Azim Premji University

Sharoon Sunny

Areas of Interest & Expertise

  • Creativity Research
  • Creativity in English Language Teaching
  • Creative Writing
  • Materials Creation
  • English Language Teaching (ELT)
  • Early Childhood Writing
  • Writing Difficulties in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
  • Language Learning for People from Disadvantaged Backgrounds

Biography

Sharoon is an English teacher who specialises in training teachers in enhancing creativity in the language classroom, with a special focus on teaching the art of writing. She is especially interested in using creative, strategy-based writing interventions to help students and adults write. 

She recently completed her PhD from the School of English Language Education at the English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad. The focus of her research was on how the beliefs of teachers about creativity and teaching the art of writing determine their classroom practices. 

Sharoon has an MA in Humanities (Studies in Literature) from the University of Texas, Dallas, where she was the recipient of the Robert Plant Armstrong Fellowship. She also has an MA in English Literature from Bangalore University.

Her most recent workshop, ​‘Creative writing: for our students, for ourselves,’ with Prof. Alan Maley included teachers from Yemen, Syria, Bangladesh, Srilanka, Nepal and India. Here, creative writing techniques were used to help teachers design materials and promote language learning through practical techniques for stimulating more creative modes of writing.

Her teaching career began at the Department of English, Jyoti Nivas College, Bengaluru in 2004. Later, she moved to the English Department, Christ University. Throughout her career, she has worked with teachers, both young and old, teaching both language and literature courses. 

In the past, she has worked as a test items writer and editor for K‑12 English Language Arts (ELA) assessments and as an Early Years Educator in Dallas, Texas. 

As a visiting faculty member at the Regional Institute of English South India (RIESI), Bengaluru, she trains government school teachers in building English language competencies. 

She is an International Development Programme (IDP) certified International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examiner, a language assessor and an interlocutor for Air Traffic Control personnel. 

She is an active apiarist, i.e. a person who keeps bees and spends her free time tending to them. 

Courses

Publications

Edited books

  • Sunny, S. (Ed.). (2021). Peer Training Manual for Peer Educators. NIMHANS Publishing, Bengaluru. 
  • Sunny, S. & Rao, C. (Eds.). (2014). A Better Word. Nivasini Publishers, Hyderabad.

Chapters in Edited Books

  • Sunny, S. (2023). Listening to students. In A. B. Asmawi, G. M. Jacobs, G. Qingli, & W.A. Renandya (Eds.), Stories of Teacher Authenticity (pp. 71 — 75). Peachy Publications Ltd, UK. https://​pay​hip​.com/​b​/​k3Oq9
  • Sunny, S. (2022). Words find no meaning & how far will we fall? In A. Maley (Ed.), The Pity of War…The Poetry is in the Pity (Ukraine Crisis Fund Raising Project) (pp. 78 — 79). Peachy Publications Ltd, UK. 
  • Sunny, S. (2021). What Remains. In A. Maley (Ed.), The New Normal: Post Pandemic Reflections (First ed.). (p.19). Our Glass Publishing, UK. 
  • Sunny, S. (2021). Teacher Training for Handwriting Skills Amongst Early Learners With Handwriting Difficulties. In Jangira et al. (Eds.), A practitioner’s Guide to Specific Learning Disabilities and Inclusive Education. pp.121 — 130. TISS and Brotherhood.
  • Sunny, S., et. al. (2020). Writing Short Texts. In A. Mahanand (Ed.), Academic Writing. Textbook materials for BA students. B R Ambedkar Open University, Hyderabad. 
  • Sunny, S. (2020). Haibun. In A. Maley (Ed.), Writing Something Interesting for a Change: Poems and Stories by Teachers. (p. 164). The English and Foreign Language University Press, Hyderabad. 
  • Sunny, S. (2020) Poems. In A. Maley (Ed.), A Viral Time Warp: Corona Writing from Members of The C Group. (p. 102). Our Glass Publishing, UK.

Journal Articles

Book Project

  • Sunny, S. (Forthcoming). Prathiba- Indian Teachers Perceptions About Creativity and its Connection to Writing. Cambridge Scholars.

Radio programme

Magazine Articles

Newspaper Articles

Workshops Facilitated

  • Sunny, S. (2023). Teachers as Writers: Breaking Creative Writing Myths. Sabah, Malaysia.
  • Sunny, S (2023). Working our way through Words. 4th Book Club International session, International English Language Teachers Association, Mauritius.
  • Sunny, S. (2021). Training teachers to teach Grammar to Second Language Learners. ACTS Academy Teachers, Bengaluru.
  • Sunny, S. & Maley, A. (2019). Creative writing: For our students, for ourselves. International Workshop cum Conference in Writing, EFLU, Hyderabad.
  • Sunny, S. (2019). Katha Regional Writers Workshop, South India.
  • Sunny, S. (2018). Teaching for Creativity. Bethany High School, Bengaluru.
  • Sunny, S. (2017). Katha Regional Writers Workshop, South India.
  • Sunny, S. (2014). Poetry writing workshop. Christ University, Bengaluru.
  • Sunny, S. (2013). Teaching for Creativity. Chrysalis High, Bengaluru.

Conference Presentations

  • Sunny, S. (2021, November 20 — 28). Dual Language Authoring for Writing Success. ELTAI 15th International Conference. ELT in India: New needs, new demands, new trends.
  • Sunny, S. (2019, December 13 — 15). Creativity and Writing: How Teacher Beliefs Influence the Teaching of Writing. IWCW, EFLU, Hyderabad.
  • Sunny, S. (2019, June 26 — 30). Creativity in The English Language Classroom. ICCTAR, Melaka, Malaysia.
  • Sunny, S. (2018, November). Building Writing Stamina Among High School ESL Learners. SSN College of Engineering, Chennai.
  • Sunny, S. (2015, September). Trends in American Literary and Cultural Studies: Japanese Influences on Tarantino’s Kill Bill, Christ University, Bengaluru.
  • Sunny, S. (2014, July). Creativity in the Classroom: Creative Engagement. THINK CIQ Conference, Bengaluru.

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