Mandira Bhaduri

Mandira Bhaduri has been teaching Bangla as a second language since 1992.

Mandira Bhaduri started teaching Bangla as a second language in the American Institute of Indian Studies (AIIS), Kolkata 1992. She taught at AIIS until 2004. Then she moved to Ann Arbor for starting a Bangla program in the University of Michigan and taught there for three years. in 2007, she moved to Chicago for teaching Bangla in SALC and has been teaching there since then.

Besides, teaching in an academic year setting, Mandira also taught Intensive courses in Bangla in South Asia Summer Language Program ( SASLI) in Madison many summers between 2015-2005.

Mandira’s commitment to teaching Bangla and her deep interest in pedagogy led her to work with Language Center ( LRC), UC on projects of proficiency assessments. She made a ‘Competency Assessment’ in 2018 in collaboration with LRC. Now, she is working on the ‘ Practical Language Proficiency Assessment’. As she is also interested in art, she did a project by inviting a renowned artist from Bangladesh in Bangla language program in Spring,2014 with a grant from the Committee of South Asia, University of Chicago.

Courses

• Bangla First Year:   This course follows the communicative method. Speaking, listening, reading and writing skills are equally given importance. No prior knowledge of Bangla language is needed.
• Bangla Second Year:  This course is a sequence of First-Year Bangla. The goal of this course is to improve students’ Bangla language ability so they can meet the practical needs in the real world and start using Bangla in their professional or academic career.
• Bangla Third Year: This course is a sequence of Second Year Bangla in terms of the level of proficiency. The goal of this course is to establish deeper understanding of the language and culture through texts (literature, films, songs, etc.) and have the students be proficient in more complex and meaningful conversations in Bangla.
• Advanced Bangla Reading: Theme based reading courses on modern Bangla literature especially keeping in mind the interests of existing students. Although other skills can be integrated to strengthen the reading skill.

(Such recent courses are ‘Women’s writings in Bangla in 19^th. and early 20^th. Century’, ‘Bangla literature, concentrating on the depiction of Mughals and Marathas in 19^th. and early 20^th. Century’.

Informal Courses: Texts of students’ interests.

• Mandira Bhaduri, 'Epar Bangla Opar Bangla : Bangla across borders  ! (workbook) ,2011, University of Washington,Seattle.
• Mandira Bhaduri, “Crimson Red: Journal of an artist”,in’ Crimson Red’ by Rafi Haque, 2014, Society for Promotion of Bangladesh Art, Dhaka.
• Mandira Bhaduri, ‘Bangla Bhasasikhha O Sahityo : Bengali Reader for Advanced Level Students’ ,  2011, American Institute of  Indian Studies, Kolkata.

Monographs

• 2004: “A Checklist of Autobiographies in Bangla” Mandira Bhaduri and Anindita Bhaduri, in Reminiscence excerpts from Oriya and Bangla Autobiography edited by Subha Chakraborty Dasgupta and Jatindra k. Nayak, Kolkata: Jadavpur University, Department of Comparative Literature.
• 2003: Bangla Bhasasikhha O Sahityo : Bengali Reading Material for Advanced Level Students Kolkata: American Institute of Indian Studies,

Articles and Contributions to Edited Volumes

• 1994: Kolkatay Maritime Museum, Yugantar, (Newspaper) February 6., p 4
• 1993: Janapriyo Patrikae Daini, Sachetana (Magazine) pp. 57 - 60
• 1993: Protijogitamulak Porikkha, Patabhumi (Magazine) pp. 16-21
• 1992: Sananda – meyeder patrika Patabhumi (Magazine) pp. 31 - 36