Across nations, many children continue to learn in circumstances where resources are limited and opportunities are uneven. Yet, these learners bring with them rich experiences, curiosity, and a strong capacity to learn when teaching approaches connect with their realities. This keynote reflects on research conducted with individuals from low-income households and vulnerable communities, exploring how thoughtfully designed visual and verbal learning activities, supported by accessible digital tools, can strengthen language development. When learners are able to see, hear, and talk about ideas in meaningful ways, participation becomes more natural and confidence is allowed to grow. Even simple technologies, when used purposefully, can create opportunities for vibrant interactions that might otherwise be very difficult to achieve in poorly resourced settings. Rather than focusing on technology for its own sake, this keynote highlights how technology can support practical, human-centered teaching. In essence, it is argued that resilient language education emerges from approaches that are flexible, inclusive, and grounded in the lived realities of both teachers and students.

Debbita has taught at the School of Languages, Literacies and Translation, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), since 2005. Prior to that, she was a feature writer with work published in various local and international publications. In 2013, she was awarded a government scholarship to read her PhD at USM and a year later was granted an academic attachment (Guest Doctoral Scholar/Researcher) at Meiji University in Tokyo, Japan. Her PhD thesis was nominated for USM’s Best Thesis Award. In 2018 and 2023, she received the university’s Excellent Service Award. 

Debbita is keen on interdisciplinary research and her areas of interest include language learning, translation and discourse studies. Her research network primarily comprises academics and practitioners from different parts of Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. She has published widely in high-impact books and journals in the capacity of sole author as well as in collaboration with other scholars, and sits on both local and international editorial boards. 

In addition to these, Debbita has reviewed empirical contributions for leading publishers such as Routledge (Education), SAGE UK (Social-Behavioural Sciences and Humanities), Springer (Humanities and Social Sciences), and Taylor & Francis (Arts and Humanities). She is also part of various grants as principal researcher as well as co-researcher, and has presented on different platforms a repertoire of subject matters relating to her research interests and expertise. 

Apart from teaching at the undergraduate level, she supervises at the postgraduate level, has graduated students in both tiers (PhD and MA), and continues to serve as examiner in proposal and Viva Voce sessions. In recent years, she has been active in community engagement projects – most notably projects that prioritise learning opportunities for the marginalised and less fortunate – and hopes to grow further in this area in the years to come. 

She is also presently Academic Consultant of Jinzhong University, China (Foreign Language Department).