July-August 2012 e-bulletin - LLAS Centre for languages, linguistics and area studies
The monthly LLAS Centre e-bulletin gives information on events, news items and newly available resources. Register if you would like to receive notification of future e-bulletins via email.
 |
News Bulletin |
Dear colleague,
Welcome to the LLAS e-bulletin for July-August 2012. Click here to see this email on the LLAS website.
Message from the Director 
It was good to end the academic year on a high with the two-yearly languages in higher education conference in Edinburgh this year, organised by LLAS in partnership with UCML, AULC and HEA, and supported by a dozen or so sponsors. Many of our readers were there, and will confirm that there was a very buoyant spirit. This was perhaps surprising in the current climate, but we were certainly able to find nuggets of good news among the tailings of uncertainty and disappointment. And several of the speakers showed us positive things that we could be doing to make matters better for languages. Colin Riordan’s energising keynote urged us to think about producing a new kind of graduate. Jim Coleman’s cool assessment showed a number of ways to lobby policy makers. Humair Naqvi of Rosetta Stone invited us to engage with the private sector. There is no doubt that the world has changed in the two years since the last conference, and that things will continue to change. The languages community has a tradition of looking difficulties in the face and then finding creative solutions. On the evidence of the Edinburgh conference, that is just what we are now doing. A rich array of speakers gave us a lot of ideas and a crowded agenda for the autumn. Bonnes vacances.
Mike Kelly (follow Mike on Twitter at @ProfMikeKelly)
Director, LLAS Centre for languages, linguistics and area studies
This month's e-bulletin in brief
- In the news
- LLAS blog: , John Canning
- LLAS Why study languages? calendar FREE downloads - July & August 2012
- LLAS events : Our events programme in full can be found at www.llas.ac.uk/events
In the news
Speak to the Future - new website
We’re delighted to announce that the launch of a brand new website for the campaign for languages at http://www.speaktothefuture.org
The new LLAS magazine Liaison is out!
An online copy is available to view here. To order your FREE hard copy, just email us at llas@soton.ac.uk . This issue includes articles on the year abroad, social media, OERs and a piece by Lid King, the Chair of Speak to the Future, the campaign for languages.
LLAS E-learning Symposium 2013
The 8th annual e-learning symposium will take place on 24 and 25 January at the University of Southampton. Registrations will be open in the Autumn. The call for contributions is now open and details can be found at http://www.llas.ac.uk/elearning2013
Year abroad national strategy consultation
Last year, David Willetts, Minister for Universities and Science, asked BIS and the UK HE International Unit to establish the Joint Steering Group on Outward Student Mobility in order to review the obstacles and incentives to outward student mobility in the UK. The Joint Steering Group’s central recommendation was that the UK should develop and implement a national strategy for outward student mobility, supported by a body to facilitate and promote best practice, effectiveness and professionalism in this area. The Group has been asked to develop options for a national strategy and potential oversight body, to be presented at an autumn meeting of the International Education Advisory Forum. A small working group has been established to support this endeavour and is keen to gather feedback from the sector more widely.
Please complete the sector consultation before Wednesday 1 August 2012 by clicking here
Case Studies of Openness in the Language Classroom - call for contributions
A publication is being planned of selected case studies showcasing how the principles of openness in second / foreign language teaching and learning are applied in practice. The book will be a collection of case studies providing practicalsuggestions for the incorporation of Open Educational Resources (OER) and Practices (OEP), and Open Communication principles to the language classroom and to the initial and continuing development of language teachers. This open-access e-book, aimed at practitioners in secondary and tertiary education, will be freely available for download. For more information, please go to https://www.llas.ac.uk/news/6657
Bilingual Immersion Education Network (www.bien.org.uk)
BIEN was set up as part of a research project (funded by Esmée Fairbairn Foundation) at Wix Primary School which runs an English-French stream. For more information go to https://www.llas.ac.uk/news/6658
LLAS blog 
Why it will be starting with a KIS for 2013 undergraduates - John Canning, LLAS
Fees of up to £9000 at English universities may have dominated the news headlines in recent times but it is not the only big change in UK higher education scheduled for autumn 2012.
Click here for the full post
LLAS Why study languages? calendar
FREE calendar download: This calendar, for the month of July 2012, in Punjabi, was produced by LLAS Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies. It was created with help from teachers working on the JISC-funded Community Cafe project. Quiz questions and answers are also included. 
This is the ninth of a 16-month series lasting until Dec 2012. Please visit : http://languagebox.ac.uk/2858/ You can find all months so far at http://languagebox.ac.uk/1991/.
This calendar, for the month of August 2012, in Estonian. This is the tenth of a 16-month series lasting until Dec 2012. Look out for another language next month. Please visit : http://languagebox.ac.uk/2858/ You can find all months so far at http://languagebox.ac.uk/1991/. 
Sorry! We have just found out that there were technical problems downloading the calendar month of June. We have fixed this problem now, so you shouldn’t experience any further difficulties, but if you do, please let us know straightaway. Thanks to all those who emailed and told us the problem.
Forthcoming events in the LLAS community
September 2012
Multilingual Theory and Practice in Applied Linguistics" - BAAL 2012
6 September, 2012 - 8 September, 2012 - University of Southampton
Thriving in an uncertain world - a workshop for heads of depts and leaders in LLAS
13 September, 2012 - London
November 2012
The LOC tool for EAP teachers: authoring your own online learning materials
9 November, 2012 - University of Southampton
Making Video for Language Learning and Teaching
17 November, 2012 - University of York
January 2013
E-learning Symposium 2013
24 - 25 January, 2013 - University of Southampton
April 2013
Residence Abroad, Social Networks and Second Language Learning
11 April - 12 April, 2013 - University of Southampton
|
TRAVEL FUND |
REMEMBER you can follow LLAS on Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin !
We would be grateful if you would forward this bulletin to colleagues and relevant mailing lists. Please do not hesitate to contact LLAS if you have any queries regarding this bulletin.
LLAS Centre for languages, linguistics and area studies
University of Southampton | Avenue Campus | Southampton | SO17 1BJ
p: +44 (0) 23 8059 4814 | f: +44 (0) 23 8059 4815 | llas@soton.ac.uk
www.llas.ac.uk
If you do not wish to receive any future messages from LLAS, please let us know by replying to this email.
