Gurpreet Kaur Bains : Teaching Punjabi Language

This interview is a part of the “Punjabi in BC” oral history project (2019-2023). “Punjabi in BC” is comprised of interviews with over 50 K-12 teachers, language advocates, journalists, and writers who have contributed to the life of the Punjabi language in British Columbia, Canada. Gurpreet Kaur Bains, the subject of this interview, has been a teacher for 20 years and, at the time of writing this introduction, serves as the Languages Department Head at LA Matheson Secondary School in Surrey, British Columbia. She played an important role in establishing the first-ever Punjabi Youth Dhahan Prize in BC, an initiative that allows the winning students to have their work published in an anthology. This interview includes one promotional video, in addition to the full interview. In the full interview, Gurpreet Kaur Bains shares her teaching experience and how her love for the Punjabi language and culture grew after moving to Canada. She discusses the challenges of teaching Punjabi, efforts to gather resources, and the significance of learning Punjabi amongst children.