Say my name, say it right | Xiaoxiao Du | TEDxWinnipeg

Being different is more than okay! Our unique names are integral to our identities and carry meaningful stories that may not always be ready to be heard but deserve to be told in our own ways, using multiple languages and our authentic voices. A powerful argument for why honouring people’s names is about more than language, it’s about dignity, belonging, and identity. Dr. Xiaoxiao Du is an educator and researcher whose work explores the close connections among language, literacy, culture and identity. She joined the University of Manitoba's Faculty of Education in 2021 as an Assistant Professor of Language and Literacies. Her research includes early literacy, multimodal meaning-making, identity construction, and the different ways children learn across schools, homes and communities.

Du earned her PhD from Western University, where her dissertation received the John Dearness Memorial Award. She has served as President and Past President of the Language and Literacy Researchers of Canada and as an associate editor of the journalLanguage & Literacy. Much of her work advocates for education that treats students' languages, cultures and existing knowledge as assets rather than obstacles. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx