approaches that reflect students’ and language teachers’ local educational needs.

I realized that while there were plenty of leadership development resources in different disciplines and fields, TESOL as a field lacked such opportunities, which unfortunately is true even today. People are often promoted to leadership positions based upon their teaching or service experience rather than training or potential. We cannot undermine the significance of experience but we shouldn’t take for granted that being a successful teacher means being an effective leader. A good teacher might perform their expected duties related to teaching and administrative work, but a teacher-leader would go beyond those duties to take on advocacy work to argue for learning environments that are equitable, inclusive, and supportive, propose educational reforms that improve instructional practices and course offerings, argue for change in language policies to support multilingual TESOL, and contribute to the development of their program, institution, and community.

Similarly, a program administrator might be very good at record keeping, achieving enrollment and graduate rates, and successfully offering language courses, however, a program leader would ensure equity, inclusivity, and decoloniality in decision making, designing courses that allow students to maintain their heritage/home/first language while developing the target language, and supporting teachers in their well-being, professional development, and research. These tensions attracted me to study TESOL leadership further as a passion and it became the basis of my decision to pursue a Doctorate in Leadership.

Lan: As an expert on TESOL leadership, you have provided deep and broad insights into the operationalization of programs or organizational services of language programs. But if I asked you to share your key strategies with language program administrators for successfully administering a language program, what would be your top three strategies? Also, what are some things you would suggest avoid doing?

Kashif: I think the first thing any language program administrator should do is to develop a deeper understanding of the multidimensional nature of their socio-educational context. This can include: the macro (national-level) context that shapes a country’s legal, political, economic, and cultural environment; meso (institutional-level) context that informs institutional governance approaches, educational policies, and equity, inclusivity, and decoloniality strategy; and micro (program-level) context that creates the everyday work environment (e.g., power dynamics among/between faculty, staff, and students, curricular issues, teacher training, instructional approaches, etc.). This multidimensionality is necessary to understand the ways in which your context shapes the challenges you face and what context-informed strategies you need to devise to develop a language program administration approach (see Raza & Chua, 2022 for more details).

Secondly, open communication is very important for any language program administrator. Faculty, students, and staff should get regular updates on program administration related affairs. This is important to keep people informed of the everyday operationalization of the program (e.g., achievements, challenges, changes, etc.) but also to develop transparent decision-making processes, creating a space for idea sharing and promoting a culture of collaboration. Mangrum and Mangrum (2000) emphasized the significance of formal and informal communication structures that allow people to communicate in formal settings like committees and task forces but also interact in informal environments such as lunch gatherings, coffee meetups, and corridor gossip. In Raza et al. (2021), Mohammad Manasreh, an experienced language program administrator, shared his experience of capturing faculty voices through end-of-semester gatherings, surveys and focus groups (formal structures) as well as setting up an anonymous suggestion box (informal structure). The latter allowed faculty to record their suggestions, concerns, and complaints more openly and without any fears and consequences.

Finally, professional development is key to effective leadership and administration. Unfortunately, there are limited resources for TESOL leaders when it comes to language program administration. One strategy we proposed in Raza et al. (2021) is to develop a network of program administrators that provides a space for reflective dialogues to share success and failure stories and learn from each other’s experiences. TESOL International Association’s PAIS is a good place to develop such a network. This intersection mostly consists of individuals who are involved in some level of administration in their language programs.

In terms of what to avoid, I think language program administrators should avoid hiding information. Developing decision-making processes that are not open and transparent can be detrimental for any language program. Hiding information can lead to suspicion, lack of trust in leadership, and lack of motivation among faculty.

Lan: You have played multiple leadership roles within the TESOL International Association such as PAIS Co-Chair, Co-Chair of a Working Group for Governance Review, and now serving on the Nominating Committee. How have these roles shaped your own leadership skills and what do you suggest for current and aspiring TESOL leaders?

Kashif: Serving TESOL in these capacities has been very rewarding. I was afforded with multiple opportunities to work with amazing colleagues from different backgrounds, engage with TESOL’s diverse membership, and contribute to the development of the Association. As a Co-Chair of PAIS, I facilitated connections among program administrators across various educational settings, fostering the exchange of ideas and addressing current issues in the field. Co-leading the Governance Review Working Group with Dr. Suzanne Panferov Reese required a comprehensive understanding of TESOL’s organizational structures and the ability to guide collaborative efforts toward effective governance reforms. I was able to use my legal skills to review the functioning of TESOL’s Communities of Practice and propose ways to align it better with TESOL’s vision and mission. These experiences encouraged me to run for the Nominating Committee so that I can hone my skills in identifying and encouraging emerging leaders, ensuring the TESOL International Association’s future is entrusted to capable individuals.

For current and aspiring TESOL leaders interested in such roles, I recommend actively engaging with TESOL’s Communities of Practice such as Interest Sections and Professional Learning Networks. These platforms offer multiple opportunities to develop and share expertise with colleagues and Association leadership. Additionally, volunteering for leadership positions with TESOL can provide valuable experience, contribute to professional growth, expand professional network, develop leadership competencies, and give back meaningfully to the TESOL community.

References

Mangrum, F. G., & Mangrum, C. W. (2000). The connection between formal and informal meetings: Understanding shared governance in the small college environment. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Central States Communication Association, Detroit, USA.

Raza, K., & Chua, C. (2022). Global-contextual TESOL leadership in diverse and multi-dimensional contexts: A paradigmatic shift. International Journal of Leadership in Learning, 22(1), 305-339. https://doi.org/10.29173/ijll12

Raza, K., Manasreh, M., King, M., & Eslami, Z. (2021). Context specific leadership in English language program administration: What can we learn from the autoethnographies of leaders? International Journal of Leadership in Education, 27(5), 1031-1051 https://doi.org/10.1080/13603124.2021.1944672

Kashif Raza is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of British Columbia. He has taught English as a second/international language in Canada, Qatar, the USA, and Pakistan. As an interdisciplinary scholar, Kashif’s professional backgrounds include law, English language teaching, and leadership. His research interests are TESOL leadership, language policy and planning, multilingual education, transnational migration, and education law. He is the chief editor of Handbook of Multilingual TESOL in Practice (Springer, 2023) and Policy Development in TESOL and Multilingualism: Past, Present, and the Ways Forward (Springer, 2019). He serves on the Nominating Committee of the TESOL International Association.

Lan Wang-Hiles is Associate Professor of English at West Virginia State University, where she directed the ESL Program. Her research interests include second language writing, writing center theory and tutoring practice, multilingualism, and non-native English-speaking teacher identity. Her studies appear as journal articles and book chapters in these fields. She is the newsletter editor of the Program Administration Interest Section (PAIS) for TESOL, Chair of the Non-Native English-Speaking Writing Instructors (NNESWIs) Standing Group for the Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC), and a West Virginia TESOL Board member.