Current Position
Chair, Department of Languages and Translation
Dhofar University
Sultanate of Oman
Email: vijay_oman@yahoo.co.in
vijay_thakur@du.edu.om
Telephone (Office): +968 2323 7270
Mobile: +968 99731627
Current Rank
Associate Professor of English Language and Linguistics
Teaching Philosophy
My teaching philosophy begins with an equal interest in teaching content-rich, skills-based, and research-oriented courses and ends in encouraging students to become active participants in the leaning process. I strongly believe in exploiting students’ creative energy as a classroom resource with the use of authentic materials and eclectic approach to teaching. I also believe in encouraging them to work on their own, as far as possible, and develop their knowledge of the subject and functional skills through a wide variety of learner-friendly, challenging, and motivating tasks and activities that significantly contribute to the development of their intellectual, social, emotional and physical skills. I’m able to ensure better learner motivation and participation by relating my classroom and out-of-class work with the learners’ present and future needs, through a natural, friendly and humorous approach to teaching using a variety of additional unconventional teaching materials. Thus, I find my students enjoying a stimulating learning experience. I am always motivated by a strong conviction of aiming at enabling students to develop into multi-tasking autonomous learners. I find this viable by exposing them to a range of learning techniques and strategies and engaging them in useful self-directed and guided projects and presentations from time to time. Put precisely, my approach in whatever I do with my students—both inside and outside the classroom—is to develop in them a genuine sense of responsibility to learn, grow, develop and contribute in the learning process.
Educational Qualifications
Ph. D (Doctor of Philosophy: Applied Sociolinguistics), Rani Durgavati University, Jabalpur, India, 2005.
M. Phil (Master of Philosophy: Linguistics & Phonetics), Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages (Now: English and Foreign Languages University), Hyderabad, India, 2001.
M. A. (Master of Arts: English Literature), Rani Durgavati University, Jabalpur, India, 1995.
P.G.D.T.E. (Postgraduate Diploma in the Teaching of English: ELT), Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages (Now: English and Foreign Languages University), Hyderabad, India, 1991.
Fields of Specialization and Research Interests
Applied Sociolinguistics
Discourse Stylistics
Cross-Cultural Pragmatics
TESOL Pedagogy
Teaching Experience
I have two and half decades of experience in teaching the following courses in India and Oman:
Language Courses
Understanding English Grammar
Modern English Grammar and Usage
English Grammar in Context
Business Communication
Print and Electronic Journalism
English Language and Communication Skills
English Language Study and Academic Skills
Academic Writing
Academic Reading
Basic Academic English
Advanced Academic English
Advanced Writing
Advanced Reading
Writing Workshop
Presentation Skills
Technical Writing
Situational English
Linguistics Courses
Introduction to Linguistics
Meaning in Language
Foundations of Linguistic Theory
Phonetics and Phonology of English
Morphology
Discourse Analysis
Language in Society
Language and Gender
Politics of Language
History of English Language
Models of Second Language Acquisition
Literature Courses
Introduction to Rhetoric
Introduction to Creative Writing
Indian English Literature
Research Courses
Research Methodology
Publication Record
2 Books on ‘Discourse Stylistics’ and ‘Sociolinguistic Perspectives of Politeness’
2 Jointly Edited Books on ‘Effective Writing Instruction Methodologies’ and ‘Critical Perspectives on EFL Assessment’
27 Refereed/peer-reviewed papers, articles, and chapters in journals and anthologies in the areas of Applied Linguistics and TESOL Pedagogy
Conference Presentations
16 presentations at National/International conferences
Postgraduate Theses Evaluation
22 Ph D theses
6 Master’s theses
Editorial Membership of International Journals
Journal of English as an International Language
(Published by Academic Scholars Publishing House, Australia)
Associate Editor: Since 2008
The Asia TEFL Journal (Indexed in SCOPUS)
(Published by Asian Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language, Korea)
Journal Editor: Since 2012
http://www.asiatefl.org/journal/journal1.html
International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
(Published by Georgia Southern University, USA)
Journal Editor: Since 2012
http://www.georgiasouthern.edu/ijsotl/
Chinese EFL Journal
(Published by Academic Scholars Publishing house, Australia)
Journal Editor: From 2008 till 2012
http://www.chinese-efl-journal.com
Maritime English Journal
(Published by Academic Scholars Publishing House, Australia)
Associate Editor: From 2008 till 2013
http://www.maritime-english-journal.com
TESOL Journal
(Published by Academic Scholars Publishing House, Australia)
Associate Editor: From 2009 till 2013
http://www.tesol-journal.com