Language Tensions Podcast

Language Tensions encompasses a community of dialogue seekers. Our work is born in collaboration and could not exist without each other's invaluable contributions. #languagetensions

Hosts

Clara Vaz Bauler

Clara Vaz Bauler is a teacher educator and applied linguist based in Adelphi University, New York. Clara’s work focuses on multilingualism, multimodality and dialogical pedagogies in TESOL and teacher education. She is a passionate multilingual learner, writer and teacher.

Ian Cushing

Ian Cushing is an applied linguist and teacher educator based in Manchester University, UK, specializing in linguistic diversity, critical language awareness, and anti‑racist teacher education. His scholarship examines language ideologies in policy and practice across the UK and US.

Ian and Clara have co-led transatlantic projects on deficit thinking, multilingualism, and critical dialogue in teacher preparation as part of their Spencer Foundation CRIT-TEP Project. The Language Tensions Podcast is our way to expand conversations about language to a wider audience of critical thinkers beyod strictly academic settings.

Warda Farah

Warda Farah is a Social Entrepreneur, Speech and Language Therapist, Writer and Lecturer. Her work sits at the intersection of Race, Language and Disability. Warda set up her Social Enterprise Language Waves to address the barriers that Black and minoritised families face. Her approach is guided by her own experiences as neurodivergent Black woman.

JPB Gerald

Dr JPB Gerald is an ELA teacher who returned to the classroom after years growing distant from the work in education management. He has extensive experience with podcasting and has published 3 books so far on the intersection of education, language, race, and neurodivergence. Find all of his work at jpbgerald.com

JPB and Warda have made an essential contribution to Language Tensions as consultants to the CRIT-TEP Spencer Foundation Project and as experts in language, race and neurodivergence. Warda came up with the concept of "language tensions" and JPB, as an seasoned podcaster, helped envision the structure of Season 1. We are so grateful for their expertise and collaboration without which we could not have created Language Tensions.

producers

Vincent Sun

Leeann Mello

Emily Ledesma

Emily Ledesma is a soon to be graduating graduate student this May 2026 from Adelphi University with her M.A. in Childhood Education, Early Childhood Extension, and Advanced Certification in Literacy. Emily's passion for education and psychology go hand in hand and have encompassed her wanting to contribute her knowledge in both areas to better the field of education.

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