Inclusive Education Fellow, Teach For All

As a recipient of the Inclusive Education Fellowship by Teach For All and the OAK Foundation, I completed an intensive specialization in creating equitable learning environments for diverse student populations. My work focused on mastering and implementing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Metacognitive frameworks to ensure that lessons are accessible to students with varying cognitive and physical needs. Through dedicated Action Research, I translated global best practices into a localized context at Jalia Palong High School, utilizing my background in Speech and Language Pathology to design communication-focused strategies that support students who traditionally face the greatest barriers to education.

Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy: Bridging Language and Geometry

Drawing from my Inclusive Education Fellowship, I designed a specialized intervention to tackle the challenge of rote memorization in geometry. Observing that my Grade 6 and 7 students struggled to memorize textbook language for geometric constructions (Sompaddo), I implemented a CSP-based framework that validated their native Chatgaya (Cox’s Bazar) dialect as a bridge to formal academic language.

The process moved through three strategic phases:

Foundational Mapping: Students first mastered basic geometric symbols and learned to translate visual actions like drawing a point or a line into simple written descriptions.
Linguistic Scaffolding: I encouraged students to explain their drawing steps in their own local dialect. By removing the barrier of formal language, students demonstrated a sophisticated understanding of geometric logic that had previously been hidden by the pressure to memorize.
Code-Switching & Critical Reflection: We collaborated to "translate" their dialect-based descriptions into formal textbook terminology. This led to a critical classroom dialogue about why textbooks are written in standard language and how students can navigate these systems without losing their cultural identity.

This intervention transformed geometry from a memory exercise into a lesson in creative writing and self-advocacy. By honoring their local culture, I not only improved their academic performance in mathematics but also fostered the confidence necessary for first-generation learners to succeed within a formal education system while remaining rooted in their heritage.