Keynote Speakers Details

Talk Title: Multimodal Pedagogical Competencies of language Teachers: A case of Kenyan Secondary Schools

Jackton Otieno Midigo is a dedicated linguist, educator, and researcher currently serving as a Tutorial Fellow at Gretsa University, Kenya. He is in the final stages of graduating with a PhD in Linguistics at Rongo University, any time before the end of this year, 2025, where he also earned his Master of Arts in Linguistics. He holds a First Class Honours Bachelor of Education (Arts) from Moi University, specializing in English and Literature. Midigo’s academic work is rooted in a passion for fostering critical thinking and advancing knowledge in the field of language studies. His research interests include multimodal discourse analysis, language and society, syntactic theory, and media linguistics. He has authored eight peer-reviewed journal articles and a scholarly book titled Reflex English, published by LAP Lambert. His publications explore diverse themes such as modes of signification in education, the sociolinguistics of Sheng, multimodality in advertising, and morphological and syntactic structures in Dholuo.

In recognition of his contribution to academia, Midigo has presented papers at several national conferences, including the Gretsa University International Multidisciplinary Research Conference and the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Conference at Chuka University, as well as the second international multidisciplinary exploring AI in the digital era at Rongo University. His research presentations have tackled critical issues such as digital learning accessibility, the impact of social media misinformation, innovative solutions to support the documentation and revitalization of indigenous African languages using Artificial Intelligence (AI), and the social adjustment of out-of-school adolescents.

With over a decade of teaching experience, Midigo has served in various academic and administrative capacities. He taught at Rapedhi Secondary School and Wiga Girls under the Teachers Service Commission before transitioning to university teaching as a part-time lecturer at Rongo University and later as a full-time academic staff member at Gretsa University. In his current role, he also coordinates and supervises teaching practice and mentors students through project supervision. In addition to his academic achievements, Midigo is an accomplished poet, songwriter, and artist registered with the Music Copyright Society of Kenya. He has received numerous awards for his involvement in music, elocution, and drama, and he actively contributes as a reviewer for the International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), among others. Driven by a vision to achieve excellence in service and a mission to foster critical thinking, Jackton Otieno Midigo continues to shape the linguistic and educational landscape in Kenya through research, teaching, and community engagement.