Ms. Sthuthi M V, Doctoral Research Scholar at the Centre for English Language Studies (CELS), School of Humanities, University of Hyderabad (UoH), presented her research paper at the 51st International Systemic Functional Congress (ISFC51), hosted by Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Hong Kong, from 13 to 16 July 2026.
Her paper, titled “Teaching Critical Literacy Through Indian English Picturebooks: An SFL-Based Framework,” explored the pedagogical potential of Indian English picturebooks in fostering critical literacy among young readers through the analytical framework of Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL). The study proposed an SFL-based framework demonstrating how the interaction of linguistic and visual meaning-making resources in picturebooks can encourage children to critically engage with questions of identity, diversity, inclusion, power, and social representation.
The International Systemic Functional Congress, now in its 51st edition, is one of the world’s premier conferences in the field of Systemic Functional Linguistics. This year’s congress, themed “Global Voices, Local Impact: Advancing Language Education through Systemic Functional Linguistics,” brought together leading scholars, researchers, and educators from across the globe to discuss contemporary developments in language, literacy, multimodality, discourse analysis, translation, artificial intelligence, and education.
During the congress, Ms. Sthuthi had the opportunity to present her research before internationally renowned scholars in the field, including Prof. J. R. Martin, Prof. Christian M. I. M. Matthiessen, Prof. Len Unsworth, Prof. Beatriz Quiroz, Prof. Chenguang Chang, and Prof. Meg Gebhard, and to engage in enriching scholarly discussions with experts from diverse academic backgrounds. The conference also provided a valuable platform for academic exchange, networking, and exploring future research collaborations with scholars from around the world.
Her participation at ISFC51 marks a significant milestone in her doctoral research journey and reflects the Centre for English Language Studies’ continued commitment to promoting internationally recognised scholarship in English language studies, literacy education, children’s literature, and multimodal discourse analysis. The presentation showcased ongoing research from the Centre on the role of Indian English children’s literature in advancing critical literacy, contributing to contemporary discussions on language, education, and social justice in multilingual contexts.